Possible, but water will be hard. Only about 14 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 130 feet here) or hauled water. The sun is strong, about 6.4 hours of full sun a day, so a smaller solar array covers a household. Septic will likely cost more, because rock or a hard layer sits about 16 inches down.
What the land says
Rain
Desert rain. Plan on a well or hauled water, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 14 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 130 feet deep; a well typically runs $5,000 to $12,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 224 frost-free days, USDA zone 8a; last frost about April 1, first about November 11
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 6.4 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 within a quarter mile in parts of the county
Wildfire
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to Low 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 1%, about 3,100 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 16 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
Paved roads are close by.
Nearest paved road usually within about 1 mile (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Texas parcel, or plan the one you own
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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 130 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
$2,000 to $7,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $3,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$39,000 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.
Rock or a hard layer sits about 16 inches down, which can rule out a standard system.
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.
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
164,494 people live in Ector County, about 183.2 per square mile. It ranks tied for 199th of the 254 Texas counties we scored, and Texas ranks 34th of 50 states.