Off-grid site report

Holmes County, MS

33.0360, -90.0020 · 394 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Holmes 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 rulesHolmes County, MS

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Unclear - verifyNo Holmes County zoning ordinance was found on the county's official site. Guidance for property records points people to check zoning with whichever of the county's seven municipalities the land sits in, suggesting zoning may be town-by-town, with unincorporated areas possibly unzoned. Not confirmed either way; contact the Board of Supervisors. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo Holmes County ordinance addressing tiny homes, RVs, or manufactured homes was found. Mississippi has no statewide tiny-home law, so this is a local decision Holmes County has not documented officially.

Building permits & codes

Unclear - verifyMississippi has no mandatory statewide residential building code; the state Building Codes Council's IRC-based code is adopted at each city/county's discretion. State law requires counties to have some permitting process, but Holmes County's process for unincorporated construction was not found on an official page; confirm with the Board of Supervisors. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedOnsite wastewater is regulated entirely by the Mississippi State Department of Health, not the county. Holmes County is listed as covered by MSDH's on-site wastewater program, which requires a permit application and site/soil evaluation before installing new systems, including composting/alternative systems. source

Greywater reuse

RestrictedNo Holmes County greywater ordinance exists, so the state rule applies: non-typical residential waste streams must be referred to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality rather than discharged freely, effectively treating greywater like regulated wastewater. source

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo Holmes County restriction was found; rainwater harvesting is permitted under the general state baseline for typical residential-scale systems, with no county rule adding restrictions.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedPrivate wells fall under the same MSDH on-site wastewater/water-supply framework as septic, with a site/soil evaluation and MSDH 'Permit/Recommendation' often required before a water meter connection. No Holmes County-specific well ordinance was found. source

Living disconnected from utilities

Unclear - verifyNo Holmes County ordinance on grid disconnection was found. The general statewide caution that some jurisdictions expect a grid connection to remain for metering or safety was not separately confirmed for Holmes County.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 5.3 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 3.9 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,439 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 55 in/yr
Heating degree days: 2,991 (mild)
Frost-free season: Apr 6 to Oct 31

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital University of Mississippi Medical Center Holmes County: 5.5 mi
Fire station: none within range
Hardware store Scarborough Building Supply: 24.6 mi
Grocery Mac's Fresh Market: 9.1 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 39079).

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.