Possible, but hard and costly. Only about 10 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 130 feet here) or hauled water. The sun is strong, about 6.0 hours of full sun a day, so a smaller solar array covers a household. The growing season is only about 130 frost-free days, so plan on cold-hardy crops and a greenhouse.
What the land says
Rain
Desert rain. Plan on a well or hauled water, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 10 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Shallow wells, so drilling should be one of the cheaper costs.
The typical well here is about 130 feet deep; a well typically runs $8,000 to $18,000
Growing season
Short. Start seeds indoors and favor cold-hardy crops.
About 130 frost-free days, USDA zone 7a; last frost about June 5, first about October 8
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 6.0 hours of full sun a day, averaged over the year
Flood
Flood zones run along creeks and rivers here. Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
FEMA maps flood zones in places
Wildfire
Wildfire risk is high in places. Check the risk for the parcel you want.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to Very High here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; no strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado within 25 miles since 1990
Earthquakes
Strong shaking is possible. Build to the seismic code and brace the water tank.
USGS seismic hazard map: very high
Terrain
Rolling ground. Look for a flat house site.
Slopes average about 9%, about 4,550 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Loam, well drained (USDA soil survey). A standard system typically runs $5,000 to $10,000
Road
Dirt tracks. Plan to build or maintain your own road.
Nearest road often a dirt track, about 1.2 miles away (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Nevada parcel, or plan the one you own
Get a free 0-100 off-grid score.
A step-by-step build plan, sizing your solar, water, garden, septic, heat, and buildings.
Is it legal here?
Zoning
Washoe County zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
Building code
Nevada has no statewide residential building code for private homes: each city and county decides whether to adopt a building code, and where it has, its building department issues the permits. The codes the state adopts itself cover only buildings on state property.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
Water belongs to whoever claimed it first. A new well or pond may need a state permit, and a creek may already be claimed.
Drilled to about 130 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$5,000 to $10,000
Standard system
Solar and batteries
$18,000 to $34,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$9,000 to $23,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $5,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$42,000 to $90,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Road access
Confirm a recorded easement to the parcel.
The nearest roads are often dirt tracks.
Flood map
Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
Flood zones run along creeks and rivers here. Building in one means flood insurance and extra permits.
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high in places.
Nearby counties
498,022 people live in Washoe County, about 78.9 per square mile. It ranks 10th of the 17 Nevada counties we scored, and Nevada ranks 49th of 50 states.