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Illinois vs North Dakota

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

Illinois

IL

Rank #42

Overall Score

60.8

Category Wins

6/10

North Dakota

ND

Rank #12
Overall Winner

Overall Score

69.5

Category Wins

4/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

2.07%
Property Tax
0.98%
93.4
Cost of Living
96
$9,600
Farm Land $/Acre
$1,750
210 days
Growing Season
140 days
48"
Annual Rainfall
22"
10/10
Soil Quality
9/10
7/10
Safety (Rural)
9/10
3/10
Gun Friendly
9/10
4.2 hrs
Solar (PSH)
4 hrs
90%
Broadband
83%

North Dakota Edges Out Illinois Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 69.5 vs 60.8, North Dakota 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: North Dakota offers cheaper farmland at $1,750/acre vs $9,600/acre. Illinois has a longer growing season (210 vs 140 days). North Dakota has lower property taxes (0.98% vs 2.07%).

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
North Dakota
ND
Taxes & Cost
YesYes
4.95%2.5%
8.82%7.87%
2.07%0.98%
93.496
Land & Building
$9,600$1,750
Yes (Statewide)Yes (Statewide)
VariesPermitted with local approval; generally allowed
Climate & Growing
5a-7a3a-4a
210140
48"22"
109
36
65
Water & Energy
UnrestrictedPermitted
4.24
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
LowMinimal
39
StrongVery strong
NoPermitted for raw milk operations with licensing
YesYes
Safety & Healthcare
425284
35%38%
Demographics & Community
225.711
12%40%
90%83%
Business
#36#9
$150/yr$125/yr
4.5%2.1%

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