Possible, but water will be hard. Only about 12 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well or hauled water. The sun is strong, about 6.5 hours of full sun a day, so a smaller solar array covers a household. Flood zones cover parts of the county, so look up any parcel on FEMA's flood map before you offer.
What the land says
Rain
Desert rain. Plan on a well or hauled water, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 12 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 170 feet to 690 feet
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 211 frost-free days, USDA zone 8a; last frost about April 6, first about November 6
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 6.5 hours of full sun a day, averaged over the year
Flood
Flood zones cover parts of the county. Look up any parcel on FEMA's flood map before you offer.
FEMA maps flood zones in parts of the county
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; about 0.6 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Flat to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 1%, about 3,310 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
Paved roads are close by.
Nearest paved road usually within about 0.7 miles (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 Eddy 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
$3,000 to $7,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$32,000 to $56,000
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 170 feet to 690 feet.
Flood map
Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
Flood zones cover parts of the county. Building in one means flood insurance and extra permits.
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
60,275 people live in Eddy County, about 14.4 per square mile. It ranks tied for 3rd of the 33 New Mexico counties we scored, and New Mexico ranks 41st of 50 states.