Possible, but hard and costly. Only about 12 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 180 feet here) or hauled water. The growing season runs about 252 frost-free days, long enough for a spring and a fall garden. Septic will likely cost more, because rock or a hard layer sits about 8 inches down.
What the land says
Rain
Desert rain. Plan on a well or hauled water, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 12 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Typical well depth. Budget for a mid-range well.
The typical well here is about 180 feet deep; a well typically runs $9,000 to $19,000
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 252 frost-free days, USDA zone 8b; last frost about March 10, first about November 19
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 6.6 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 to Moderate here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; no strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado within 25 miles since 1990
Terrain
Flat to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 6%, about 3,350 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 8 inches down. 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
Dirt tracks. Plan to build or maintain your own road.
Nearest road often a dirt track, about 0.8 miles away (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.
Drilled to about 180 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$10,000 to $20,000
Mound, sand filter, or treatment unit
Solar and batteries
$20,000 to $35,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$7,000 to $16,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $3,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$46,000 to $94,000
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 8 inches down, which can rule out a standard system.
Road access
Confirm a recorded easement to the parcel.
The nearest roads are often dirt tracks.
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
9,513 people live in Brewster County, about 1.5 per square mile. It ranks tied for 251st of the 254 Texas counties we scored, and Texas ranks 34th of 50 states.