Illinois vs Washington
Head-to-head homesteading comparison across taxes, land, climate, laws, safety & more
IL
Overall Score
Category Wins
4/10
Overall Score
Category Wins
4/10
Quick Comparison
Winner highlighted per category
Washington Edges Out Illinois Overall
With an overall homesteading score of 64.6 vs 60.8, Washington 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: Washington offers cheaper farmland at $4,700/acre vs $9,600/acre. Washington has lower property taxes (0.94% vs 2.07%). Illinois is more affordable with a cost of living index of 93.4 vs 112.
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 | Washington WA |
|---|---|---|
| Taxes & Cost | ||
| Yes | No | |
| 4.95% | — | |
| 8.82% | 9.22% | |
| 2.07% | 0.94% | |
| 93.4 | 112 | |
| Land & Building | ||
| $9,600 | $4,700 | |
| Yes (Statewide) | Yes (Statewide) | |
| Varies | Permitted with zoning approval; increasingly allowed | |
| Climate & Growing | ||
| 5a-7a | 8a-10a | |
| 210 | 210 | |
| 48" | 100" | |
| 10 | 7 | |
| 3 | 5 | |
| 6 | 1 | |
| Water & Energy | ||
| Unrestricted | Permitted | |
| 4.2 | 3.8 | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Laws & Freedom | ||
| Low | Minimal | |
| 3 | 6 | |
| Strong | Strong | |
| No | Permitted for raw milk operations with licensing | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Safety & Healthcare | ||
| 425 | 388 | |
| 35% | 44% | |
| Demographics & Community | ||
| 225.7 | 106 | |
| 12% | 17% | |
| 90% | 89% | |
| Business | ||
| #36 | #22 | |
| $150/yr | $180/yr | |
| 4.5% | 3.9% | |
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