Best States for Homesteading Freedom

A freedom score built from each state's laws that most affect a homestead: off-grid legality, how heavy the building-code regime is, right-to-farm strength, rainwater-harvesting rules, raw-milk and cottage-food access, and agricultural tax exemptions.

#StateFreedom scoreScore
1Texas95/10055
2Wyoming92/10042
3Nebraska91/10060
4Arizona89/10041
5Arkansas89/10084
6Colorado89/10035
7Idaho88/10046
8Maine88/10059
9Missouri88/10074
10South Dakota88/10048
11Alabama85/10076
12Florida85/10063
13Georgia85/10074
14Indiana85/10076
15Iowa85/10060
16Kansas85/10052
17Kentucky85/10078
18Montana85/10039
19Tennessee85/10079
20Mississippi84/10081
21Oklahoma82/10066
22Delaware81/10045
23Minnesota81/10048
24Wisconsin81/10048
25California78/10031
26New Hampshire78/10037
27North Dakota78/10049
28Oregon78/10038
29Vermont78/10049
30North Carolina77/10061
31Michigan76/10059
32New Mexico76/10038
33New York76/10044
34Pennsylvania76/10056
35South Carolina76/10073
36Utah76/10032
37Washington76/10033
38Ohio75/10060
39Virginia75/10063
40Alaska74/10043
41Maryland74/10047
42Massachusetts74/10037
43West Virginia74/10073
44Louisiana72/10070
45Illinois71/10051
46Nevada69/10028
47Connecticut56/1005
48New Jersey55/10013
49Hawaii44/10037
50Rhode Island44/10027

Rankings are computed automatically from public-dataset figures (U.S. Census, USDA, NOAA, FEMA, FCC, BLS) using the same homestead-scoring model as our state and county pages, so they update as the data does. Read the full methodology. Data verified June 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as homesteading freedom?

We combine the state-level legal factors a homesteader runs into first: off-grid legality, building-code burden, right-to-farm protections, rainwater-harvesting rules, raw-milk and cottage-food sales, and ag-tax exemptions.

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