What is a good option to live off the grid in the USA?
While technically you could possibly reside off grid everywhere, there are several places that are better suited for living off the grid than others.
I will start the list off in alphabetical sequence, then I will give my viewpoint on the best states to be off grid based on advantages and accessibility. Before I list them you need to know how I select the states and what I am looking for in off grid land. Because that is what it comes down to. Land. You have to have a place to go to before you can move off grid, and while that seems obvious, it is not as obvious when choosing the perfect off grid land and property location.
The decision to go and live off the grid is one of many biggest life decisions that you can probably make, and one of the most essential choices that you will have to make as part of that decision is the place you will choose to be off the grid. However, many people do not know the best places to live off the grid.
You can?t just choose any random location to live off the grid and go there. Some places and some states as we shall soon see are far better than others.
A number of factors should be considered: land prices, county building codes and local ordinances, property taxes, zoning restrictions, covenants, water availability, septic system regulations (which are usually governed by state and federal agencies), and lots of other factors.
Factors to consider when choosing land for off grid living
To simplify, there are some main factors that people need to consider when buying land for building their off grid homestead.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!
You hear it touted in business all the time. Well, the same holds true when buying land for living off grid: your location is very important when considering energy generation, and climate for growing and preference.
If you’re off grid, you’re disconnected from the electricity grid, which means you’ll be producing your own electrical power either with wind turbines or solar panels, or a combination of the two into a single off grid power system. You will have to pick a location that is conducive to youR wants and needs.
1. Distance from a big city. Many of these buyers like the idea of being far enough away from big cities to prevent people from easily walking to their land, but also want to be close enough to enjoy some of the amenities the big city offers like shopping, restaurants, and quality medical care. There is a train of thought that reasons if there is a mass exodus from the larger cities, then you should own land that is not easily accessible by throngs of people looking for food and shelter.
ACCESS, ACCESS, ACCESS!
Make sure the property you buy has deeded access or a solid (non litigated) easement! I can’t stress this enough. This, in my opinion, is the second most important aspect of buying land.
You can find an AWESOME price on a 100 acre piece of land in Wyoming or Montana, but it could be land locked (surrounded by other private property) with no access via roads or driveways. This would mean you would not be able to do anything on your property without going through your neighbor’s. Hopefully you can negotiate with them, and if not that means a court date. If you’ve got money you could try to buy some of their land to create your own road for access to your property, but it’s simply not worth the hassle UNLESS it’s a property that’s fantastically wonderful and the perfect location. You’d probably be better off just looking elsewhere than going through that.
1. Climate – Do you want to live in a place with all fours seasons, 2 seasons, or where it is nice year-round? Would youl ike the rain, snow, sun, heat, cold? Working that out seems easy, however it takes research.
Your ideal property might be different than the next person’s, but if you’re going to be generating your own power, you’ll need plenty of sun and wind.
I use City-Data.com to help me find areas which are better suited for power generation. They have in-depth information at a glance an offer tons of demographic, geographic, and climatological options when searching for locations. They also have small topography maps, tables, maps, charts and graphs with more information than you could ever possibly use.
2. Water – You need a renewable, dependable, clean water source to survive. Period. Especially in desert areas. Desert land is cheap and it is cheap for a reason. You can buy 100 acres of desert land for the same amount or less that what you would pay for waterfront property in milder climate zones.
3. Agriculture/Gardening. Off-grid buyers are often interested in growing their own livestock, keeping a garden, planting an orchard, raising poultry and farming fish on their land. Locating a property with fertile soils and a long growing cycle are important for increasing the prospect that a farm can be more self-sufficient.
4. Joining National Forest or Wildlife Areas. I personally believe, that “Good Forests Make Good Neighbors”. Owning land that borders large tracts of government or privately-owned is desirable because it limits who will be moving in next door. Many of these forests are open to public hunting and use, so finding a property that joins an out-of-the-way corner of the forest helps limit the number of hunters you will see and increases the amount of usable land you’ll have.
Without water humans cannot survive. This sounds like a no-brainer but there are places in the country where folks haul their water for miles to their properties, and to me in a survival situation, this is just plain dangerous UNLESS there’s a dependable, clean natural water source nearby.
