There are a lot of good places to live off grid in Central California. I noticed that you live in Santa Cruz. I'm not sure what the prices are like in the Boulder Creek area because I'm not familiar with that area, but it's probably not cheap. Mariposa and Calaveras Counties, and the eastern part of Madera County aren't terribly expensive; Tuolumne County costs a little more. The town of La Grange is probably a good place to check out. It's spread out over three counties: Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Mariposa. I don't know much about their water resources, but it's rural and isolated without being TOO rural and isolated. The Sierra mountain counties have always been my sanctuary; I absolutely love it up there. Gardens are harder to grow the higher you go up in altitude, though.
One place I've heard of but never visited is the Trinity Alps Preserve, west of Redding. From what I've heard, there's no electricity at all, and all the lots are really large, but most of them seem to be in the $50,000 range.
I hope you find a place you like.
