Can you live off-grid in Klickitat County, Washington?
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Major concerns
Possible, but hard and costly. Typical well depths here range from 120 feet to 410 feet, so get a local driller's quote. The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high across much of the county, so plan cleared ground around the house.
What the land says
Rain
Too dry to live on rain. Plan on a well, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 20 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 120 feet to 410 feet
Growing season
Enough for most vegetables. Start tomatoes and peppers indoors.
About 160 frost-free days, USDA zone 8a; last frost about April 17, first about October 25
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 4.9 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
Wildfire risk is high across much of the county. Plan cleared ground around the house and fire-resistant materials.
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
Steep in places. Driveways, septic, and foundations cost more.
Slopes average about 17%, about 1,810 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Loam, 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 1 mile (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Washington 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 Klickitat County, so call the county planning office with the parcel number to ask whether the land is zoned.
Building code
Washington's State Building Code, which includes the International Residential Code for homes, is in effect in every county and city. Counties and cities enforce it, so a new house needs a building permit and inspections anywhere in the state, and a local change to the rules for homes needs State Building Code Council approval.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
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.
Depends on depth, which varies here. Get a driller's quote.
Septic
$5,000 to $10,000
Standard system
Solar and batteries
$17,000 to $31,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$3,000 to $9,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$26,000 to $54,000
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 120 feet to 410 feet.
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high across much of the county.
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
23,589 people live in Klickitat County, about 12.6 per square mile. It ranks tied for 29th of the 39 Washington counties we scored, and Washington ranks 44th of 50 states.