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Tooele County, UT · off-grid fact sheet

Can you live off-grid in Tooele County, Utah?

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Major concerns

Possible, but hard and costly. Only about 9 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well or hauled water. The sun is strong, about 5.8 hours of full sun a day, so a smaller solar array covers a household. Septic will likely cost more, because the soil stays wet most of the year.

What the land says

Rain
Desert rain. Plan on a well or hauled water, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 9 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 10 feet to 530 feet
Growing season
Enough for most vegetables. Start tomatoes and peppers indoors.
About 150 frost-free days, USDA zone 6b; last frost about April 27, first about October 2
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 5.8 hours of full sun a day, averaged over the year
Flood
Flood zones are rare here. Still, look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
FEMA maps no flood zones nearby
Wildfire
Wildfire risk is high in places. Check the risk for the parcel you want.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to High here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; no strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado within 25 miles since 1990
Terrain
Flat, but the ground stays wet. Build on the higher, drier spot.
Slopes average about 0%, about 4,270 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect an engineered septic system. The ground stays wet most of the year. The county's soil test decides.
Silt loam, very poorly drained (USDA soil survey). An engineered system typically runs $15,000 to $25,000
Road
Dirt tracks. Plan to build or maintain your own road.
Nearest road often a dirt track, about 1.7 miles away (OpenStreetMap)

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Is it legal here?

Zoning
Tooele County zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
Building code
Utah has a mandatory statewide building code: new homes must meet the 2021 International Residential Code with Utah's amendments, and no county can opt out. Your county or city building department issues the permit and does the inspections; the state does not.
Rainwater
Allowed with limits. Check the state's rules before you size a tank.
Composting toilets
Allowed with a permit and an approved unit.
Water rights
Water belongs to whoever claimed it first. A new well or pond may need a state permit, and a creek may already be claimed.

Look up a parcel's zoning free, or read Is it legal to live off-grid in Utah? for permits, septic, wells, and the counties that opt out.

What it costs to set up a homestead here

Well
Not priced
Depends on depth, which varies here. Get a driller's quote.
Septic
$15,000 to $25,000
Engineered system
Solar and batteries
$18,000 to $34,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$16,000 to $43,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$50,000 to $106,000
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 10 feet to 530 feet.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
The soil stays wet, which can rule out a standard system.
Road access
Confirm a recorded easement to the parcel.
The nearest roads are often dirt tracks.

Nearby counties

82,051 people live in Tooele County, about 11.7 per square mile. It ranks 29th of the 29 Utah counties we scored, and Utah ranks 47th of 50 states.

Juab County, UT · Davis County, UT · Salt Lake County, UT · Box Elder County, UT · Utah County, UT · Weber County, UT · All scored Utah counties

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Sources: FEMA flood maps, USGS and state driller well records, USGS brackish groundwater study, USDA soil survey, USGS 3DEP elevation, U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard, USGS seismic hazard, USGS PAD-US public land, U.S. Census housing counts, USDA county land values, FCC broadband map, CMS hospital list. Rainfall: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu (1991-2020 normals, 4 km grid; accessed 2026-09-17). Temperatures: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu (1991-2020 temperature normals, 4 km grid; accessed 2026-09-26). Storms: NOAA hurricane tracks (HURDAT2, 1975-2025) and Storm Prediction Center tornado paths (EF2+, 1990-2025). Roads: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Data updated September 2026.