The reason is because hauled water is NOT sustainable. Simply put, the amount of energy in fuel and labor to go pick up, pump, transport, and place the water on your property is astronomical. In an emergency situation it’s not feasible, and places you and your family in danger – not just of dehydration, and unsanitary conditions which could lead to disease. In an emergency situation if you have to leave to go pick up water, this separates you from your family for a period of time, and speaking strictly from a security standpoint, it’s not secure or safe.
6. Energy Sources. One primary consideration would obviously include energy-generating potential from solar, wind, mini-hydro, and geothermal opportunities. In order to be off-grid and self-sustaining a property must afford the owners a reliable and efficient method of creating power that can be harnessed to supply whatever appliances they must use.
Other considerations for off-grid property would be the availability of satellite internet and telephone, rural land prices, annual property taxes, hunting restrictions, firearm freedoms, road maintenance (if heavy snows restrict use), and other features that allow owners to be self-sustaining.
It appears that the market for off-grid rural land is going to continue growing over the next few years, and is a segment that rural land brokerages and agents should probably pay attention to.
3. Laws – You need to make sure you can build what you want and live the way you want. This means being off grid, disconnected from the power grid (or grid tied solar/wind), and producing your own power and water.
ZONING, BUILDING CODES, ORDINANCES, COVENANTS, RESTRICTIONS & HOAs
It seems no matter how hard you look, you’re always going to have restrictions on what you can do or build, and how you do it. The quickest, easiest, and most practical way to find a good location is avoid larger cities. Large metropolitan areas tend to have more restrictions than rural areas. This is not always true, but is a general rule to go by. Some locations in the Western United States are more open to things, while other areas are not.
Building codes must be followed or find a place that does not enforce the codes, or better yet find a place that has little or no building codes which means a remote property far from a city or town usually.
Best place to live off grid
Best places to live off grid in the U.S.
Arizona
Northern Arizona. Inexpensive land, mild climate and some trees. Water is an issue and you will probably have to haul water to your property, but it is manageable.
.
The climate is mild and trees less than so scarce from the northern regions of the state. Land prices in the same region are affordable, but water availability is still likely going to be a challenge.
Drilling a well, buying property with a natural spring that can be dug into a sustainable pond, or hauling water to your property will be necessary. The growing season is long and their should be ample sunshine year around to power a solar energy system.
California
California particularly has a lot of good land and it is priced moderately. Weather conditions are milder than most northern territories, water is instantly available, laws are less strict, property taxes are lower, and land prices are affordable.
Colorado
Some areas in Colorado are enjoyable their strict codes and allowing more off grid and lasting buildings. Water happens to be an issue in certain places since a lot of Colorado is desert, but it is not really a huge problem and there are work arounds. Land costs are very good further away from the larger cities.
Florida
Florida is awesome for residing off grid. In contrast to popular belief, it’s not at all illegal to live off grid in Florida. Just like anywhere else in the USA you need a suitable septic system and a clean water supply.
9. Oregon
The Cascade Mountain region and the western area of the state offer quality and readily available natural resources. Lots of hunting and fishing can be found in the area. Real estate prices and taxes are affordable to low. Quality timber is present on many parcels of land in the Cascade Mountain region, as well.
The state seems to be welcoming to people who would like to live off the grid. Two of the largest off-grid communities within the state are in the Three Rivers Recreation Area-which operates solar energy and water supply shared systems-and Breitenbush Hot Springs, which is now rapidly transforming into a tourist attraction.
Homestead, Florida is a place where the fossilized coral is very thick. So thick, a long time ago a man had a quarry in his back yard and built a castle out of the coral. Look up ?The Coral Castle? by Edward Leedskalnin. It is an amazing thing to see. So, living off grid in Florida is perfectly legal and it ranks as one of my top 5 places to live off grid in the USA.
Having said that, Montana is a great state to move off grid. Land prices are reasonable, you can find some good waterfront property on a stream in the mountains for a relatively reasonable price, and water is readily available in most areas. Timber and rock is also plentiful in mountainous areas, but not so much on the prairies.
