Can you live off-grid in Grant County, New Mexico?
74
of 100
Significant challenges
Possible, but water will be hard. Only about 14 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 170 feet here) or hauled water. The sun is strong, about 6.6 hours of full sun a day, so a smaller solar array covers a household. The ground is steep, with slopes averaging about 18%. That raises the cost of a driveway, septic, and foundation.
What the land says
Rain
Desert rain. Plan on a well or hauled water, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 14 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Typical well depth. Budget for a mid-range well.
The typical well here is about 170 feet deep; a well typically runs $7,000 to $16,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 186 frost-free days, USDA zone 7b; last frost about April 24, first about October 28
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 6.6 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
Wildfire
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to Low 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
Steep in places. Driveways, septic, and foundations cost more.
Slopes average about 18%, about 4,700 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 0.6 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
Grant County zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
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.
Drilled to about 170 feet, with pump and pressure tank
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
$43,000 to $83,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
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.
Road access
Confirm a recorded easement to the parcel.
The nearest roads are often dirt tracks.
Zoning
Look up the parcel's zoning district with our free tool.
The county publishes its zoning map.
Nearby counties
27,472 people live in Grant County, about 6.9 per square mile. It ranks tied for 13th of the 33 New Mexico counties we scored, and New Mexico ranks 41st of 50 states.