Can you live off-grid in Unicoi County, Tennessee?
86
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with one thing to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 55 inches of rain a year and wells near 110 feet. The ground is steep, with slopes averaging about 30%. That raises the cost of a driveway, septic, and foundation.
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 55 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 110 feet deep; a well typically runs $5,000 to $11,000
Growing season
Enough for most vegetables. Start tomatoes and peppers indoors.
About 176 frost-free days, USDA zone 6b; last frost about April 25, first about October 18
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 are rare here. Still, look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
FEMA maps no flood zones nearby
Wildfire
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 0.8 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Steep. A flat house site and a driveway route will drive the cost.
Slopes average about 30%, about 2,710 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because the ground is steep. The county's soil test decides.
Loam, 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 0.9 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Tennessee 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
Rural land here is often unzoned. Confirm with the county before you build.
Building code
Statewide residential code exists but counties and municipalities may opt out, and many have.
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 110 feet, with pump and pressure tank
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 $3,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$37,000 to $76,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Steep ground can rule out a standard system.
Zoning
Confirm with the county whether the parcel is zoned.
Rural land in Tennessee is often unzoned.
Road access
Confirm the parcel fronts a public road or has a recorded easement.
Without one, you may not have a legal way in.
Nearby counties
17,756 people live in Unicoi County, about 95.4 per square mile. It ranks tied for 73rd of the 95 Tennessee counties we scored, and Tennessee ranks 9th of 50 states.