Off-grid site report
Cochran County, TX
33.4870, -102.6163 · 3,635 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Cochran County, TX, 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 rulesCochran County, TX
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Unclear - verifyTexas counties, including Cochran, generally lack zoning power over unincorporated land; no evidence Cochran County has adopted zoning. Any zoning would come from Morton or Whiteface city government, not the county, and no official municipal code was located. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo county ordinance or adopted residential construction standard for unincorporated Cochran County was found; state law gives counties narrow permissive authority here but no evidence it's been used.
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyThe county lists a Building Inspections contact, but no adopted building code or permit process is published officially; confirm directly with the county. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedSeptic systems (OSSFs) are regulated statewide under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 366 and 30 TAC Chapter 285, requiring a permit through either an authorized local agent or the TCEQ regional office; whether Cochran County itself is the authorized agent is not confirmed. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo separate greywater ordinance or TCEQ program page specific to Cochran County was found; greywater appears folded into the same OSSF/30 TAC 285 framework as septic. source
Rainwater harvesting
Generally allowedNo Cochran County ordinance restricts rainwater harvesting; the general state posture that doesn't restrict collection appears to apply with no local wrinkle found.
Private wells & water rights
Varies locallyOutside a groundwater conservation district, Texas's rule of capture applies to private wells; whether Cochran County lies inside a GCD such as the Lubbock-based High Plains district was not confirmed, so check with TWDB or the district directly. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Generally allowedNo state law or Cochran County ordinance was found requiring connection to electric, water, or sewer utilities in unincorporated areas; any such requirement would have to come from a municipality like Morton or Whiteface.
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 6.4 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 5.0 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,807 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 19 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 8 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3,698 (moderate)
- Frost-free season
- Apr 8 to Oct 31
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Covenant Hospital Levelland - 15.4 mi
- Fire station
Sundown Fire Department - 7.5 mi
- Hardware store
Gebo's - 15.1 mi
- Grocery
Lowe's Market - 7.7 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 79379).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Cochran County, TX?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 21, 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.