Everything You Need to Know About Living Off Grid in Kentucky
Living off the grid in Kentucky is a good decision. It has a population of roughly 4.4 million people, which may seem like a high figure, but the truth is that the majority of the population resides in either the larger cities or rural areas. If you look Kentucky up online, you’ll come across a number of house and land ads for sale.
General Statistics For Living Off Grid in Kentucky
In Kentucky, it is permissible to live off the grid, there are no restrictions on rainwater gathering, and the climate is suitable for producing a variety of crops. Property costs and property taxes are both low in Kentucky, which is one of the main reasons why so many individuals pick it as their off-grid state. The biggest issue in this state is groundwater, which is frequently contaminated by local farmers.
In general, people who live off-grid in Kentucky were typically born in the state. Public opinion feels that Kentucky is not a decent place to live off-grid. While it does have its problems (most opioid-related issues), the problem with Kentucky is the way people view it.
If you’re looking for a state where you can live off the grid as quickly and cheaply as possible, you shouldn’t pay attention to folks who complain about something irrelevant to off-grid life, regardless of which state you’re researching. Every state has its advantages and disadvantages, and only you can decide whether it is worthwhile for you. Some disadvantages of a state may be advantages for you personally. If you’re looking for an off-grid alternative to Kentucky, I recommend Kansas; you can find my article about it here.
What’s the Climate in Kentucky?
Kentucky has all four seasons, with summers being hot and winters being chilly. The higher you go south in this state, the hotter it gets, though not as hot as it is in Mississippi. For example, Summers are generally around 90°F, and winters are approximately 23°F; there will be a temperature differential between north and south, but it isn’t as great as you may assume.
Because of the excessive humidity, you will frequently see or smell mold when entering an old building. This occurs in buildings and homes that are not properly insulated or ventilated. Don’t panic yet, though; this is typical in humid places like Kentucky. What I’m trying to convey is that if you’re seeking to buy a homestead in Kentucky, make sure to check for mold.
What are the Best Crops to Grow in Kentucky?
In general, Kentucky is an excellent site to grow corn and wheat, and you will have no trouble growing vegetables such as tomatoes. If you visit Kentucky, you will almost certainly see a lot of tobacco fields, as tobacco is a huge business in the state. You can produce tobacco if you have a large piece of land, but there are many hurdles ahead of you if you have never grown tobacco before.
What’s Freshwater Availability Like in Kentucky?
The state has an abundance of groundwater and freshwater sources; however, there is a significant problem with contaminated water in some locations. Kentucky has a large mining industry and is one of the country’s largest coal mining states. Any type of mining has the problem of producing a lot of pollution, both above and below ground. Pollution seeps into the groundwater, which then enters people’s wells, turning the normally pure water dark and stinking like rotten eggs.
Although some experts believe that this disease would eventually affect everyone in the state, it is not prominent in all places. So, if you’re seeking to buy land or a house in the region, make sure to inspect the adjacent wells if at all feasible; if the closest well has murky water, chances are your well will as well, because you’re both drawing water from the same aquifer. Harvesting rainwater, on the other hand, is permitted in Kentucky, so you shouldn’t have any trouble doing so and using it as a source of water.
What Kind of Wildlife Does Kentucky Have?
Kentucky’s fauna is diverse, with anything from little rodents to black bears can be found. Turkey and deer are the most frequent wild species, and both are heavily hunted. There are a few black bears in the state, but they are quite shy creatures, so your chances of spotting one are small. Kentucky offers many rivers and lakes where you may go fishing, but if you prefer fly fishing, the Cumberland River is your best bet.
For fishing and hunting, you’ll need a permit; the permit fees are moderate when compared to the surrounding states.
What are the Off-Grid Living Laws in Kentucky?
There are no laws prohibiting you from living off the grid in Kentucky, though they do take their homeschooling rules very seriously, and you will need to research the specifics as they change frequently. Basically, if you are homeschooling, you must tell the authorities. My personal advice is to do it as soon as possible, merely to avoid being surprised by an angry neighbor and cops at your door. This applies to all states, not just Kentucky.
What’s the Price of Land in Kentucky?
In Kentucky, there is land for practically every budget; however certain regions are prohibitively pricey even by Kentucky standards. The price of land varies greatly from year to year, but most young people leave the state, and once they inherit their parents’ property, they will sell it as cheaply and quickly as possible, so keep an eye out for those. If you want dirt cheap land, you could buy a property with a muddy well, but keep in mind that you’ll probably never be able to use it and will have to rely on rain.
What’s the Property Tax in Kentucky?
Kentucky’s property tax is quite low, at 0.86 percent of household income or land value. Most bordering states have far higher property taxes and are in a similar economic predicament as Kentucky. Due to the low cost of land, you will have no trouble establishing your homestead on a shoestring budget.
What’s the Cost of Living in Kentucky?
When compared to other states, the cost of living is roughly typical, albeit healthcare, groceries, and even utilities are slightly more expensive. If you plan to live off the grid, on the other hand, you won’t have to worry about utility expenses.
What’s the Job Market Like in Kentucky?
Kentucky’s unemployment rate is around 4.6%, and it has been slowly declining over the last few years; in 2011, it was over 9.5 percent. Because Kentucky is one of the leading coal-mining states, you may assume that practically everyone works in the mining industry. However, the majority of people work in the restaurant industry, followed by the education sector. The poverty rate is roughly 18 percent, which is greater than the country’s average poverty rate of around 12 percent.
What’s Road Access Like in Kentucky?
The road access for homesteads is a mixed bag; the majority of them lack asphalted roads, and the most you can hope for is a dirt road. However, before purchasing any land, make sure to factor in the ease of access throughout the winter. Certain years will see significant snowfall which make living off grid in Kentucky difficult.
Off-Grid Solar Power in Kentucky
Kentucky is an excellent state for solar power generation, so you won’t have any problems with power in your off-grid home. In addition, the state provides you with a federal tax credit of roughly 30%; however, the proportion may have changed recently, so you should double-check. Although many states offer federal tax credits for solar energy, most of them have stringent requirements, such as the size of the installation. In Kentucky, however, the scale of the project is irrelevant.
Interested in a state with better solar rates? I recommend reading about Florida or Hawaii.
What’s the Crime Rate in Kentucky?
Kentucky is a relatively safe state, with a crime rate that is lower than the national average; yet, the opioid crisis has wreaked havoc on the state. The death rate from opioids is nearly double the national norm. This is one of the causes for the high poverty rate and the exodus of so many young people from the state. Each county’s opioid-related crime rate will be different, and other counties do not appear to be affected at all.
Is Kentucky Affected by Natural Disasters?
Hurricanes, tornadoes, mudslides, landslides, and floods are all common natural catastrophes in Kentucky. Hurricane Ike, one of the most recent natural catastrophes, struck in 2008, causing significant damage to both property and infrastructure. Despite the fact that Kentucky is not regarded to be in tornado alley, it is still affected by tornadoes; scientists consider it to be in the “New Tornado Alley,” which is slowly shifting eastward.
Can You Live Off-Grid in Kentucky?
As you can see, homesteading and off-grid living in Kentucky has their ups and downs. The most common problems are with water; as I previously stated, much of the groundwater is contaminated. On the other hand, some areas have been heavily struck by the opioid crisis, particularly those that previously relied on mining. Overall, if you can get over the bad parts, Kentucky is a fantastic site to build an off-grid residence.
