Can you live off-grid in Marion County, West Virginia?
79
of 100
Significant challenges
Possible, but the steep ground will be hard. The ground is steep, with slopes averaging about 28%. That raises the cost of a driveway, septic, and foundation. Water is easy here, with about 48 inches of rain a year and wells near 90 feet.
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 48 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 90 feet deep; a well typically runs $5,000 to $11,000
Growing season
Enough for most vegetables. Start tomatoes and peppers indoors.
About 174 frost-free days, USDA zone 6b; last frost about April 28, first about October 20
Sun
Fair sun. Plan a larger array or a generator for winter.
About 4.5 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
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; no strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado within 25 miles since 1990
Terrain
Steep. A flat house site and a driveway route will drive the cost.
Slopes average about 28%, about 1,360 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because the ground is steep. The county's soil test decides.
Silt loam, moderately 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 0.7 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a West 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
Rural land here is often unzoned. Confirm with the county before you build.
Building code
West Virginia has a State Building Code (the 2018 International Residential Code for homes), but it has force only in the counties and cities that choose to adopt it, and the adopting county or city enforces it. Where your county has not adopted it, no building code applies to a house on unincorporated land.
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 90 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
$37,000 to $76,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Steep ground can rule out a standard system.
Zoning
Confirm with the county whether the parcel is zoned.
Rural land in West Virginia is often unzoned.
Road access
Confirm the parcel fronts a public road or has a recorded easement.
Without one, you may not have a legal way in.
Nearby counties
55,807 people live in Marion County, about 180.7 per square mile. It ranks tied for 34th of the 55 West Virginia counties we scored, and West Virginia ranks 35th of 50 states.