Possible, but hard and costly. Only about 19 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 720 feet here) or hauled water. The growing season runs about 253 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 15 inches down.
What the land says
Rain
Too dry to live on rain. Plan on a well, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 19 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Very deep wells. The well may be your biggest single cost.
The typical well here is about 720 feet deep; a well typically runs $15,000 to $32,000
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 253 frost-free days, USDA zone 8b; last frost about March 1, first about November 19
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 6.0 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 Moderate here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 0.3 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Rolling ground. Look for a flat house site.
Slopes average about 11%, about 1,900 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 15 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 0.9 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 720 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
$53,000 to $107,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Well cost
Get a driller's quote.
Wells here run near 720 feet, so the well is a large cost.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Rock or a hard layer sits about 15 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.
Nearby counties
47,720 people live in Val Verde County, about 15.2 per square mile. It ranks 253rd of the 254 Texas counties we scored, and Texas ranks 34th of 50 states.