Can you live off-grid in Franklin County, New York?
83
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with two things to plan around. Typical well depths here range from 80 feet to 400 feet, so get a local driller's quote. The growing season is about 135 frost-free days and winter sun is weak, so plan on a greenhouse and a bigger battery bank or a generator.
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 45 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 80 feet to 400 feet
Growing season
Short. Start seeds indoors and favor cold-hardy crops.
About 135 frost-free days, USDA zone 4b; last frost about May 21, first about September 24
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 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
Earthquakes
Strong shaking is possible. Build to the seismic code and brace the water tank.
USGS seismic hazard map: high
Terrain
Flat to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 6%, about 1,430 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Loam, moderately 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 1.2 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.
Depends on depth, which varies here. Get a driller's quote.
Septic
$5,000 to $10,000
Standard system
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
$30,000 to $61,000
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 80 feet to 400 feet.
Zoning
Call the town office with the parcel's address.
Zoning here is set by the town, not the county.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
The county has to approve the ground before it issues a septic permit.
Nearby counties
46,502 people live in Franklin County, about 28.5 per square mile. It ranks tied for 52nd of the 59 New York counties we scored, and New York ranks 25th of 50 states.