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Iowa vs New Hampshire

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

Iowa

IA

Rank #23
Overall Winner

Overall Score

65.8

Category Wins

6/10

New Hampshire

NH

Rank #38

Overall Score

62.0

Category Wins

3/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

1.52%
Property Tax
2.18%
89.3
Cost of Living
118
$10,400
Farm Land $/Acre
$8,500
175 days
Growing Season
140 days
38"
Annual Rainfall
50"
10/10
Soil Quality
6/10
9/10
Safety (Rural)
9/10
8/10
Gun Friendly
9/10
4.3 hrs
Solar (PSH)
3.8 hrs
87%
Broadband
81%

Iowa Edges Out New Hampshire Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 65.8 vs 62.0, Iowa 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 $10,400/acre. Iowa has a longer growing season (175 vs 140 days). Iowa has lower property taxes (1.52% 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 PointIowa
IA
New Hampshire
NH
Taxes & Cost
YesNo
3.9%—
6.94%0%
1.52%2.18%
89.3118
Land & Building
$10,400$8,500
PartialYes (Statewide)
VariesPermitted with local zoning approval; increasingly common
Climate & Growing
4b-5b3b-5a
175140
38"50"
106
43
62
Water & Energy
UnrestrictedPermitted
4.33.8
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
MediumMinimal
89
StrongVery strong
Yes (Farm Sales Only)Permitted for raw milk operations with licensing
YesYes
Safety & Healthcare
300130
28%30%
Demographics & Community
57.2147
36%34%
87%81%
Business
#28#22
$50/yr$100/yr
2.8%2.8%

Not sure which state is right for you?

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