Can you live off-grid in Beaufort County, South Carolina?
70
of 100
Significant challenges
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 49 inches of rain a year and wells near 90 feet. Septic will likely cost more, because the soil stays wet most of the year.
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 49 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 90 feet deep; a well typically runs $5,000 to $11,000
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 281 frost-free days, USDA zone 9a; last frost about February 20, first about December 4
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.3 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 the county
Wildfire
Wildfire risk is high in parts of the county. Check the risk for the parcel you want.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to High here
Storms
Expect about two hurricanes within 50 miles over 30 years. Build to the wind code and keep a week of fuel and water.
NOAA: three hurricane-strength storms within 50 miles since 1975; about 0.6 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, 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.
Silty clay 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 0.3 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a South Carolina 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
Beaufort County zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
Building code
South Carolina requires every county and city to enforce the statewide building codes (the International Residential Code with state changes for houses), so a new house needs a permit and inspections. A county may be exempt for up to five years at a time by declaring it cannot afford the service.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
Owners of land along a creek or lake can make reasonable use of its water.
Drilled to about 90 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$15,000 to $25,000
Engineered 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
$41,000 to $80,000
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 in parts of the county.
Nearby counties
198,979 people live in Beaufort County, about 345.4 per square mile. It ranks 46th of the 46 South Carolina counties we scored, and South Carolina ranks 10th of 50 states.