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Buying land in Gila County, Arizona: what to check

Gila County covers 4,758 square miles of land and 37 of water in Arizona, with about 54,073 residents in 2024 (up 1.5% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 100% of its land as rural and 56% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 44% of the county's land. Below: how much of Gila County floods, what its soils allow, what farmland is worth and how often it's in drought, from free public data with every source linked.

Check a location in Gila CountySee a sample report

Gila County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

under 1%

Below the state's county median (1.2%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

under 1%

Above the state's county median (0%)

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

99%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$356/acre

Below the state's county median ($2,148)

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

29%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

100%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Gila County

Ordered by what Gila County's numbers point to. Every parcel differs, so treat this as where to look first.

  1. 1.Check slope where you'd build and where the driveway goes

    81% of Gila County's mapped soils have an average slope over 15% (USDA SSURGO).

    Steep ground means grading, retaining walls, longer driveways and erosion control. Compare the slope at the house site and along the access route, not just the parcel average.

    Guide: Terrain and slope

  2. 2.Budget for a perc test and maybe an engineered septic

    USDA rates 99% of Gila County's mapped soils "very limited" for conventional septic absorption fields and under 1% "not limited".

    Without city sewer you need a septic permit from the county or state health department. Make the offer contingent on a passing soil or perc test; mound and aerobic systems can cost several times a conventional one.

    Guide: Perc tests and septic systems

  3. 3.Find out where the water comes from

    At least half of Gila County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 29% of the 262 weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps from 2021 to 2026. Arizona allocates water by permit or water right, so a well or pond isn't automatic.

    Ask whether the land has a public water connection, an existing well (and its log and yield), or neighbors' well depths from the state well database. For a new well, check permits and typical depth with the state agency first.

    Guide: Wells, public water and water rights

  4. 4.Check wildfire exposure and insurance

    FEMA rates Gila County's wildfire risk relatively high, and under 1% of the county's area is in the wildfire exposure zone the National Risk Index uses.

    Ask an insurer for a quote early; some carriers won't write new policies in high-hazard areas. Check access for fire trucks, nearby fire stations and the vegetation around the building site.

    Guide: Wildfire risk for rural land

  5. 5.Confirm legal road access and power

    The 2020 Census classified 100% of Gila County's land area as rural.

    Rural tracts are often sold without recorded access or a power line nearby. Get the title company to confirm a recorded easement or public road frontage, and ask the electric co-op what a line extension costs.

    Guide: Road access and landlocked land

  6. 6.Sanity-check the price per acre

    Farm real estate in Gila County averaged $356 an acre including buildings in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, and 0% of its mapped soils are prime or of statewide importance.

    Compare the asking price with recent sales of similar tracts, not the county average, which mixes cropland, pasture, timber and homesites. If an ag tax valuation applies, ask what the rollback taxes would be if you change the use.

    Guide: Land due diligence checklist

Flood zones, wetlands and water in Gila County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
under 1%, 4th lowest of 15 in Arizona FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
1.1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
under 1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
37 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
0% moderate or worse, 0% severe or worse U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

The floodplain share is the area FEMA's National Risk Index counts as exposed to inland flooding, mostly mapped 100-year flood zones. It says how common flood-prone land is in Gila County, not whether a given parcel floods. For that, look up the zone at your exact point on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or run the free check.

Soils and terrain

Prime farmland
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Prime only if drained, irrigated or protected
under 1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
81% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
99% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
under 1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Gila County's soil-surveyed land (about 3,900,300 acres, open water excluded), using each map unit's dominant condition in USDA's SSURGO soil survey. Soils change within a few hundred feet, so the soil at your building site is what matters.

Farms and land use

Farms (2022)
191 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
44% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
6,953 acres (median 33) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$356 per acre, 4th lowest of 15 in Arizona USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
2,570 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
865,400 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
974 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

FEMA's National Risk Index rates each hazard for Gila County relative to every other U.S. county. Overall risk: Relatively Moderate.

  • LightningRelatively High
  • WildfireRelatively High
  • Winter weatherRelatively High
  • Heat waveRelatively Moderate
  • River and inland floodingRelatively Moderate
  • LandslideRelatively Low
  • Strong windRelatively Low
  • DroughtVery Low
  • EarthquakeVery Low
  • HailVery Low
  • HurricaneVery Low
  • TornadoVery Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Gila County

How much of Gila County, AZ is in a flood zone?

About under 1% of Gila County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 4th lowest of 15 counties in Arizona. Whether a given parcel is in a flood zone depends on its exact location, so check the FEMA map at your pin.

How much does land cost per acre in Gila County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Gila County at $356 an acre, 4th lowest of 15 counties in Arizona (the median Arizona county was $2,148). It's a self-reported average across farms, so small homesites and recreational tracts often sell for more per acre.

Will a septic system work on land in Gila County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 99% of Gila County's mapped soils very limited for conventional septic absorption fields, usually because of wetness, slow permeability, shallow rock or flooding. A perc or soil test on the parcel decides what system the health department will permit.

Is there good farmland in Gila County?

0% of Gila County's mapped soils are prime farmland, under 1% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 0% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 191 farms averaging 6,953 acres.

How often is Gila County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 29% of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought in 13%. On 2026-10-27, 0% of the county was in moderate drought or worse.

Can I check a specific property in Gila County?

Yes. Enter the address or drop a pin anywhere in Gila County on the free check. It shows which checks return data at that exact point, and the full report costs $29: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power lines, wildfire and more, each with its source. It is a screen of public maps, not a survey, title search or perc test.

Check the parcel, not just the county

County numbers tell you what to look for. The free check looks at your exact point in Gila County: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power and more. The full report is $29.

Check a location in Gila County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Gila County as a whole; a parcel can be entirely in or out of a flood zone, wetland or poor soil.
  • It doesn't look at the whole parcel, its boundaries, title, easements, zoning or permits.
  • It isn't a survey, appraisal, elevation certificate, soil or perc test, or Phase I environmental site assessment.
  • It can't see local distribution power lines, driveways, legal access, wells or mineral rights.
  • Maps lag behind the ground, and distances are straight-line, not driving distance.

Sources and vintages

Summarized per county by our build script on 2026-10-31. County figures cover the whole county; checks on the report are at your point.