Yes, with two things to plan around. Typical well depths here range from 70 feet to 340 feet, so get a local driller's quote. NOAA counts about four strong tornadoes a decade within 25 miles, so a storm shelter belongs in the plan.
What the land says
Rain
Rain helps, but plan on a well for most of your water and on watering the garden in dry months.
About 39 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 340 feet
Growing season
Enough for most vegetables. Start tomatoes and peppers indoors.
About 172 frost-free days, USDA zone 6a; last frost about April 29, first about October 19
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 in places
Wildfire
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low here
Storms
Strong tornadoes are common. A storm shelter belongs in the plan.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 4 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 800 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 39 inches down. The county's soil test decides.
Silt loam, somewhat poorly 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 0.3 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
$10,000 to $20,000
Mound, sand filter, or treatment unit
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
$32,000 to $65,000
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 340 feet.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Rock or a hard layer sits about 39 inches down, which can rule out a standard system.
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.
Nearby counties
28,704 people live in Van Wert County, about 70.2 per square mile. It ranks tied for 76th of the 88 Ohio counties we scored, and Ohio ranks 18th of 50 states.