Bolthole Index

North Dakota · Off-grid & homestead potential

Steele County

43Index Score / 100
#42 of 53 in North Dakota

Steele County scores 43/100 on the Bolthole Index, a marginal county profile. Its strengths are manageable long-term carry cost and deep seclusion — about 1,289 people within a 30-minute drive. The trade-offs: thin water margin (21.8″/yr rainfall).

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County locator

Steele County in North Dakota

43
County map
Steele County highlighted among the North Dakota counties · colored by Index score

How Steele County scores

Seclusion74100% ev.
Self-Sufficiency1692% ev.
Admin Boringness4490% ev.
Durability48100% ev.
Property Autonomy73100% ev.
Carry Cost8296% ev.

Evidence strength: 96%. This reports direct-source completeness and fallback use; it is separate from the score and is not a confidence interval. How it works →

$120kTypical home
1%Property tax
$2,962Land / acre
21.8"Annual rain
9.9% of yrsSevere drought
3 / yr (+2.7)Mid-century 100°F days
20.2 daysMid-century dry spell
1.45" (+8.5%)Mid-century 1-day rain
1.67×Wildfire change factor
100%Forward climate coverage
$1,688Home insurance / yr
0.4% / yrInsurance growth
0%Nonrenewal rate
single ZIP shrunk to state medianInsurance basis
1,289People within 30 min
460,397People within 2 hr
2,762Radius comparison (15 mi)
2.5People / sq mi
7.4%Federal land
99%Land at 15% slope or less
47.1%Septic soil without severe limits
214,039 acWorkable land screen
1.2%Wooded land
39.9°FAvg temp

Scout Steele County

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Property hunt

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Building & land-use rules in Steele County

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

  • Building permitRequired

    Steele County has adopted a Building Permit Ordinance & Regulations Document published on its official ordinances page.

    Steele County Ordinances ↗
  • County zoningYes

    County ordinances include zoning for Animal Feeding Operations; general land-use zoning is otherwise handled by townships/cities, so county zoning is limited in scope.

    Steele County Ordinances ↗
  • Septic permittingSteele County Public Health

    Steele County Public Health is a stand-alone county health department (not a multi-county district) that issues the required local onsite-wastewater permit under NDCC 23.1-07.1.

    Steele County Public Health ↗
  • 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 Steele County (Ordinances / Public Health) before you buy or build. Scouted Jul 2026 from official county sources.

Living off-grid in Steele County, North Dakota

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

Steele County scores 43/100 on the Bolthole Index, a marginal county profile. Its strengths: manageable long-term carry cost and deep seclusion — about 1,289 people within a 30-minute drive. Watch-outs: thin water margin (21.8″/yr rainfall).

Do you need a building permit in Steele County, North Dakota?

Steele County generally requires a residential building permit, and it enforces county zoning. Onsite septic is permitted by Steele County Public 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 Steele County, North Dakota?

Land in Steele County runs about $2,962 per acre, based on the latest county data.

What is the water situation in Steele County?

Steele County gets about 21.8" of rain a year, with severe drought in roughly 9.9% of years.

How remote is Steele County?

A representative private-land location has about 1,289 people within a 30-minute drive and 460,397 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 Steele 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 Steele compares in North Dakota

Compare side-by-side →See all 53 North Dakota counties ranked →