Can you live off-grid in Bristol County, Rhode Island?
86
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with one thing to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 50 inches of rain a year and wells near 30 feet. The growing season runs about 205 frost-free days. Septic will likely cost more, because rock or a hard layer sits about 28 inches down.
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 50 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 30 feet deep; a well typically runs $4,000 to $9,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 205 frost-free days, USDA zone 7a; last frost about April 10, first about November 2
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 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: one hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 0.3 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Flat to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 3%, about 20 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 28 inches down. The county's soil test decides.
Loamy sand, moderately well 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 0.5 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Rhode Island 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
Rhode Island has one State Building Code for every city and town, and its section for one- and two-family homes is the 2021 International Residential Code with state changes. Cities and towns cannot write their own building codes; the local building official issues the permit and inspects.
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 30 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$10,000 to $20,000
Mound, sand filter, or treatment unit
Solar and batteries
$21,000 to $32,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$4,000 to $9,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $5,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$39,000 to $74,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Rock or a hard layer sits about 28 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.
Zoning
Call the town office with the parcel's address.
Zoning here is set by the town, not the county.
Nearby counties
50,255 people live in Bristol County, about 2082.5 per square mile. It ranks 5th of the 5 Rhode Island counties we scored, and Rhode Island ranks 16th of 50 states.