Every State Ranked for Off-Grid Living
Every state (plus Washington, DC) ranked from best to worst for living simply and affordably off the grid. A state's score is the median Freedom Score of its counties, on a 0–10 scale. Click a state for its full guide with every county.
A 6.5 and upB 5.5–6.4C 4.5–5.4D 3.5–4.4F below 3.5
| # | State | Score | Grade | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
New Mexico Top county: Hidalgo
|
6.9 | A | 33 |
| 2 |
Wyoming Top county: Crook
|
6.7 | A | 23 |
| 3 |
Arkansas Top county: Little River
|
6.3 | B | 75 |
| 4 |
Nevada Top county: Eureka
|
6.3 | B | 17 |
| 5 |
Alabama Top county: Lamar
|
6.2 | B | 67 |
| 6 |
Arizona Top county: Graham
|
6.2 | B | 15 |
| 7 |
Colorado Top county: Baca
|
6.2 | B | 64 |
| 8 |
Alaska Top county: Copper River
|
6.1 | B | 30 |
| 9 |
Mississippi Top county: Kemper
|
6.1 | B | 82 |
| 10 |
Montana Top county: Carter
|
6.1 | B | 56 |
| 11 |
Oklahoma Top county: McCurtain
|
6.1 | B | 77 |
| 12 |
Louisiana Top county: Cameron
|
5.9 | B | 64 |
| 13 |
Texas Top county: Pecos
|
5.8 | B | 254 |
| 14 |
West Virginia Top county: Webster
|
5.8 | B | 55 |
| 15 |
Kansas Top county: Labette
|
5.7 | B | 105 |
| 16 |
North Dakota Top county: Billings
|
5.5 | B | 53 |
| 17 |
Utah Top county: Uintah
|
5.5 | B | 29 |
| 18 |
Idaho Top county: Owyhee
|
5.4 | C | 44 |
| 19 |
Missouri Top county: Dent
|
5.3 | C | 115 |
| 20 |
South Dakota Top county: Oglala Lakota
|
5.3 | C | 66 |
| 21 |
Tennessee Top county: Van Buren
|
5.3 | C | 95 |
| 22 |
Maine Top county: Washington
|
5.1 | C | 16 |
| 23 |
District of Columbia Top county: District of Columbia
|
5.0 | C | 1 |
| 24 |
Kentucky Top county: Breckinridge
|
5.0 | C | 120 |
| 25 |
Georgia Top county: Jenkins
|
4.9 | C | 159 |
| 26 |
Oregon Top county: Harney
|
4.9 | C | 36 |
| # | State | Score | Grade | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 |
Nebraska Top county: Dundy
|
4.8 | C | 93 |
| 28 |
South Carolina Top county: Darlington
|
4.7 | C | 46 |
| 29 |
Washington Top county: Garfield
|
4.6 | C | 39 |
| 30 |
New York Top county: Lewis
|
4.5 | C | 62 |
| 31 |
North Carolina Top county: Pamlico
|
4.5 | C | 100 |
| 32 |
Vermont Top county: Essex
|
4.5 | C | 14 |
| 33 |
Virginia Top county: Sussex
|
4.5 | C | 133 |
| 34 |
Michigan Top county: Alger
|
4.3 | D | 83 |
| 35 |
Pennsylvania Top county: Pike
|
4.3 | D | 67 |
| 36 |
Illinois Top county: Pope
|
4.2 | D | 102 |
| 37 |
Minnesota Top county: Koochiching
|
4.2 | D | 87 |
| 38 |
New Hampshire Top county: Coos
|
4.2 | D | 10 |
| 39 |
Wisconsin Top county: Price
|
4.2 | D | 72 |
| 40 |
Florida Top county: Calhoun
|
4.0 | D | 67 |
| 41 |
Ohio Top county: Morgan
|
4.0 | D | 88 |
| 42 |
Indiana Top county: Martin
|
3.9 | D | 92 |
| 43 |
Iowa Top county: Davis
|
3.9 | D | 99 |
| 44 |
Maryland Top county: Garrett
|
3.9 | D | 24 |
| 45 |
Connecticut Top county: Northwest Hills
|
3.8 | D | 9 |
| 46 |
Delaware Top county: Kent
|
3.8 | D | 3 |
| 47 |
Massachusetts Top county: Franklin
|
3.5 | D | 14 |
| 48 |
Hawaii Top county: Hawaii
|
3.4 | F | 5 |
| 49 |
California Top county: Trinity
|
3.3 | F | 58 |
| 50 |
Rhode Island Top county: Bristol
|
3.2 | F | 5 |
| 51 |
New Jersey Top county: Cape May
|
3.1 | F | 21 |
US territories
Ranked the same way, listed separately. Some include estimated climate data.
| # | State | Score | Grade | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Puerto Rico Top county: Vieques
|
4.8 | C | 78 |
| 2 |
American Samoa Top county: Eastern
|
— | – | 5 |
| 3 |
Guam Top county: Guam
|
— | – | 1 |
| 4 |
Northern Mariana Islands Top county: Northern Islands
|
— | – | 4 |
| 5 |
Virgin Islands Top county: St. Croix
|
— | – | 3 |