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Delaware vs West Virginia

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

Rank #39

Overall Score

61.7

Category Wins

4/10

Rank #34
Overall Winner

Overall Score

62.5

Category Wins

4/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

0.57%
Property Tax
0.57%
106
Cost of Living
83.2
$3,400
Farm Land $/Acre
$3,200
180 days
Growing Season
180 days
48"
Annual Rainfall
55"
6/10
Soil Quality
5/10
7/10
Safety (Rural)
6/10
5/10
Gun Friendly
9/10
4.2 hrs
Solar (PSH)
3.85 hrs
88%
Broadband
72%

West Virginia Edges Out Delaware Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 62.5 vs 61.7, West Virginia comes out ahead in our balanced analysis — winning 4 out of 10 key categories. But the best state for you depends on what matters most.

Key differences: West Virginia offers cheaper farmland at $3,200/acre vs $3,400/acre. West Virginia is more affordable with a cost of living index of 83.2 vs 106.

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
West Virginia
WV
Taxes & Cost
YesYes
6.6%5.12%
0%6.55%
0.57%0.57%
10683.2
Land & Building
$3,400$3,200
Yes (Statewide)Partial
VariesVaries
Climate & Growing
7a-7b5b-7a
180180
48"55"
65
42
32
Water & Energy
UnrestrictedUnrestricted
4.23.85
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
LowMedium
59
ModerateModerate
Yes (Farm Sales Only)Herd Share Only
YesYes
Safety & Healthcare
506315
40%45%
Demographics & Community
501.273.6
25%51%
88%72%
Business
#18#23
$90/yr$100/yr
3.4%4.5%

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