Can you live off-grid in Morris County, New Jersey?
88
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with two things to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 52 inches of rain a year and wells near 100 feet. The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high in parts of the county, so plan cleared ground around the house. Septic will likely cost more, because rock or a hard layer sits about 24 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 52 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 100 feet deep; a well typically runs $7,000 to $15,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 180 frost-free days, USDA zone 6b; last frost about April 25, first about October 18
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 are rare here. Still, look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
FEMA maps no flood zones nearby
Wildfire
Wildfire risk is high in parts of the county. Check the risk for the parcel you want.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Low to High here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 0.3 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Rolling ground. Look for a flat house site.
Slopes average about 12%, about 740 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 24 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 0.4 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a New Jersey 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 municipality (township, borough, or town), not the county. Ask the municipal zoning office.
Building code
New Jersey Uniform Construction Code mandatory statewide with no local amendment.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed with a permit and an approved unit.
Water rights
Owners of land along a creek or lake can make reasonable use of its water.
Drilled to about 100 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$10,000 to $20,000
Mound, sand filter, or treatment unit
Solar and batteries
$20,000 to $35,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$4,000 to $9,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $5,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$41,000 to $85,000
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 24 inches down, which can rule out a standard system.
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high in parts of the county.
Zoning
Call the town or township office with the parcel's address.
Set by the municipality (township, borough, or town), not the county. Ask the municipal zoning office.
Nearby counties
514,423 people live in Morris County, about 1115.8 per square mile. It ranks tied for 12th of the 18 New Jersey counties we scored, and New Jersey ranks 19th of 50 states.