Missouri is located almost in the center of the country and many people consider it as being a flyover state. Generally speaking, fly-over states are great for off gird living although Missouri has some drawbacks when it comes to living off the grid. Missouri’s population is at 6.12 million people, and this state has 5 cities with more than 100k population. The biggest cities are Kansas City with 480k, St. Louis 311k, Springfield 166k, Columbia 120k, and Independence with 117k residents.
Missouri is a good state for off grid living, living off the grid is legal and the state also gives several incentives and rebates for solar and wind power systems. The local climate is great for growing crops, the cost of living is lower by 15% than the national average and the cost of housing and land is around 30% lower than the national average. On the other hand, Missouri has one of the highest crime rates in the country, and the worst education and health care systems.
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Missouri doesn’t have a lot going for it, most people who live here complain that it is boring, although from an off grid living perspective, a boring state should be great for off grid living. Overall the population density is fairly low, especially in the southern parts of the state, the highest population densities are around Kansas City in the west, and St. Louis in the east. People who live off the grid in this state tend to do it in the southeast of the state near the Mark Twain National Forest.
One of the benefits of living off the grid in Missouri is that the cost of living is low, although if you compare it to the neighboring states you will find that some of Missouri’s neighbor’s cost of living is even cheaper. Although the cost of living is fairly cheap in Missouri this comes with some problems like a bad education and healthcare system. The education is so bad in some areas that a lot of people are actually homeschooling their children and not just people who live off the grid.
Although Missouri is good for off grid living, mostly due to the costs associated with living off the grid and setting up the various systems which you will need like a septic system and solar or wind power systems, but if you compare Missouri to some of its neighboring states you will notice that Arkansas, for example, is even cheaper, for more information check out my recent article Off grid living in Arkansas ( The Natural State ).
Is Off Grid Living Legal In Missouri?
Missouri is known for being a favorable state for off-grid living, with few building codes and regulations in rural areas. Landowners in Missouri have a significant level of freedom and flexibility in developing their off-grid properties, with minimal interference from local authorities. However, it’s essential to ensure compliance with septic system regulations and any specific local ordinances or restrictions that may apply.
Off Grid Laws
Living off the grid in Missouri is legal, although you will have to follow the local building code no matter where you decide to set up your homestead. In most cases, the biggest headache will be for the septic system, as the regulations regarding septic systems are fairly strict. As Missouri’s education system is one of the worst in the entire nation you will probably better off homeschooling your children, the homeschooling laws are fairly simple and easy to follow. If you want to know where are the best places in this state for off grid living then check out my recent article Best Places To Live Off The Grid In Missouri ( Top 7 Counties ).
Generating Power Off The Grid
- Solar power: Missouri gets plenty of sunshine all year round, and even the winters are mild enough for you to be able to generate power without any problems. Missouri offers a $500/kW rebate and a property tax exemption although the percentage of this will be different in each county. In addition to this, you can also apply for the federal tax credit which is 26-30%.
- Wind power: Most of the state is suitable for generating power with wind power, although some areas in the northern parts of the state are definitely better for it. Some counties do offer incentives for wind power and you can use the federal tax credit as well.
Climate
Missouri has a humid continental climate mostly, although in the southern part of the state, the climate is humid subtropical. The average summertime temperatures are around 80°F and the average wintertime temperatures are around 29°F. Most of the state is fairly humid although the humidity significantly increases in the southern parts of the state, it is not as bad as in the southern states but it is fairly close. In some areas of the state, you will have a problem with ticks, for more information check out my recent article How to get rid of ticks in the house naturally? ( Top 16 Ways ).
Types Of Crops
The main crop grown in Missouri is soybeans, followed by wheat, hay, broom corn, maize, grain sorghum, and even cotton in the southern parts. Missouri’s climate is also suitable for growing fruits, and the main fruits grown here are apples, peaches, grapes, and watermelons. Overall from an off grid perspective, Missouri has plenty of fertile lands for growing crops, generally speaking, the most fertile lands are in the southern parts of the state. If you are looking for a state with a higher standard of living then check out my recent article Off grid living in Illinois ( High taxes and Crime rate ).
Freshwater Availability
As the climate is mostly humid continental, Missouri has plenty of water both above and below ground. The average yearly rainfall is around 40″, and in the southern parts of the state the average yearly rainfall is between 45″-55″. The yearly average snowfall is between 15″-20″, although this can get higher in the northern parts of the state, but overall due to the local climate, the winters are fairly mild.
Wildlife
Missouri has a diverse wildlife, although most of the mammals are fairly small, the most common animals in this state are muskrats, beavers, turkeys, bats, American black bears, cougars, white-tailed deer, river otters, and red foxes amongst others. In the local rivers and lakes, you will find largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, white crappie, walleye, spotted bass, and longer sunfish. You will need a license both for fishing and hunting https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing/permits.
Road Access
Overall the quality of the roads in Missouri is not the best, although you should not have any problems during the summertime. Even if the winters are fairly mild, the roads can be a serious problem especially once the temperatures fall below freezing. Due to the high local humidity during the wintertime, the roads are often covered by black ice which is extremely hard to see.
Price Of Land
The price of land and property in Missouri is around 30% lower than the national average. Generally speaking, the cheapest housing and lands are in the southern parts of the state, where most of the area is fairly good for off grid living. If you compare Missouri to its neighboring states you will find that Arkansas has even lower costs for housing although this state has its own problems when it comes to off grid living.
Property Tax
Missouri’s property tax is around 0.99%, and it is below the national average of 1.08%. The highest property tax is in Saint Louis County at 1.40%.
Cost Of Living
Generally speaking, the cost of living in Missouri is 15% cheaper than the national average. You will pay around 30% less for housing, 13% less for transportation, 5% less for groceries, 3% less for healthcare services, and around 2% less for utilities.
Jobs
Missouri’s unemployment rate is currently at 3.1% which is below the 3.6% national average. The minimum wage is $8.60 and it is somewhat higher than in some of its neighboring states. The biggest industries where most people work are agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, chemicals, finance, and even tourism.
Crime Rate
The crime rate in Missouri is high, it is even higher than the national average, generally speaking, there are around 5.11 crimes per 1000 people and the national average is 4 crimes per 1000 people. The safest areas are around Rosendale, Silex, Reeds Spring, New Franklin, and Queen City. The areas with the highest crime rate are near Kansas City, Hannibal, Potosi, Springfield, Independence, and St. Louis. Generally speaking, the lowest crime rates are in the northern parts of the state.
Natural Disasters
Missouri has plenty of natural disasters due to its geographical position like ice storms, floods, tornadoes, storms, floods, and flash floods. The most common natural disasters are ice storms, storms, and floods.
Key Takeaways
- Off-grid living is generally viable in Missouri, thanks to its extensive rural areas and favorable regulations.
- However, it’s important to consider and comply with local restrictions and regulations that may vary from one area to another.
- While homesteading land in the traditional sense is no longer available, individuals can still pursue self-sufficiency and off-grid living by purchasing property and adhering to local regulations.