Can you live off-grid in Orangeburg County, South Carolina?
93
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with two things to plan around. The growing season runs about 246 frost-free days, long enough for a spring and a fall garden. Typical well depths here range from 20 feet to 430 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 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
Well depth varies a lot here. Get a local driller's quote before you offer.
Typical well depths here range from 20 feet to 430 feet
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 246 frost-free days, USDA zone 8b; last frost about March 16, first about November 18
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 run along creeks and rivers here. Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
FEMA maps flood zones in places
Wildfire
Wildfire risk is high in places. Check the risk for the parcel you want.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to High here
Storms
Strong tornadoes are common. A storm shelter belongs in the plan.
NOAA: one 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 150 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Loamy sand, 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 1 mile (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
We found no public zoning map for Orangeburg County, so call the county planning office with the parcel number to ask whether the land is zoned.
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.
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 $54,000
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 20 feet to 430 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 county planning office with the parcel number.
There is no public zoning map, so we cannot tell whether the land is zoned.
Nearby counties
82,820 people live in Orangeburg County, about 74.9 per square mile. It ranks tied for 23rd of the 46 South Carolina counties we scored, and South Carolina ranks 10th of 50 states.