Possible, but hurricanes will be hard. NOAA counts six hurricane-strength storms within 50 miles since 1975, so build to the wind code and plan for long outages. The growing season runs about 326 frost-free days, long enough for a spring and a fall garden. Typical well depths here range from 220 feet to 780 feet, so get a local driller's quote.
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 57 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Well depth varies a lot here. Get a local driller's quote before you offer.
Typical well depths here range from 220 feet to 780 feet
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 326 frost-free days, USDA zone 9b; last frost about February 3, first about December 11
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.3 hours of full sun a day, averaged over the year
Flood
Flood zones are common here. Look up any parcel on FEMA's flood map before you offer.
FEMA maps flood zones across much of the county; some land is in the 500-year floodplain
Wildfire
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to Moderate here
Storms
Expect about four hurricanes within 50 miles over 30 years. Build to the wind code and keep a week of fuel and water.
NOAA: six 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 20 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because the soil stays wet for long stretches. The county's soil test decides.
Clay 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 0.4 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.
Depends on depth, which varies here. Get a driller's quote.
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
$33,000 to $64,000
Before the house, plus the well
Before you make an offer on land here
Well depth
Get a local driller's depth estimate.
Typical well depths here range from 220 feet to 780 feet.
Flood map
Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
Flood zones are common here. Building in one means flood insurance and extra permits.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
The soil stays wet, which can rule out a standard system.
Nearby counties
361,744 people live in Galveston County, about 953.4 per square mile. It ranks tied for 199th of the 254 Texas counties we scored, and Texas ranks 34th of 50 states.