Can you live off-grid in Cibola County, New Mexico?
75
of 100
Significant challenges
Possible, but water will be hard. Only about 13 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well or hauled water. The sun is strong, about 6.3 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 13 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Well depth varies a lot here. Get a local driller's quote before you offer.
Typical well depths here range from 120 feet to 620 feet
Growing season
Short. Start seeds indoors and favor cold-hardy crops.
About 130 frost-free days, USDA zone 6b; last frost about May 27, first about September 30
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 6.3 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
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to Moderate 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
Terrain
Flat to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 8%, about 7,210 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 0.7 miles away (OpenStreetMap)
Check a New Mexico 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
We found no public zoning map for Cibola County, so call the county planning office with the parcel number to ask whether the land is zoned.
Building code
New Mexico has a statewide residential code, the 2021 New Mexico Residential Building Code (based on the 2021 International Residential Code), set by the state Construction Industries Division. Building a house normally needs a permit, issued by the Division or by a city or county that runs its own full-service building department.
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.
Depends on depth, which varies here. Get a driller's quote.
Septic
$5,000 to $10,000
Standard system
Solar and batteries
$23,000 to $36,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$7,000 to $18,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$36,000 to $67,000
Before the house, plus the well
Before you make an offer on land here
Well depth
Get a local driller's depth estimate.
Typical well depths here range from 120 feet to 620 feet.
Road access
Confirm a recorded easement to the parcel.
The nearest roads are often dirt tracks.
Zoning
Call the county planning office with the parcel number.
There is no public zoning map, so we cannot tell whether the land is zoned.
Nearby counties
26,780 people live in Cibola County, about 5.9 per square mile. It ranks tied for 11th of the 33 New Mexico counties we scored, and New Mexico ranks 41st of 50 states.