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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 be totally 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 live off one acre of land? ›
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 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 to be self-sufficient and live off-grid? ›
How to build an off-grid life for yourself
- Find low-cost or free land. ...
- Construct a cabin or tiny house. ...
- Grow your own food. ...
- Fish responsibly. ...
- Forage for edible plants. ...
- Collect and filter water. ...
- Generate energy through renewable means. ...
- Swap goods and services.
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 many acres does one human need to survive? ›
Food production: To meet the dietary needs of an average person, you might need at least 1 to 2 acres of land for growing a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and herbs. This estimate can vary widely based on factors such as climate and growing methods.
How much land does it take to feed one person for a year? ›
The FAO reports 7.9 billion acres of arable land in the world; If it takes 3.25 acres to feed one person the typical western diet, then our 7 billion+ people would required over 21 billion acres, or the equivalent of almost three planet Earths.
How much land is needed to feed a family of four? ›
For a non-vegetarian individual, however, we'd estimate that you need about 200 square feet of garden space to allow for a harvest that feeds everyone year-round. So, for an average family of four, plan for an 800 square-foot garden—a plot that is 20 feet by 40 feet in size.
How much money can you make farming 1 acre? ›
Gross income per acre: Direct to consumer sales – (organically certified) - $20,000 - $22,000. Direct to consumer sales – (non-organically certified) - $16,000 - $18,000. Institutional sales – (food cooperatives, restaurants) - $12,000 - $14,000.
There is no unclaimed land in the US.
Is 1 acre big enough for homestead? ›
You don't need a lot of acreage to have a self-sufficient homestead. On a 1-acre farm of good, well-drained land, I would keep a cow and a goat, a few pigs and maybe a dozen hens.
Who owns the most land in the world? ›
Who Owns the Most Land in the World? The largest landowner in the world currently is King Charles III of England. How much land does the Royal Family own? He and the British Royal Family own more than 6,600,000,000 acres of land around the world.
Do you pay taxes if you live off the grid? ›
While off-the-grid living will significantly reduce your expenses, you'll still need to pay property taxes, utilities, and routine home maintenance. You'll also need to cover the cost of living, which includes food, transportation, and other expenses.
Can you live off-grid with no income? ›
While there may be initial setup costs and some challenges, learning how to live off the grid with no money is possible. All you need is careful planning and proper resources. Whether you join an off-grid community or build an off-grid life for yourself, it's important to consider your preferences and circ*mstances.
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 subsist? ›
About 1 acre of good land is enough for such purposes. But if the family wants to keep a cow and plans to buy the necessary winter feed, 2 acres of good pasture land, in addition, should be enough, and the extra work will not be excessive.
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.
