The 15 Best States for Living off the Grid in 2023

Rural road with farm in background
Ken Schulze / Shutterstock.com

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on LawnStarter.

Ever want to get away from it all? Live off the land, drink rainwater, and read by candlelight?

Some states are better for a life lived among the trees.

To help you find your own remote slice of heaven, LawnStarter ranked 2023’s Best States to Live off the Grid.

We compared the 50 states based on 23 key factors, such as the cost of farmland, legality of self-generated utilities, and availability of renewable energy. We also considered indicators like climate, phone connectivity, and access to rural hospitals.

See how your state fared below, followed by our assessment of the rankings and expert tips on unplugging from society.

1. Iowa

Iowa farm
By Dan Thornberg / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 67.12
  • Feasibility Rank: 12
  • Infrastructure Rank: 2
  • Affordability Rank: 31
  • Climate Rank: 27
  • Safety Rank: 1

2. Texas

Grand Prairie Texas
Trong Nguyen / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 65.58
  • Feasibility Rank: 8
  • Infrastructure Rank: 1
  • Affordability Rank: 25
  • Climate Rank: 28
  • Safety Rank: 20

3. Kentucky

Kentucky
Irina Mos / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 63.36
  • Feasibility Rank: 20
  • Infrastructure Rank: 30
  • Affordability Rank: 30
  • Climate Rank: 12
  • Safety Rank: 2

4. Minnesota

The sun sets over a lake in Superior National Forest in Minnesota
Trevor LaClair / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 61.25
  • Feasibility Rank: 9
  • Infrastructure Rank: 20
  • Affordability Rank: 18
  • Climate Rank: 44
  • Safety Rank: 4

5. Oklahoma

Grand Lake
By-Michael-J.-Munster / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 61.09
  • Feasibility Rank: 11
  • Infrastructure Rank: 9
  • Affordability Rank: 7
  • Climate Rank: 19
  • Safety Rank: 17

6. Nebraska

Sunset over Nebraska farm
ehrlif / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 61.00
  • Feasibility Rank: 6
  • Infrastructure Rank: 19
  • Affordability Rank: 24
  • Climate Rank: 36
  • Safety Rank: 5

7. Kansas

Olathe, Kansas
Dana Arriaga / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 60.58
  • Feasibility Rank: 34
  • Infrastructure Rank: 11
  • Affordability Rank: 6
  • Climate Rank: 29
  • Safety Rank: 3

8. North Dakota

North Dakota
ZakZeinert / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 59.54
  • Feasibility Rank: 4
  • Infrastructure Rank: 10
  • Affordability Rank: 4
  • Climate Rank: 48
  • Safety Rank: 13

9. Illinois

Starved Rock State Park Illinois
Eddie J. Rodriquez / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 58.90
  • Feasibility Rank: 16
  • Infrastructure Rank: 12
  • Affordability Rank: 39
  • Climate Rank: 33
  • Safety Rank: 6

10. Montana

Horseback riding in Montana
tongcom photographer / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 58.50
  • Feasibility Rank: 3
  • Infrastructure Rank: 5
  • Affordability Rank: 2
  • Climate Rank: 49
  • Safety Rank: 25

11. Missouri

Lake Ozark, Missouri
Kit Leong / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 58.25
  • Feasibility Rank: 14
  • Infrastructure Rank: 35
  • Affordability Rank: 19
  • Climate Rank: 20
  • Safety Rank: 10

12. Wyoming

Wyoming
By f11photo / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 57.84
  • Feasibility Rank: 2
  • Infrastructure Rank: 16
  • Affordability Rank: 1
  • Climate Rank: 43
  • Safety Rank: 26

13. South Dakota

South Dakota
By Jess Kraft / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 57.74
  • Feasibility Rank: 22
  • Infrastructure Rank: 6
  • Affordability Rank: 25
  • Climate Rank: 41
  • Safety Rank: 11

14. Wisconsin

Wisconsin
By-Rachel-Niskanen / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 57.19
  • Feasibility Rank: 17
  • Infrastructure Rank: 32
  • Affordability Rank: 28
  • Climate Rank: 38
  • Safety Rank: 7

15. Vermont

Vermont
DonLand / Shutterstock.com
  • Overall Score: 56.87
  • Feasibility Rank: 19
  • Infrastructure Rank: 4
  • Affordability Rank: 46
  • Climate Rank: 42
  • Safety Rank: 9

Methodology

Working on computer data analysis on a laptop
Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock.com

For each of the 50 states, we gathered publicly available data. We then grouped factors into five categories: Feasibility, Infrastructure, Affordability, Climate, and Safety.

Next, we calculated weighted scores for each state in each category.

Finally, we averaged the scores for each state across all categories.

The state that earned the highest average score was ranked “Best” (No. 1).

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