Yes, with one thing to plan around. The sun is strong, about 5.7 hours of full sun a day, so a smaller solar array covers a household. Texas counties cannot zone rural land, so there is no county zoning to clear. We found no public well records here, so price a test well early.
What the land says
Rain
Rain helps, but plan on a well for most of your water and on watering the garden in dry months.
About 30 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Well depth is unknown here. Ask the seller for the well log, or price a test well, before you offer.
No well depths in the public records for this area
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 221 frost-free days, USDA zone 7b; last frost about March 31, first about November 8
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 5.7 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
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
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 1 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Flat to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 2%, about 1,050 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Silt loam, 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 a Texas 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
None. Texas counties cannot zone rural land, though septic, well, and floodplain rules still apply.
Building code
Texas state law applies the International Residential Code only inside city limits, so a house on unincorporated county land usually has no building code or permit. A county may opt in to require it, checked by an inspector the builder hires, but it cannot require approval before you build or charge a fee.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
A mix of two systems. Ask the state water office before you drill a well or dam a creek.
Ask the seller for the well log, or look in the state's well records.
We found no public well records for this area.
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high in places.
Deed rules
Order a title search for deed restrictions.
With no county zoning, deed restrictions and subdivision rules decide what you can build.
Nearby counties
9,029 people live in Archer County, about 10 per square mile. It ranks tied for 106th of the 254 Texas counties we scored, and Texas ranks 34th of 50 states.