Yes, but water will be the challenge. Wells run deep, near 470 feet, so budget $15,000 to $32,000 for one. The growing season runs about 267 frost-free days, long enough for a spring and a fall garden. Texas counties cannot zone rural land, so there is no county zoning to clear.
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 36 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Deep wells. Get a driller's quote before you offer.
The typical well here is about 470 feet deep; a well typically runs $15,000 to $32,000
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 267 frost-free days, USDA zone 8b; last frost about March 2, first about November 26
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.4 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 in places
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 2%, about 570 feet above sea level
Soil
Heavy clay. Expect a larger septic field, and work compost into garden beds. The county's soil test decides.
Clay, moderately 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 0.4 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.
Drilled to about 470 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$5,000 to $10,000
Standard system
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
$43,000 to $87,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Well cost
Get a driller's quote.
Wells here run near 470 feet, so the well is a large cost.
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.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Clay drains slowly and can fail the test.
Nearby counties
1,334,961 people live in Travis County, about 1342.6 per square mile. It ranks tied for 88th of the 254 Texas counties we scored, and Texas ranks 34th of 50 states.