Scoring Methodology
Five weighted domains. Each state receives a signed score per domain, normalized by domain range, and combined into a -100 to +100 overall verdict. Hard-fail conditions disqualify regardless of other scores.
| Domain | Range | Weight | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ±50 | 32% | Without reliable water, farming, livestock, sanitation and long-term habitation all fail. Highest priority domain. |
| Legal | ±40 | 26% | Many cheap parcels are legally unusable. Hard-fail conditions live here. |
| Soil | ±30 | 16% | Determines what you can grow, where you can build, and whether septic is viable. |
| Energy | ±25 | 13% | Off-grid power is solvable almost everywhere, but cost and resilience vary widely. |
| Climate Risk | ±25 | 13% | A great parcel in a catastrophic-risk corridor is a liability, not an asset. |
Water
Wells, rainfall, aquifers, surface water, harvesting law.
- Existing producing well+20
- Well under 150 ft nearby+15
- Annual rainfall > 40 inches+15
- Surface water access+10
- Rainwater harvesting legal+10
- Aquifer stability+10
- Gravity-fed water potential+5
- No known groundwater-40
- Well depths > 600 ft-25
- Drought-prone region-20
- Rainwater harvesting illegal/restricted-15
- Contaminated groundwater area-30
- Seasonal dry creeks only-10
Legal
Dwelling code, septic, zoning, RV/tiny-home allowances, HOAs.
- Tiny homes allowed+10
- RV living allowed+10
- Composting toilets allowed+5
- Minimal permitting+10
- No HOA+10
- Agricultural zoning+10
- No permanent dwelling allowed (HARD FAIL)-50
- No septic approval possible-40
- HOA restrictions-20
- Minimum house size restrictions-10
- No RV living-10
- Strict permitting process-15
Soil
USDA class, drainage, organic matter, septic perc.
- USDA Class 1–3 soils+20
- Good drainage+10
- High organic matter+10
- Deep topsoil+10
- Solid clay-15
- High erosion-10
- Contaminated soils-25
- Poor septic perc-20
Energy
Solar exposure, slope aspect, wind & hydro potential.
- Excellent solar exposure+15
- South-facing slope+5
- Wind generation viable+5
- Hydro generation potential+10
- Heavy tree shading-10
- North-facing canyon-15
- Persistent cloud cover-10
Climate Risk
Wildfire, flood, tornado, extreme heat.
None — this domain only carries risk.
- Extreme wildfire risk-25
- Floodplain-25
- Tornado corridor-10
- Extreme heat zone-15
Hard-fail conditions
These override total scoring. A parcel meeting any of these is effectively non-viable for off-grid use.
- • Cannot legally build a permanent dwelling
- • No legal access (landlocked, no easement)
- • Wetlands fully cover buildable area
- • Septic impossible (perc fails and no alternative approved)
- • Landlocked parcel with no recorded access
Confidence rating
Each state carries a confidence rating (High / Medium / Low) reflecting how predictable the scoring is across counties. Low confidence means county-by-county variance is so high that the state-level score is a starting point, not a verdict.
A note on accuracy
These scores are state baselines aggregated from publicly available regulatory, hydrological, and climate data. County-level reality varies enormously — what is true in Cochise County, Arizona is not true in Maricopa County. Always verify with the specific county recorder, planning department, and health department before any land purchase.