Can you live off-grid in Washington County, Vermont?
85
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with two things to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 47 inches of rain a year and wells near 150 feet. The growing season is about 139 frost-free days and winter sun is weak, so plan on a greenhouse and a bigger battery bank or a generator. The ground is steep, with slopes averaging about 16%. That raises the cost of a driveway, septic, and foundation.
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 47 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Shallow wells, so drilling should be one of the cheaper costs.
The typical well here is about 150 feet deep; a well typically runs $8,000 to $17,000
Growing season
Short. Start seeds indoors and favor cold-hardy crops.
About 139 frost-free days, USDA zone 5a; last frost about May 15, first about October 3
Sun
Fair sun. Plan a larger array or a generator for winter.
About 4.3 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 within a quarter mile in places
Wildfire
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low 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
Steep in places. Driveways, septic, and foundations cost more.
Slopes average about 16%, about 1,350 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 28 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 0.5 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Vermont 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
Set by the town, not the county. The rules depend on which town the parcel is in.
Building code
Vermont has no statewide building code for an owner-occupied single-family home (the state code covers public buildings and rentals), though a town may adopt its own, so ask the town. New homes must meet the state residential energy code unless the owner builds to live in it and discloses any shortfall to a later buyer.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
Owners of land along a creek or lake can make reasonable use of its water.
Drilled to about 150 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$10,000 to $20,000
Mound, sand filter, or treatment unit
Solar and batteries
$18,000 to $34,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$3,000 to $8,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$40,000 to $84,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Rock or a hard layer sits about 28 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.
Zoning
Call the town office with the parcel's address.
Zoning here is set by the town, not the county.
Nearby counties
60,142 people live in Washington County, about 87.5 per square mile. It ranks tied for 7th of the 14 Vermont counties we scored, and Vermont ranks 30th of 50 states.