State Rankings
Best States for Off-Grid Living
Ranked by rainwater legality, building code leniency, land affordability, and natural hazard safety.
| # | State | Score | Off-grid score | Hazard safety | Growing season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | 74 | 90 | 72/100 | 115 days |
| 2 | Montana | 73 | 88 | 70/100 | 120 days |
| 3 | New Mexico | 71 | 82 | 62/100 | 180 days |
| 4 | Arizona | 70 | 78 | 52/100 | 250 days |
| 5 | Alaska | 68 | 85 | 55/100 | 110 days |
| 6 | Idaho | 68 | 80 | 65/100 | 145 days |
| 7 | Maine | 67 | 75 | 75/100 | 140 days |
| 8 | Nevada | 67 | 75 | 68/100 | 160 days |
| 9 | Texas | 67 | 82 | 22/100 | 250 days |
| 10 | Tennessee | 65 | 80 | 35/100 | 200 days |
| 11 | West Virginia | 65 | 72 | 65/100 | 170 days |
| 12 | Missouri | 64 | 78 | 38/100 | 190 days |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 64 | 70 | 75/100 | 140 days |
| 14 | Oregon | 63 | 70 | 55/100 | 185 days |
| 15 | Vermont | 63 | 68 | 78/100 | 130 days |
| 16 | Arkansas | 62 | 75 | 32/100 | 210 days |
| 17 | Alabama | 60 | 72 | 28/100 | 220 days |
| 18 | Kentucky | 60 | 68 | 48/100 | 190 days |
| 19 | Utah | 60 | 65 | 65/100 | 155 days |
| 20 | Georgia | 59 | 65 | 38/100 | 230 days |
| 21 | Hawaii | 59 | 50 | 45/100 | 365 days |
| 22 | Mississippi | 59 | 70 | 22/100 | 230 days |
| 23 | Oklahoma | 59 | 72 | 25/100 | 210 days |
| 24 | South Carolina | 58 | 65 | 32/100 | 230 days |
| 25 | South Dakota | 58 | 70 | 48/100 | 135 days |
| 26 | Kansas | 55 | 65 | 35/100 | 180 days |
| 27 | North Carolina | 55 | 62 | 35/100 | 210 days |
| 28 | North Dakota | 55 | 65 | 50/100 | 125 days |
| 29 | Virginia | 55 | 58 | 50/100 | 200 days |
| 30 | Washington | 55 | 60 | 52/100 | 175 days |
| 31 | Colorado | 53 | 60 | 48/100 | 150 days |
| 32 | Florida | 53 | 55 | 20/100 | 310 days |
| 33 | Louisiana | 53 | 60 | 18/100 | 260 days |
| 34 | Michigan | 52 | 55 | 58/100 | 145 days |
| 35 | Nebraska | 52 | 60 | 42/100 | 155 days |
| 36 | Iowa | 50 | 55 | 45/100 | 155 days |
| 37 | Indiana | 48 | 50 | 45/100 | 170 days |
| 38 | Minnesota | 48 | 50 | 55/100 | 140 days |
| 39 | Wisconsin | 48 | 48 | 58/100 | 145 days |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | 47 | 45 | 58/100 | 170 days |
| 41 | California | 46 | 45 | 25/100 | 270 days |
| 42 | Ohio | 46 | 45 | 52/100 | 170 days |
| 43 | Delaware | 44 | 35 | 62/100 | 195 days |
| 44 | Maryland | 43 | 35 | 60/100 | 195 days |
| 45 | Illinois | 41 | 40 | 42/100 | 175 days |
| 46 | Connecticut | 40 | 30 | 65/100 | 165 days |
| 47 | New York | 39 | 32 | 60/100 | 160 days |
| 48 | Rhode Island | 39 | 28 | 68/100 | 165 days |
| 49 | Massachusetts | 38 | 28 | 65/100 | 160 days |
| 50 | New Jersey | 37 | 25 | 58/100 | 190 days |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 30 | 10 | 70/100 | 195 days |
Short growing season. permissive regulations.
Short growing season. permissive regulations.
Moderate growing season. permissive regulations.
Year-round growing season. moderate regulations.
Short growing season. permissive regulations.
Short growing season. permissive regulations.
Short growing season. permissive regulations.
Moderate growing season. moderate regulations.
Year-round growing season. permissive regulations.
Long growing season. permissive regulations.
Moderate growing season. permissive regulations.
Moderate growing season. permissive regulations.
Short growing season. moderate regulations.
Moderate growing season. moderate regulations.
Short growing season. moderate regulations.
Long growing season. permissive regulations.
Long growing season. permissive regulations.
Moderate growing season. moderate regulations.
Moderate growing season. moderate regulations.
Long growing season. moderate regulations.
Year-round growing season. strict regulations.
Long growing season. moderate regulations.
Long growing season. permissive regulations.
Long growing season. moderate regulations.
Short growing season. moderate regulations.
Moderate growing season. moderate regulations.
Long growing season. moderate regulations.
Short growing season. moderate regulations.
Long growing season. moderate regulations.
Moderate growing season. moderate regulations.
Moderate growing season. moderate regulations.
Year-round growing season. moderate regulations.
Year-round growing season. moderate regulations.
Short growing season. moderate regulations.
Moderate growing season. moderate regulations.
Moderate growing season. moderate regulations.
Moderate growing season. moderate regulations.
Short growing season. moderate regulations.
Short growing season. moderate regulations.
Moderate growing season. moderate regulations.
Year-round growing season. strict regulations.
Moderate growing season. strict regulations.
Moderate growing season. strict regulations.
Moderate growing season. strict regulations.
Moderate growing season. strict regulations.
Moderate growing season. strict regulations.
Moderate growing season. strict regulations.
Moderate growing season. strict regulations.
Moderate growing season. strict regulations.
Moderate growing season. strict regulations.
Moderate growing season. strict regulations.
Rankings based on public data from USDA, FEMA, state regulatory databases, and our species databases. How we calculate these scores →
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More Rankings
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