Skip to content

Idaho vs Wisconsin

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

Rank #3
Overall Winner

Overall Score

72.0

Category Wins

6/10

Rank #21

Overall Score

66.5

Category Wins

4/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

0.63%
Property Tax
1.85%
95.3
Cost of Living
96
$4,180
Farm Land $/Acre
$3,800
160 days
Growing Season
170 days
25"
Annual Rainfall
36"
9/10
Soil Quality
8/10
10/10
Safety (Rural)
8/10
10/10
Gun Friendly
7/10
4.92 hrs
Solar (PSH)
3.9 hrs
82%
Broadband
84%

Idaho Edges Out Wisconsin Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 72.0 vs 66.5, Idaho comes out ahead in our balanced analysis — winning 6 out of 10 key categories. But the best state for you depends on what matters most.

Key differences: Wisconsin offers cheaper farmland at $3,800/acre vs $4,180/acre. Wisconsin has a longer growing season (170 vs 160 days). Idaho has lower property taxes (0.63% vs 1.85%).

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 PointIdaho
ID
Wisconsin
WI
Taxes & Cost
YesYes
5.3%7.65%
6.02%5.43%
0.63%1.85%
95.396
Land & Building
$4,180$3,800
No Statewide CodeYes (Statewide)
Yes (Statewide)Permitted with local approval; increasingly allowed
Climate & Growing
3b-7b3a-5b
160170
25"36"
98
53
14
Water & Energy
Allowed with LimitsPermitted
4.923.9
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
NoneModerate
107
StrongVery strong
Yes (Retail Sales)Illegal (incidental on-farm sales only)
YesYes
Safety & Healthcare
237299
30%37%
Demographics & Community
23.5108
30%30%
82%84%
Business
#11#30
$100/yr$130/yr
2.9%3.5%

Not sure which state is right for you?

Use our free ranking tool to score all 50 states based on your personal priorities — from land prices and taxes to climate and community.

Rank States by Your Priorities