Can you live off-grid in Warren County, New Jersey?
91
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with one thing to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 50 inches of rain a year and wells near 160 feet. Septic will likely cost more, because rock or a hard layer sits about 32 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 50 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Typical well depth. Budget for a mid-range well.
The typical well here is about 160 feet deep; a well typically runs $9,000 to $20,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 180 frost-free days, USDA zone 6b; last frost about April 22, first about October 18
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 4.6 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; some land is in the 500-year floodplain
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 High here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no 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 7%, about 590 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 32 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 0.6 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 160 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
$44,000 to $89,000
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 32 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 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
111,252 people live in Warren County, about 312 per square mile. It ranks tied for 5th of the 18 New Jersey counties we scored, and New Jersey ranks 19th of 50 states.