Off-grid site report

Marion County, MS

31.2418, -89.8133 · 157 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Marion County, MS, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Rules change, and the deciding facts on any specific parcel (setbacks, perc results, overlay districts, deed restrictions, road frontage) live at the county or town office, not in any database. Before you buy land or build, confirm the current rules directly with the local zoning and health offices - the sources on this page tell you exactly who to call.

The local rulesMarion County, MS

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Unclear - verifyNo zoning ordinance, zoning map, or zoning/planning department appears on Marion County's official site; the county's Departments page lists no Planning or Zoning office. This is consistent with rural Mississippi counties that never adopted countywide zoning, meaning any zoning may only apply inside the City of Columbia's limits, but this is not confirmed and should be checked with the Board of Supervisors. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo official Marion County ordinance addressing tiny homes, RVs, or minimum dwelling size was found. Without a confirmed countywide zoning or building code, such rules may not exist outside city limits, but this is not confirmed.

Building permits & codes

Unclear - verifyNo official Marion County building-permit department, adopted building code, or permit portal was found. Confirm directly with the Board of Supervisors whether any building permitting exists outside the City of Columbia.

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic and composting toilet systems are permitted and regulated statewide by the Mississippi State Department of Health, Division of On-Site Wastewater, under Title 41, Chapter 67 of the Mississippi Code, with no separate Marion County health department layer identified. source

Greywater reuse

RestrictedGreywater disposal falls under the same MSDH on-site wastewater framework governing all wastewater statewide; no Marion County-specific greywater exemption or ordinance was found. source

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo Marion County ordinance restricting rainwater catchment was found; this appears governed by the general state baseline with no county opt-out identified.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedPrivate well construction is regulated at the state level by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality under Miss. Code Ann. § 49-17, using a licensed well driller; no Marion County-specific well ordinance was found.

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo Marion County ordinance addressing off-grid living or disconnection from utilities was found; this remains governed generally by state-level rules, with no confirmed county-level requirement either way.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 5.2 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 3.7 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,383 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 61 in/yr
Snowfall: 0 in/yr
Heating degree days: 2,050 (mild)
Frost-free season: Mar 11 to Nov 19

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Marion General Hospital: 1.1 mi
Fire station Walthall County 3rd District Fire Department: 13.8 mi
Hardware store Speights Cash & Carry: 24.8 mi
Grocery Walmart Supercenter: 0.1 mi

From OpenStreetMap. Road miles will be longer, often much longer in hill country.

Plan this spot

These open with this location's real numbers already filled in (ZIP 39429).

Size a solar system Heat loss & insulation Firewood per winter Rainwater harvest Garden size Panel tilt

Sources: US Census Bureau geocoder; NLR PVWatts v8 (solar); NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 climate normals (nearest station) or Open-Meteo (ZIP-centroid) for weather; Open-Elevation; OpenStreetMap contributors. Public data retrieved Aug 22, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.