Off-grid site report
Madison County, IA
41.2872, -94.1852 · 1,168 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Madison County, IA, 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 rulesMadison County, IA
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Varies locallyMadison County Zoning Department administers a four-district (A/R/C/I) ordinance for unincorporated land only; incorporated towns like Winterset have separate municipal codes. Board of Adjustment can grant variances or hear appeals. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo official county page specifically addresses tiny homes on wheels or long-term RV occupancy; general zoning conformity rules apply but treatment of these structures is not confirmed. Ask the Zoning Department directly. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedBuilding permits and code enforcement run through the county Zoning Department for unincorporated areas, under the Iowa state building code baseline, but the exact code edition applied locally is not confirmed on the county site. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedMadison County Environmental Health permits and inspects septic systems, working within Iowa DNR's private sewage disposal framework; composting toilets likely fall under the same review but this isn't separately confirmed. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo official Madison County or Iowa DNR page on residential greywater reuse was found; ask county Environmental Health before installing a system.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo official county page addresses rainwater catchment; status is not confirmed, so check with Zoning or Environmental Health directly.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWells are permitted and inspected through Madison County Environmental Health, consistent with the statewide DNR well permitting framework administered at the county level. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Varies locallyNo county ordinance bans disconnecting from public utilities outright, but any occupied dwelling still must satisfy zoning conformity and get its water/wastewater solution approved through Environmental Health. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 4.9 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 3.3 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,416 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 35 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 29 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 6,709 (cold)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 26 to Oct 2
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Madison County Memorial Hospital - 9.2 mi
- Fire station
Winterset Fire Department - 9.5 mi
- Hardware store
Breeding's Ace Hardware - 9.8 mi
- Grocery
Fareway - 9.4 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 50155).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Madison County, IA?The rules above are the jurisdiction. The land check runs the parcel itself: flood zone, soils and septic suitability, wetlands, slope, access, climate, and these verdicts, from a parcel number or coordinates.
Check a parcel →Share or save this report:New report
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.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.