Can you live off-grid in Delaware County, New York?
80
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with two things to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 48 inches of rain a year and wells near 120 feet. The growing season is about 137 frost-free days and winter sun is weak, so plan on a greenhouse and a bigger battery bank or a generator. The ground is steep, with slopes averaging about 26%. That raises the cost of a driveway, septic, and foundation.
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 48 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 120 feet deep; a well typically runs $7,000 to $15,000
Growing season
Short. Start seeds indoors and favor cold-hardy crops.
About 137 frost-free days, USDA zone 5b; last frost about May 20, first about October 4
Sun
Fair sun. Plan a larger array or a generator for winter.
About 4.3 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 Low 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
Steep. A flat house site and a driveway route will drive the cost.
Slopes average about 26%, about 1,970 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 23 inches down. The county's soil test decides.
Loam, somewhat excessively 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 York 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 town, not the county. The rules depend on which town the parcel is in.
Building code
New York's Uniform Code applies everywhere except New York City, and its residential code is based on the 2024 International Residential Code. Your town, village, or city issues the permit and inspects; where a town has opted out, the county or the state does.
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 120 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$10,000 to $20,000
Mound, sand filter, or treatment unit
Solar and batteries
$21,000 to $39,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$3,000 to $8,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$41,000 to $86,000
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 23 inches down, which can rule out a standard system.
Zoning
Call the town office with the parcel's address.
Zoning here is set by the town, not the county.
Road access
Confirm the parcel fronts a public road or has a recorded easement.
Without one, you may not have a legal way in.
Nearby counties
44,410 people live in Delaware County, about 30.8 per square mile. It ranks 57th of the 59 New York counties we scored, and New York ranks 25th of 50 states.