Yes, with two things to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 50 inches of rain a year and wells near 190 feet. NOAA counts two hurricane-strength storms within 50 miles since 1975, so build to the wind code and plan for long outages. Septic will likely cost more, because the soil stays wet for long stretches.
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 50 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Typical well depth. Budget for a mid-range well.
The typical well here is about 190 feet deep; a well typically runs $7,000 to $16,000
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 294 frost-free days, USDA zone 9a; last frost about February 16, first about December 1
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.2 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
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low here
Storms
Expect about one hurricane within 50 miles over 30 years. Build to the wind code and keep a week of fuel and water.
NOAA: two hurricane-strength storms within 50 miles since 1975; about 1 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Flat, but the ground stays wet. Build on the higher, drier spot.
Slopes average about 0%, about 100 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because the soil stays wet for long stretches. The county's soil test decides.
Loam, somewhat poorly 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 0.5 miles (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 190 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
$41,000 to $80,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
The soil stays wet, 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
916,778 people live in Fort Bend County, about 1063.8 per square mile. It ranks tied for 64th of the 254 Texas counties we scored, and Texas ranks 34th of 50 states.