Off-grid site report

White County, IL

38.0754, -88.1908 · 394 ft elevation
Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for White County, IL, 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 rulesWhite County, IL

Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Unclear - verifyI could not find an official White County zoning ordinance or zoning map on the county's own site or on a recognized code host. Illinois counties aren't required to adopt zoning, and it's common for rural counties to leave it to incorporated towns only, but whether White County itself has a countywide ordinance is not confirmed. Call the County Board/Clerk to ask directly. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyNo official county ordinance on minimum dwelling size, tiny homes, or RV residency turned up. Illinois has no statewide statute on this either, so if any rule exists it would be local, and I couldn't confirm one.
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyNo official White County building department page or adopted local building code was found. Illinois' new statewide building code (administered by the Capital Development Board) took effect January 1, 2025, but I could not confirm how, or whether, White County independently administers permits under it. source
Septic & composting toilets
Varies locallyIllinois septic systems are regulated statewide by the Illinois Department of Public Health under its Private Sewage Disposal Code, with permitting delegated to local/regional health departments. White County's own site refers residents to the Egyptian Public & Mental Health Department for environmental health matters, so that agency most likely issues septic permits here, though I couldn't confirm that specific arrangement on an official permitting page. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo White County or Egyptian Health Department rule specifically addressing greywater reuse was found. This would fall under Illinois' private sewage code as administered locally, so ask the health department how they treat it.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo official White County rule authorizing or restricting residential rainwater harvesting was located; this appears to default to the state baseline, which I did not find addressed either.
Private wells & water rights
Varies locallyPrivate wells fall under the statewide Illinois Water Well Construction Code, administered by IDPH through delegated local health departments. For White County that's most likely the Egyptian Public & Mental Health Department, though I couldn't confirm this on an official well-permitting page. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Unclear - verifyNo official White County ordinance restricting disconnection from grid power or municipal water/sewer was found. Whether local occupancy rules require utility hookups isn't confirmed to exist at the county level.

Open the full county page with sources →

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
1,387 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND

Weather1991-2020

Precipitation
47 in/yr
Snowfall
12 in/yr
Heating degree days
4,823 (moderate)
Frost-free season
Apr 14 to Oct 20

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital
Hamilton Memorial Hospital
19.0 mi
Fire station
New Harmony Fire Station
15.3 mi
Hardware store
Gillard's
0.5 mi
Grocery
Little Giant Grocery
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 62821).

Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt

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.