Off-grid site report

Gibson County, TN

35.8415, -88.9145 · 361 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Gibson County, TN, 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 rulesGibson County, TN

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Unclear - verifyNo official Gibson County unincorporated zoning ordinance was found; the Town of Gibson (incorporated) has its own zoning title, but that applies only within town limits. Whether the county itself zones unincorporated land is not confirmed. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo Gibson County-specific rule on tiny homes or RVs was found; Tennessee has adopted the 2018 IRC/IECC statewide, but whether Gibson County enforces this locally or defers to the state is not confirmed. source

Building permits & codes

Varies locallyGibson County does have an active Building Inspector's office, so building permits are required at some level, but the specific code edition enforced and any state opt-out status is not confirmed. Confirm directly with the Building Inspector. source

Septic & composting toilets

RestrictedSeptic systems are regulated statewide under Tennessee Code Title 68, Chapter 221, Part 4, administered through TDEC's On-Site Sewage Program and typically processed locally via the county health department. Gibson County has a Health Department that likely handles this, though official confirmation of local process was not found. source

Greywater reuse

Unclear - verifyNo Gibson County document on greywater reuse was found; this defers to the Tennessee state plumbing code baseline, which permits it with restrictions, but county-level enforcement specifics are not confirmed.

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo Gibson County restriction on rainwater harvesting was found, and Tennessee has no statewide restriction on collection either.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedNo Gibson County-specific well ordinance was found; wells fall under the Tennessee state requirement that a state-licensed well driller perform the work.

Living disconnected from utilities

Varies locallyNo Gibson County mandate to connect to grid water or sewer was found for unincorporated areas; the Town of Gibson has its own utility code that would apply only within town limits. source

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 5.0 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 3.4 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,416 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 54 in/yr
Heating degree days: 3,711 (moderate)

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Milan General Hospital: 10.2 mi
Fire station Milan Fire Dept.: 9.7 mi
Hardware store HCI Supply of Humboldt: 1.0 mi
Grocery Walmart Supercenter: 0.2 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 38343).

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 21, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.