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If you've discovered an interest in becoming completely self-sufficient, you'll almost certainly need to acquire some land. How much? Read on to find out.
For countless Americans, living off the grid has never held more appeal. Fed up with rising congestion, overpriced cities, and what has been described as a general malaise with modern, consumerist lifestyles, people are flocking to the country to set up their own homesteads at an unprecedented rate.
With so many Americans looking to kick-start their own self-sufficient lifestyle, knowing what you need is key. Land values are rising across the United States, meaning that the cost of being self-sufficient is rising all the time.
Fortunately, the amount of land you need to live off the grid is a lot less than you might think. Here's everything you need to know.
The Minimum You Need to Be Self-Sufficient
If you want to know how to live off the grid, you'll need the numbers. Many would-be homesteaders assume that they'll need a vast estate in order to meet their food and energy needs, but this isn't the case.
According to this handy infographic, you only need 0.44 acres per person to meet all of your food needs. This works out to about 77,000 square foot for a family of four, assuming that each person maintains a vegetarian diet of 2300 calories a day.
Eating meat, dairy and eggs will increase your land needs significantly, so you might want to start thinking about skipping the steaks.
How to Reduce Your Needs
Of course, you might even find that this amount of land can be a challenge to acquire. Therefore, you should consider all of the different ways you can reduce your resource needs.
As mentioned, one of the best ways to do this is to go vegan. Rearing your own livestock requires huge amounts of land and water, as well as considerable manpower.
When growing your own fruit and vegetables, you can also consider avoiding crops such as potatoes and tomatoes, which require more space than virtually every other crop in existence.
Living in a so-called 'tiny house' is also a way to get maximum usage out of your land.
Other Resources You'll Need
Of course, it's not all about the land. You'll need to meet your energy needs, which cannot be achieved with wood burning alone.
Solar panels on the roof of your homestead are the most efficient way to meet your energy needs if you're building off the grid.
One year of electricity for an individual only requires 375 square foot of roof space for solar panels. Given that the roof of an average American home if about 2000 square foot, this should not be a problem.
Legal Considerations
Those looking to lead a self-sustaining lifestyle should know that doing so is not a straightforward legal process. County and city zoning might prevent you from building a homestead in your desired location.
Likewise, you may find that it is illegal to live completely off the grid in a certain area, due to laws pertaining to energy and land usage.
Always check with the local authorities to find out what is legally feasible, to avoid problems further down the line.
Learn More
A self-sufficient lifestyle is only a few clicks away. If you want to learn more about the rural properties available to aspiring homesteaders, don't hesitate to get in touch with us today for expert advice and opinions.
FAQs
The Minimum You Need to Be Self-Sufficient
How much land do you need to live off the grid? ›
There is a huge debate about how much is enough. I say, you make do with what you have. But in order to produce enough to truly live off the land, you will need at least 5 acres. This allows for enough space to produce for your family and your animals.
How much land do you need to be completely self-sufficient? ›
For the average family of four, you can expect to grow a year's worth of food on three to five acres. We really do think that five acres is the sweet spot because it allows you to stack your animals and really utilize permaculture practices. One acre for gardens, perennials and fruit trees.
Can you be self-sufficient on 1 acre? ›
The truth is you can be self-sustaining on a 1-acre property but it takes work, education, dedication, and time. So, if you have an oversized lot or small acreage and want to be as sustainable as possible, here are some ideas and suggestions on how to get started creating a self-sufficient homestead.
How much land does one person need to survive? ›
Maintaining a vegetarian diet of 2300 calories per person, per day requires . 44 acres per person. This includes fruits, grains and of course, vegetables. In an ideal setting, suitable farm land can also grow fruit trees to provide a well-rounded diet.
How many acres do you need to live off of? ›
The Minimum You Need to Be Self-Sufficient
According to this handy infographic, you only need 0.44 acres per person to meet all of your food needs. This works out to about 77,000 square foot for a family of four, assuming that each person maintains a vegetarian diet of 2300 calories a day.
How much money do you need for off-grid living? ›
The national average cost of an off-grid system is $55,000*, though your investment could range from $20,000 to $100,000 based on your system design and energy needs. Going off-grid reduces your energy usage, lowers your carbon footprint, and enables you to live more independently.
How much land do you need to feed a human? ›
This reminds me of a question I have been asked numerous times, i.e., “How much land does it take to feed somebody for a year?” To rid you of any suspense, I usually give the answer as about one acre when referring to the U.S. today.
How much land do you need to farm to make a living? ›
While it is possible to generate enough income through farming 20 to 40 acres, in most cases folks approach this as a part-time venture. It is much better to select an income-producing idea that you enjoy and want to do even if no profit is realized.
Is it possible to live completely self-sufficient? ›
You'll need to become an expert seed saver, seeing that complete self-sufficiency entails no bartering or purchasing any seeds or seedlings. You'll want to be pretty skilled at foraging… You'll need to consider that some climates are probably more suitable for living off the land than others.
The average American owns between 1/10 of an acre and an acre. That is because most landowners live in the suburbs and own their own house and the land under it, the size of which is determined by zoning. Zoning minimum acreage varies with a minimum of 1/10th and with about 1/5th acre being a rough average.
Is a homestead self-sufficient? ›
A homestead is a self-sufficient haven where you can produce your own food, water, and energy, fostering a lifestyle that is both rewarding and environmentally conscious.
Can one acre feed a family? ›
To break down our oversimplified math: 1 Acre = 5 million calories, enough to feed our party of five with 1,350,000 calories to spare. And you'd still probably have room for rabbit cages and a chicken run. All of this is to say that feeding your family on a small plot is possible.
How many acres do you need to be self-sustaining? ›
However, it is possible to create a more self-sufficient lifestyle on a larger piece of land. Estimates for self-sufficiency typically range from about 1 to 10 acres per person, depending on the factors mentioned above and the desired level of self-sufficiency.
How many acres of land is livable? ›
The total land surface area of Earth is about 57,308,738 square miles, of which about 33% is desert and about 24% is mountainous. Subtracting this uninhabitable 57% (32,665,981 mi2) from the total land area leaves 24,642,757 square miles or 15.77 billion acres of habitable land.
How much land is actually habitable? ›
Total world landmass: 57,510,000 miles squared. ( antarctica - 5,400,000, siberia - 5,100,000, canada - 3,511,023, australia - 2,947,336, , greenland - 836,330) = 17.8 million square miles. So the habitable areas are 57.51 - 17.8 = 39.71 million miles squared.
Can you live off-grid on BLM land? ›
Land managed by the BLM is any adventuresome soul's dream. Folks in search of an off-grid experience without the hassle of permits or fees will be thrilled to know that the BLM administers more than 247.3 million acres of public land in the U.S. which constitutes nearly one-eighth of the country's landmass.
Is living off the grid worth it? ›
Off-grid life pays off in surprising ways
A lot of the pros of making the off-grid move are well known and rather obvious: utility bills lowered or erased, a greatly reduced environmental footprint and an increased sense of independence.
How much land do you need for 3 houses? ›
It is customary for builders to place at least 2-3 homes per acre, depending on the landscape. With custom home construction, lot sizes generally tend to be a little bigger.
