Off-Grid Living in Hancock, Massachusetts

I've been digging into Hancock, Massachusetts, a small Berkshire County town, for anyone thinking about building or living off-grid there. Here's what I found, and where the picture is still fuzzy.

Zoning. Some older regional planning documents claim Hancock has no zoning bylaw. That's outdated. The town's own site hosts a current Zoning Bylaw (last amended 2019, adopted under state Chapter 40A), and the state's own bylaw index lists Hancock as having zoning on file. The bylaw sets a one-acre minimum lot size per dwelling unit, framed around preserving the town's rural character. So raw land ownership is fine, but you can't just drop a dwelling on any small parcel, the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals are the ones to check with on lot specifics.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. I couldn't find explicit town bylaw language on RVs or tiny homes as permanent residences. The Planning Board's 2025 annual report shows it reviewed accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules from neighboring towns and decided Hancock's existing bylaw was sufficient, which suggests there's no special ADU or tiny-home carve-out right now. Worth a direct call to the Planning Board before you commit to a build style.

Building permits. Hancock has an active local Building Inspector who issues permits for both 1-2 family homes and other structures, and separate inspectors handle wiring, plumbing, and gas work. The state building code (780 CMR) applies regardless of your off-grid intentions.

Septic and composting toilets. No town-specific composting toilet allowance turned up. Septic systems fall under the statewide Title 5 code (310 CMR 15.000), enforced locally by Hancock's Board of Health, which also handles water testing.

Greywater. I found no Hancock-specific greywater rule. Absent one, the state Title 5 default treats greywater as wastewater needing proper treatment, so plan accordingly rather than assuming informal reuse is fine.

Rainwater harvesting. No town ordinance found either way. Outdoor catchment is generally fine under the state's general approach, but indoor/potable use should be confirmed with the Board of Health before you build a system around it.

Wells. Private wells are permitted, with the Board of Health overseeing water quality and offering testing kits right at Town Hall.

Off-grid utilities. You can disconnect from the grid, but Hancock still requires electrical permitting through its Wire Inspector for solar and wiring work, so state code (780 CMR) compliance is required even for a fully self-sufficient setup.

Bottom line: Hancock is small and rural-friendly, but it is not a legal loophole town. Zoning, building, health, and wiring rules all apply, they're just administered by a very small town staff, so calling ahead pays off.