Yes, with one thing to plan around. Typical well depths here range from 70 feet to 350 feet, so get a local driller's quote.
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 44 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 70 feet to 350 feet
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 181 frost-free days, USDA zone 6b; last frost about April 19, first about October 21
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 4.5 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 within a quarter mile 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; about 1 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Rolling ground. Look for a flat house site.
Slopes average about 13%, about 790 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Silt 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 0.4 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check an Ohio 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 township. County zoning applies only in a township whose voters approved it, so ask the township office which rules cover the parcel.
Building code
The Residential Code of Ohio covers every one- to three-family home statewide, but only certified city, township, or county building departments enforce it. Where none covers the parcel, there are no plans to submit or inspections to request, though the house must still meet the code.
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
$18,000 to $34,000
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
$27,000 to $55,000
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 70 feet to 350 feet.
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.
Zoning
Call the town or township office with the parcel's address.
Set by the township. County zoning applies only in a township whose voters approved it, so ask the township office which rules cover the parcel.
Nearby counties
21,767 people live in Meigs County, about 50.6 per square mile. It ranks tied for 6th of the 88 Ohio counties we scored, and Ohio ranks 18th of 50 states.