Best States / Wyoming / Lincoln County

Lincoln County, WY · off-grid fact sheet

Can you live off-grid in Lincoln County, Wyoming?

71
of 100
Significant challenges

Possible, but water will be hard. Only about 12 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 110 feet here) or hauled water. The growing season is only about 73 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 12 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 110 feet deep; a well typically runs $7,000 to $15,000
Growing season
Very short. A greenhouse makes the difference.
About 73 frost-free days, USDA zone 5a; last frost about June 21, first about September 4
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.3 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 parts of the county
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 6,670 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 0.7 miles (OpenStreetMap)

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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.

Look up a parcel's zoning free, or read Is it legal to live off-grid in Wyoming? for permits, septic, wells, and the counties that opt out.

What it costs to set up a homestead here

Well
$7,000 to $15,000
Drilled to about 110 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
$34,000 to $71,000
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

20,880 people live in Lincoln County, about 5.1 per square mile. It ranks tied for 16th of the 23 Wyoming counties we scored, and Wyoming ranks 43rd of 50 states.

Bear Lake County, ID · Sublette County, WY · Rich County, UT · Caribou County, ID · Franklin County, ID · Cache County, UT · All scored Wyoming counties

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Sources: FEMA flood maps, USGS and state driller well records, USGS brackish groundwater study, USDA soil survey, USGS 3DEP elevation, U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard, USGS seismic hazard, USGS PAD-US public land, U.S. Census housing counts, USDA county land values, FCC broadband map, CMS hospital list. Rainfall: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu (1991-2020 normals, 4 km grid; accessed 2026-09-17). Temperatures: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu (1991-2020 temperature normals, 4 km grid; accessed 2026-09-26). Storms: NOAA hurricane tracks (HURDAT2, 1975-2025) and Storm Prediction Center tornado paths (EF2+, 1990-2025). Roads: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Data updated September 2026.