Bolthole Index

Missouri · Off-grid & homestead potential

Daviess County

72Index Score / 100
#35 of 115 in Missouri

Daviess County scores 72/100 on the Bolthole Index, a strong county profile. Its strengths are low administrative friction for a quiet rural property and manageable long-term carry cost.

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Daviess County in Missouri

72
County map
Daviess County highlighted among the Missouri counties · colored by Index score

How Daviess County scores

Seclusion59100% ev.
Self-Sufficiency63100% ev.
Admin Boringness8390% ev.
Durability47100% ev.
Property Autonomy47100% ev.
Carry Cost77100% ev.

Evidence strength: 98%. This reports direct-source completeness and fallback use; it is separate from the score and is not a confidence interval. How it works →

$297kTypical home
0.7%Property tax
$4,517Land / acre
39.2"Annual rain
8.1% of yrsSevere drought
10.9 / yr (+9.2)Mid-century 100°F days
18.2 daysMid-century dry spell
2.05" (+9.4%)Mid-century 1-day rain
1.76×Wildfire change factor
100%Forward climate coverage
$2,022Home insurance / yr
2.8% / yrInsurance growth
1.77%Nonrenewal rate
county median (2+ published ZIPs)Insurance basis
10,279People within 30 min
2,660,132People within 2 hr
12,066Radius comparison (15 mi)
15.2People / sq mi
0.3%Federal land
94.5%Land at 15% slope or less
0%Septic soil without severe limits
0 acWorkable land screen
22.8%Wooded land
59.3 tonsBiomass / forest ac
52.8°FAvg temp

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Building & land-use rules in Daviess County

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

  • Building permitNot required

    Daviess County is a township-form, non-charter rural county; its official officials/offices listing shows no building department or inspector, and Missouri non-charter rural counties generally lack authority to require residential building permits in unincorporated areas. Corroborated by the state County Building Codes dataset (data.mo.gov iq7s-izvt, 2021): no county residential building code adopted.

    Daviess County, MO - Officials ↗
  • County zoningNone county-wide

    No county planning and zoning office appears in the county officials listing; no countywide zoning ordinance for unincorporated Daviess County was found on an official source.

    Daviess County, MO - Officials ↗
  • Septic permittingDaviess County Health Department (under Missouri DHSS Onsite Wastewater Program)

    Missouri DHSS sets OWTS standards but in most counties the local health department issues onsite septic construction permits; Daviess County has a County Health Department serving this function.

    Missouri DHSS — OWTS Construction Permit Required ↗
  • 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 permitRequired

    Daviess County identifies local health administration of onsite wastewater permits under Missouri DHSS rules.

    Daviess County Missouri Health Department ↗
  • Septic inspectionNot published

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

    Daviess County Missouri Health Department ↗
  • Off-grid sanitationNot published

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

Always confirm current rules with Daviess County Commission / Daviess County Health Department before you buy or build. Scouted Aug 2026 from official county sources.

Living off-grid in Daviess County, Missouri

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

Daviess County scores 72/100 on the Bolthole Index, a strong county profile. Its strengths: low administrative friction for a quiet rural property and manageable long-term carry cost.

Do you need a building permit in Daviess County, Missouri?

Daviess County does not require a county building permit for a home in unincorporated areas, and it has no county-wide zoning. Onsite septic is permitted by Daviess County Health Department (under Missouri DHSS Onsite Wastewater Program). Rules change and cities within the county differ — always confirm with the county before you buy or build.

How much does land cost in Daviess County, Missouri?

Land in Daviess County runs about $4,517 per acre, based on the latest county data.

What is the water situation in Daviess County?

Daviess County gets about 39.2" of rain a year, with severe drought in roughly 8.1% of years.

How remote is Daviess County?

A representative private-land location has about 10,279 people within a 30-minute drive and 2,660,132 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 Daviess 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.

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How Daviess compares in Missouri

Compare side-by-side →See all 115 Missouri counties ranked →