Possible, but flooding will be hard. Flood zones are common here, so look up any parcel on FEMA's flood map before you offer. Water is easy here, with about 47 inches of rain a year and wells near 60 feet. The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high across much of the county, so plan cleared ground around the house.
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 47 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 60 feet deep; a well typically runs $4,000 to $10,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 226 frost-free days, USDA zone 7b; last frost about April 3, first about November 19
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 4.7 hours of full sun a day, averaged over the year
Flood
Flood zones are common here. Look up any parcel on FEMA's flood map before you offer.
FEMA maps flood zones across much of the county
Wildfire
Wildfire risk is high across much of the county. Plan cleared ground around the house and fire-resistant materials.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to Very High here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: one hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 0.6 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Flat, but the ground stays wet. Build on the higher, drier spot.
Slopes average about 1%, about 0 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect an engineered septic system. The ground stays wet most of the year. The county's soil test decides.
Loam, very poorly drained (USDA soil survey). An engineered system typically runs $15,000 to $25,000
Road
Paved roads are close by.
Nearest paved road usually within about 0.4 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 60 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$15,000 to $25,000
Engineered 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
$44,000 to $85,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Flood map
Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
Flood zones are common here. Building in one means flood insurance and extra permits.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
The soil stays wet, which can rule out a standard system.
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high across much of the county.
Nearby counties
1,381,715 people live in Nassau County, about 4855.9 per square mile. It ranks tied for 58th of the 59 New York counties we scored, and New York ranks 25th of 50 states.