Yes, with two things to plan around. The growing season runs about 226 frost-free days. Typical well depths here range from 20 feet to 600 feet, so get a local driller's quote. NOAA counts two hurricane-strength storms within 50 miles since 1975, so build to the wind code and plan for long outages.
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 50 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 20 feet to 600 feet
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 226 frost-free days, USDA zone 8a; last frost about March 27, first about November 13
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.0 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 within a quarter mile across much of the county
Wildfire
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to Low here
Storms
Expect about one hurricane within 50 miles over 30 years. Build to the wind code and keep a week of fuel and water. Strong tornadoes pass through now and then. A safe room is worth pricing.
NOAA: two hurricane-strength storms within 50 miles since 1975; about 2 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Flat, but the ground stays wet. Build on the higher, drier spot.
Slopes average about 1%, about 60 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Loamy sand, 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 0.9 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Virginia 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
We found no public zoning map for Suffolk city, so call the county planning office with the parcel number to ask whether the land is zoned.
Building code
Virginia's Uniform Statewide Building Code, which uses the International Residential Code for homes, applies in every county and city and replaces local building codes. The local building department enforces it, so a new house needs a building permit and inspections anywhere in the state.
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.
Depends on depth, which varies here. Get a driller's quote.
Septic
$5,000 to $10,000
Standard system
Solar and batteries
$18,000 to $34,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$3,000 to $7,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$27,000 to $55,000
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 20 feet to 600 feet.
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 county planning office with the parcel number.
There is no public zoning map, so we cannot tell whether the land is zoned.
Nearby counties
100,659 people live in Suffolk city, about 252.2 per square mile. It ranks tied for 63rd of the 119 Virginia counties we scored, and Virginia ranks 1st of 50 states.