Can you live off-grid in Big Horn County, Wyoming?
72
of 100
Significant challenges
Possible, but water will be hard. Only about 8 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 40 feet here) or hauled water. The growing season is only about 131 frost-free days, so plan on cold-hardy crops and a greenhouse.
What the land says
Rain
Desert rain. Plan on a well or hauled water, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 8 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 40 feet deep; a well typically runs $3,000 to $8,000
Growing season
Short. Start seeds indoors and favor cold-hardy crops.
About 131 frost-free days, USDA zone 5a; last frost about May 16, first about September 25
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.2 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 in places
Wildfire
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to 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
Flat to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 7%, about 4,390 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Clay 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 0.7 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Wyoming 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
No mandatory statewide residential code. Counties and cities adopt codes locally or have none.
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.
Drilled to about 40 feet, with pump and pressure tank
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 $8,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$31,000 to $65,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
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
Confirm with the county whether the parcel is zoned.
Rural land in Wyoming is often unzoned.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
The county has to approve the ground before it issues a septic permit.
Nearby counties
12,018 people live in Big Horn County, about 3.8 per square mile. It ranks tied for 13th of the 23 Wyoming counties we scored, and Wyoming ranks 43rd of 50 states.