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Illinois vs New Hampshire

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

Illinois

IL

Rank #42

Overall Score

60.8

Category Wins

6/10

New Hampshire

NH

Rank #38
Overall Winner

Overall Score

62.0

Category Wins

4/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

2.07%
Property Tax
2.18%
93.4
Cost of Living
118
$9,600
Farm Land $/Acre
$8,500
210 days
Growing Season
140 days
48"
Annual Rainfall
50"
10/10
Soil Quality
6/10
7/10
Safety (Rural)
9/10
3/10
Gun Friendly
9/10
4.2 hrs
Solar (PSH)
3.8 hrs
90%
Broadband
81%

New Hampshire Edges Out Illinois Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 62.0 vs 60.8, New Hampshire 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: New Hampshire offers cheaper farmland at $8,500/acre vs $9,600/acre. Illinois has a longer growing season (210 vs 140 days). Illinois has lower property taxes (2.07% vs 2.18%).

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 PointIllinois
IL
New Hampshire
NH
Taxes & Cost
YesNo
4.95%—
8.82%0%
2.07%2.18%
93.4118
Land & Building
$9,600$8,500
Yes (Statewide)Yes (Statewide)
VariesPermitted with local zoning approval; increasingly common
Climate & Growing
5a-7a3b-5a
210140
48"50"
106
33
62
Water & Energy
UnrestrictedPermitted
4.23.8
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
LowMinimal
39
StrongVery strong
NoPermitted for raw milk operations with licensing
YesYes
Safety & Healthcare
425130
35%30%
Demographics & Community
225.7147
12%34%
90%81%
Business
#36#22
$150/yr$100/yr
4.5%2.8%

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