Can you live off-grid in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire?
90
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with one thing to plan around. Rain is plentiful, about 49 inches a year. Septic will likely cost more, because rock or a hard layer sits about 28 inches down.
What the land says
Rain
Rain can supply much of a household's water with a large tank. A garden mostly waters itself in normal years.
About 49 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Typical well depth. Budget for a mid-range well.
The typical well here is about 240 feet deep; a well typically runs $12,000 to $25,000
Growing season
Enough for most vegetables. Start tomatoes and peppers indoors.
About 162 frost-free days, USDA zone 5b; last frost about May 3, first about October 15
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 4.7 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 within a quarter mile in parts of the county
Wildfire
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to Low here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: one hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 0.6 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Flat to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 8%, about 790 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 28 inches down. The county's soil test decides.
Loam, well drained (USDA soil survey). A mound, sand filter, or treatment unit typically runs $10,000 to $20,000
Road
Paved roads are close by.
Nearest paved road usually within about 0.5 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a New Hampshire 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
Set by the town, not the county. The rules depend on which town the parcel is in.
Building code
The New Hampshire State Building Code, which uses the 2024 International Residential Code for homes since July 2026, applies in every town. Towns that choose to enforce it issue permits and inspect; elsewhere the state fire marshal may enforce it at the town's request.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
Owners of land along a creek or lake can make reasonable use of its water.
Drilled to about 240 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$10,000 to $20,000
Mound, sand filter, or treatment unit
Solar and batteries
$21,000 to $33,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$3,000 to $9,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$47,000 to $92,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Rock or a hard layer sits about 28 inches down, which can rule out a standard system.
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.
Zoning
Call the town office with the parcel's address.
Zoning here is set by the town, not the county.
Nearby counties
427,354 people live in Hillsborough County, about 487.6 per square mile. It ranks 7th of the 10 New Hampshire counties we scored, and New Hampshire ranks 23rd of 50 states.