Bolthole Index

Texas · Off-grid & homestead potential

Irion County

43Index Score / 100
#173 of 254 in Texas

Irion County scores 43/100 on the Bolthole Index, a marginal county profile. Its strengths are deep seclusion — about 0 people within a 30-minute drive and low administrative friction for a quiet rural property. The trade-offs: thin water margin (20.6″/yr rainfall) and elevated mid-century heat, water, rain, or wildfire exposure.

Found land here? Start a Property Hunt →

County locator

Irion County in Texas

43
County map
Irion County highlighted among the Texas counties · colored by Index score

How Irion County scores

Seclusion89100% ev.
Self-Sufficiency1496% ev.
Admin Boringness8290% ev.
Durability36100% ev.
Property Autonomy71100% ev.
Carry Cost7896% ev.

Evidence strength: 97%. This reports direct-source completeness and fallback use; it is separate from the score and is not a confidence interval. How it works →

$262kTypical home
1%Property tax
$1,345Land / acre
20.6"Annual rain
18% of yrsSevere drought
49.1 / yr (+34.8)Mid-century 100°F days
34.3 daysMid-century dry spell
1.63" (+6.3%)Mid-century 1-day rain
1.28×Wildfire change factor
100%Forward climate coverage
$2,519Home insurance / yr
0% / yrInsurance growth
0%Nonrenewal rate
single ZIP shrunk to state medianInsurance basis
0People within 30 min
33,736People within 2 hr
1,117Radius comparison (15 mi)
1.5People / sq mi
0%Federal land
100%Land at 15% slope or less
2.7%Septic soil without severe limits
17,933 acWorkable land screen
2.2%Wooded land
3.2 tonsBiomass / forest ac
64.8°FAvg temp

Scout Irion 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 Irion 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 Irion County

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

  • Building permitNot required

    Texas counties lack authority to require building permits or enforce a building code in unincorporated areas; Irion County's development regulations cover only subdivision platting, manufactured-home rental communities, floodplain, and OSSF.

    Irion County Subdivision/MHRC Regulations ↗
  • County zoningNone county-wide

    Texas counties cannot adopt zoning in unincorporated areas; Irion County regulates only subdivision platting and related water/sewer/OSSF disclosures, not land-use zoning.

    Irion County Subdivision/MHRC Regulations ↗
  • Septic permittingTexas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) - On-Site Sewage Facilities program

    Irion County's own regulations state it does not serve as the TCEQ authorized agent for OSSF, so OSSF/septic permits in the unincorporated area must be obtained directly from TCEQ.

    TCEQ - Getting a Permit for an OSSF (Septic System) ↗
  • 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 Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) - OSSF Program (Irion County has no local building/zoning authority) before you buy or build. Scouted Jul 2026 from official county sources.

Living off-grid in Irion County, Texas

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

Irion County scores 43/100 on the Bolthole Index, a marginal county profile. Its strengths: deep seclusion — about 0 people within a 30-minute drive and low administrative friction for a quiet rural property. Watch-outs: thin water margin (20.6″/yr rainfall) and elevated mid-century heat, water, rain, or wildfire exposure.

Do you need a building permit in Irion County, Texas?

Irion 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 Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) - On-Site Sewage Facilities 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 Irion County, Texas?

Land in Irion County runs about $1,345 per acre, based on the latest county data.

What is the water situation in Irion County?

Irion County gets about 20.6" of rain a year, with severe drought in roughly 18% of years.

How remote is Irion County?

A representative private-land location has about 0 people within a 30-minute drive and 33,736 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 Irion 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 Irion compares in Texas

Compare side-by-side →See all 254 Texas counties ranked →