Can you live off-grid in Somerset County, New Jersey?
90
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with one thing to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 49 inches of rain a year and wells near 150 feet. The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high in parts of the county, so plan cleared ground around the house.
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
Shallow wells, so drilling should be one of the cheaper costs.
The typical well here is about 150 feet deep; a well typically runs $9,000 to $19,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 196 frost-free days, USDA zone 7a; last frost about April 13, first about October 27
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
Wildfire risk is high in parts of the county. Check the risk for the parcel you want.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to High here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 1 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Rolling ground. Look for a flat house site.
Slopes average about 8%, about 170 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Silt loam, well drained (USDA soil survey). A standard system typically runs $5,000 to $10,000
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 150 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$5,000 to $10,000
Standard system
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
$38,000 to $78,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
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.
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 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
348,842 people live in Somerset County, about 1155.6 per square mile. It ranks tied for 8th of the 18 New Jersey counties we scored, and New Jersey ranks 19th of 50 states.