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Delaware vs New Mexico

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

Rank #39
Overall Winner

Overall Score

61.7

Category Wins

5/10

Rank #41

Overall Score

61.1

Category Wins

5/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

0.57%
Property Tax
0.8%
106
Cost of Living
97
$3,400
Farm Land $/Acre
$1,250
180 days
Growing Season
200 days
48"
Annual Rainfall
24"
6/10
Soil Quality
5/10
7/10
Safety (Rural)
5/10
5/10
Gun Friendly
8/10
4.2 hrs
Solar (PSH)
5.9 hrs
88%
Broadband
75%

Delaware Edges Out New Mexico Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 61.7 vs 61.1, Delaware comes out ahead in our balanced analysis — winning 5 out of 10 key categories. But the best state for you depends on what matters most.

Key differences: New Mexico offers cheaper farmland at $1,250/acre vs $3,400/acre. New Mexico has a longer growing season (200 vs 180 days). Delaware has lower property taxes (0.57% vs 0.8%).

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 PointDelaware
DE
New Mexico
NM
Taxes & Cost
YesYes
6.6%5.9%
0%8.09%
0.57%0.8%
10697
Land & Building
$3,400$1,250
Yes (Statewide)Yes (Statewide)
VariesPermitted with local approval; zoning permissive in many areas
Climate & Growing
7a-7b4b-10a
180200
48"24"
65
48
33
Water & Energy
UnrestrictedPermitted
4.25.9
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
LowMinimal
58
ModerateStrong
Yes (Farm Sales Only)Permitted for raw milk operations with licensing
YesYes
Safety & Healthcare
506742
40%52%
Demographics & Community
501.217
25%28%
88%75%
Business
#18#34
$90/yr$0/yr
3.4%4.3%

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