Yes, with one thing to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 47 inches of rain a year and wells near 80 feet. The growing season runs about 207 frost-free days. Solar is weaker here, about 4.2 hours of full sun a day, so plan 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 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 80 feet deep; a well typically runs $6,000 to $14,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 207 frost-free days, USDA zone 9a; last frost about April 9, first about November 5
Sun
Fair sun. Plan a larger array or a generator for winter.
About 4.2 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 to Low here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 0.3 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
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 4%, about 570 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Silt 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 0.6 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check an Oregon 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
We found no public zoning map for Polk County, so call the county planning office with the parcel number to ask whether the land is zoned.
Building code
Oregon's building code applies uniformly statewide, including the Oregon Residential Specialty Code for houses (based on the International Residential Code), and cities and counties cannot set different requirements without state approval. City or county building departments issue house permits and inspect, and the state Building Codes Division does it for some counties.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
Water belongs to whoever claimed it first. A new well or pond may need a state permit, and a creek may already be claimed.