Bolthole Index

Iowa · Off-grid & homestead potential

Lee County

68Index Score / 100
#11 of 99 in Iowa

Lee County scores 68/100 on the Bolthole Index, a strong county profile. Its strengths are manageable long-term carry cost and workable self-sufficiency basics (39″/yr rainfall).

Found land here? Start a Property Hunt →

County locator

Lee County in Iowa

68
County map
Lee County highlighted among the Iowa counties · colored by Index score

How Lee County scores

Seclusion49100% ev.
Self-Sufficiency65100% ev.
Admin Boringness5935% ev.
Durability57100% ev.
Property Autonomy51100% ev.
Carry Cost67100% ev.

Evidence strength: 89%. This reports direct-source completeness and fallback use; it is separate from the score and is not a confidence interval. How it works →

$129kTypical home
1.5%Property tax
$7,412Land / acre
39"Annual rain
5.8% of yrsSevere drought
6.7 / yr (+6.1)Mid-century 100°F days
16.4 daysMid-century dry spell
1.94" (+8.5%)Mid-century 1-day rain
1.78×Wildfire change factor
100%Forward climate coverage
$1,537Home insurance / yr
2.3% / yrInsurance growth
1.01%Nonrenewal rate
county median (2+ published ZIPs)Insurance basis
39,904People within 30 min
1,488,035People within 2 hr
27,757Radius comparison (15 mi)
62.9People / sq mi
0.1%Federal land
86.2%Land at 15% slope or less
0%Septic soil without severe limits
0 acWorkable land screen
29.6%Wooded land
53.3 tonsBiomass / forest ac
51.9°FAvg temp

Scout Lee County

Camp here before you commitBook a few nights nearby on Hipcamp →Already own land here?Earn money hosting campers — get $100 when you become a Hipcamp host →

Some links are affiliate or referral links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you.

Property hunt

Find land. Bring the promising ones back.

Search live inventory elsewhere, then cost and vet each candidate here. No copied listings, account, or paid data feed.

View your full hunt →
ZillowLand & lotsRealtor.comLand listingsLandSearchRural & vacant land

Each button opens a current land search for Lee County. Listing sites control their own results and filters.

Analyze a property
Add setup-cost allowances

Use rough quotes or placeholders. Blank fields count as $0.

Working estimate

—land + entered setup costs
Asking $ / acre
—
Setup allowance
—
All-in $ / acre
—

A planning estimate, not a valuation or contractor quote. The USDA benchmark includes farm land and buildings; it is context, not a parcel comp.

Before an offer

Parcel due diligence

0/8 checked

Saved properties and checklist progress stay on this device. Bolthole Index does not receive them.

Building & land-use rules in Lee County

What it takes to build here — permits, zoning, and septic — scouted from Lee County’s own official sources.

  • Building permitNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • County zoningNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • Septic permittingLee County Health Department (Environmental Health)

    Private sewage/onsite wastewater (SWTS) permits are issued and inspected by Lee County Health Department Environmental staff, consistent with Iowa's framework placing septic under the local county board of health under Iowa DNR (Chapter 69) oversight.

    Iowa DNR - Private Sewage Disposal and Septage ↗
  • Owner-builderNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • Building inspectionsNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • Occupancy certificateNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • Septic permitNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • Septic inspectionNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

  • Off-grid sanitationNot published

    Not published on an official source — confirm with the county.

Always confirm current rules with Lee County Health Department (Environmental Health) before you buy or build. Scouted Jul 2026 from official county sources.

Living off-grid in Lee County, Iowa

Is Lee County a good place to live off-grid or homestead?

Lee County scores 68/100 on the Bolthole Index, a strong county profile. Its strengths: manageable long-term carry cost and workable self-sufficiency basics (39″/yr rainfall).

Do you need a building permit in Lee County, Iowa?

Building-permit rules for unincorporated Lee County are not published on an official source. Onsite septic is permitted by Lee County Health Department (Environmental Health). Rules change and cities within the county differ — always confirm with the county before you buy or build.

How much does land cost in Lee County, Iowa?

Land in Lee County runs about $7,412 per acre, based on the latest county data.

What is the water situation in Lee County?

Lee County gets about 39" of rain a year, with severe drought in roughly 5.8% of years.

How remote is Lee County?

A representative private-land location has about 39,904 people within a 30-minute drive and 1,488,035 within two hours. The road-network catchments count population across county lines and clusters of smaller cities; straight-line radius values remain available as a comparison.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Lee County means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

WaterCrystal QuestFilter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.PowerBluettiSolar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you.

How Lee compares in Iowa

Compare side-by-side →See all 99 Iowa counties ranked →