Illinois vs Rhode Island
Head-to-head homesteading comparison across taxes, land, climate, laws, safety & more
Overall Score
Category Wins
5/10
Overall Score
Category Wins
3/10
Quick Comparison
Winner highlighted per category
Illinois Edges Out Rhode Island Overall
With an overall homesteading score of 60.8 vs 39.9, Illinois 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: Illinois offers cheaper farmland at $9,600/acre vs $18,300/acre. Illinois has a longer growing season (210 vs 190 days). Rhode Island has lower property taxes (1.63% 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
| Data Point | Illinois IL | Rhode Island RI |
|---|---|---|
| Taxes & Cost | ||
| Yes | Yes | |
| 4.95% | 5.99% | |
| 8.82% | 7% | |
| 2.07% | 1.63% | |
| 93.4 | 123 | |
| Land & Building | ||
| $9,600 | $18,300 | |
| Yes (Statewide) | Yes (Statewide) | |
| Varies | Largely prohibited by zoning; ADU-friendly policies limited | |
| Climate & Growing | ||
| 5a-7a | 6a-6b | |
| 210 | 190 | |
| 48" | 50" | |
| 10 | 6 | |
| 3 | 3 | |
| 6 | 2 | |
| Water & Energy | ||
| Unrestricted | Permitted | |
| 4.2 | 3.9 | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Laws & Freedom | ||
| Low | High | |
| 3 | 3 | |
| Strong | Weak | |
| No | Illegal for human consumption | |
| Yes | No | |
| Safety & Healthcare | ||
| 425 | 349 | |
| 35% | 20% | |
| Demographics & Community | ||
| 225.7 | 1,003 | |
| 12% | 10% | |
| 90% | 97% | |
| Business | ||
| #36 | #45 | |
| $150/yr | $150/yr | |
| 4.5% | 3.6% | |
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