Oregon – Again, just about anywhere in Oregon is good. There are some desert areas, but western Oregon up and down the Cascade mountain range is very good. Central Oregon is desert, but it?s high desert like in places in central and northern California and the climate is milder there.
Summers in Oregon get hot just like anywhere, and winters are cold, but they do not last as long. Land prices are good and there are plenty of timber properties available too.
Texas – The land in Texas is plentiful – it is a big state – but water is an issue in some places. Land is affordable in remote areas and in smaller counties and towns.
The affordability of land in remote regions of the state is just one great reason to choose Texas for your off-grid homestead. The state boasts a long growing season in most regions, with ample timber and rock to use as building materials.
There is good hunting and fishing in Texas, and the climate is mild to hot depending on where you are. Some of Texas is desert, so try to avoid that area if you do not like the heat, but if you are smart and do your research you can find good land deals there.
Vermont – Vermont is another great state to live off grid. Land is plentiful and affordable. Water is available and not hard to come by as well as timber and rock for building. Resources are available and zoning is open to living off grid in most counties. Again, stay away from the larger cities and towns to find counties which are more open to living off the grid.
Off-the-grid living is becoming a real possibility for a number of people due to advances in technology on all fronts. However, this is not a decision to be made lightly. Many preppers make mistakes when going off-the-grid for the first time, though the number of mistakes is reduced if you take the time to think things through first. Here are 3 things you should consider when living off the grid in Colorado.
How You are Going to Replace Utilities
Determine what you need like water, heat, and energy. Then determine the best way to supply it given the home site you have selected. For example, some locations make well water a viable source of drinking water, while others provide abundant firewood. Hydropower may be an option if there is an all-season river or creek on the property. Solar and wind power depend on the local climate conditions.
Remember that you want a backup source of power and heat, such as a generator in case it is too cloudy for the solar panels to work. Do not forget waste disposal whether you opt for a septic tank or composting toilet. You may need to alter your lifestyle so that you do not generate as much waste that needs to be thrown away.
While technology like solar panels make it easier than ever to move off the grid without giving up all modern conveniences, realize that it is a big change. Learn what you need to know and do your homework before you decide to go off-the-grid.
Top Qualities of the Best Places To Live Off The Grid
As was noted above, not everywhere or anywhere is a good place to live off the grid. You really need to be selective about where you choose to go.
When choosing the best place to live off the grid for you, here are the top qualities and features that you will want to look for:
NO POLLUTION
First, the area that you choose cannot be polluted in any way whatsoever. This means no living in close vicinity to farms, drilling operations, factories, mining operations, waste/garbage disposal facilities, or nuclear power plants.
To be on the safe side, make sure that you live at least two hundred miles from any of those listed above locations.
WATER ACCESS
Without water access, how can you expect to be self-sufficient? This is why it is absolutely imperative that your off-grid location have access to clean water.
This means it could have access to a running river, stream, or lake (a running source of water would be preferable), or it could have a water well so you can access water underground.
In addition, while it is not a requirement, it would undeniably be nice to live in an area that receives at least some rainfall each year and to have a rainfall catchment system in place.
MINIMAL REGULATIONS
The less zoning laws and regulations there are in your area, the better. This is simply because there are fewer hoops to jump through to live off the grid, and you will pay less money to the state and local government as well. For this reason, choosing a city and county/city with low taxes and regulations would be vastly preferable. This is also important if you are wanting to go off the grid with no money.
ACCESS TO ROADS
Just because yo are living off the grid does not mean you ca not have access to roads. In fact, you will want access to roads should you ever be forced to head into town for an emergency.
Access to roads also plays a major factor in the price of a piece of property. An otherwise nice piece of property with no access to roads would be priced much more cheaply than the same or similar piece of property with road access. Nonetheless, it probably will not be worth it to you to pay less for road access.
If you ever need to quickly head into town for emergencies, or if you need to evacuate from your home in the event of a major disaster, access to maintained public roads will be essential. So this is important to consider in the case that you ever have to bug out. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!