Skip to content

Indiana vs Pennsylvania

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

Rank #17
Overall Winner

Overall Score

67.4

Category Wins

7/10

Rank #36

Overall Score

62.1

Category Wins

2/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

0.81%
Property Tax
1.58%
90
Cost of Living
100
$8,800
Farm Land $/Acre
$6,800
200 days
Growing Season
180 days
47"
Annual Rainfall
54"
8/10
Soil Quality
7/10
8/10
Safety (Rural)
7/10
9/10
Gun Friendly
7/10
4.15 hrs
Solar (PSH)
3.8 hrs
85%
Broadband
85%

Indiana Edges Out Pennsylvania Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 67.4 vs 62.1, Indiana comes out ahead in our balanced analysis — winning 7 out of 10 key categories. But the best state for you depends on what matters most.

Key differences: Pennsylvania offers cheaper farmland at $6,800/acre vs $8,800/acre. Indiana has a longer growing season (200 vs 180 days). Indiana has lower property taxes (0.81% vs 1.58%).

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 PointIndiana
IN
Pennsylvania
PA
Taxes & Cost
YesYes
2.95%3.07%
7%6.34%
0.81%1.58%
90100
Land & Building
$8,800$6,800
PartialYes (Statewide)
VariesZoning-dependent; increasingly allowed in some municipalities
Climate & Growing
5b-6b5a-7a
200180
47"54"
87
33
53
Water & Energy
UnrestrictedPermitted
4.153.8
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
NoneHigh
97
StrongStrong
Yes (Farm Sales Only)Permitted for raw milk operations with licensing
YesYes
Safety & Healthcare
390421
30%43%
Demographics & Community
189.4297
27%18%
85%85%
Business
#10#33
$95/yr$125/yr
3.3%3.9%

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