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Colorado vs West Virginia

Head-to-head homesteading comparison across taxes, land, climate, laws, safety & more

Rank #25
Overall Winner

Overall Score

65.1

Category Wins

7/10

Rank #34

Overall Score

62.5

Category Wins

2/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

0.51%
Property Tax
0.57%
108
Cost of Living
83.2
$2,850
Farm Land $/Acre
$3,200
180 days
Growing Season
180 days
60"
Annual Rainfall
55"
6/10
Soil Quality
5/10
8/10
Safety (Rural)
6/10
7/10
Gun Friendly
9/10
5.3 hrs
Solar (PSH)
3.85 hrs
87%
Broadband
72%

Colorado Edges Out West Virginia Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 65.1 vs 62.5, Colorado comes out ahead in our balanced analysis — winning 7 out of 10 key categories. But the best state for you depends on what matters most.

Key differences: Colorado offers cheaper farmland at $2,850/acre vs $3,200/acre. Colorado has lower property taxes (0.51% vs 0.57%). West Virginia is more affordable with a cost of living index of 83.2 vs 108.

Scroll down to the full comparison table for a deep dive into every metric, or use our ranking tool to weight these factors by what matters most to you.

Full Data Comparison

Side-by-side comparison of selected states across homesteading metrics
Data PointColorado
CO
West Virginia
WV
Taxes & Cost
YesYes
4.63%5.12%
7.65%6.55%
0.51%0.57%
10883.2
Land & Building
$2,850$3,200
No (Local Adoption)Partial
VariesVaries
Climate & Growing
4a-7b5b-7a
180180
60"55"
65
82
42
Water & Energy
Allowed with LimitsUnrestricted
5.33.85
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
LowMedium
79
StrongModerate
Yes (Farm Sales Only)Herd Share Only
YesYes
Safety & Healthcare
407315
48%45%
Demographics & Community
48.5173.6
15%51%
87%72%
Business
#32#23
$50/yr$100/yr
2.9%4.5%

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