Maryland vs South Carolina

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

Maryland

Rank #45

Overall Score

54.6

Category Wins

2/10

South Carolina

Rank #20

Overall Winner

Overall Score

66.5

Category Wins

7/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

1.05%

Property Tax

0.57%

116.2

Cost of Living

$9,200

Farm Land $/Acre

$3,100

230 days

Growing Season

250 days

48"

Annual Rainfall

56"

6/10

Soil Quality

6/10

7/10

Safety (Rural)

6/10

2/10

Gun Friendly

8/10

4.3 hrs

Solar (PSH)

4.5 hrs

93%

Broadband

79%

South Carolina Edges Out Maryland Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 66.5 vs 54.6, South Carolina 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: South Carolina offers cheaper farmland at $3,100/acre vs $9,200/acre. South Carolina has a longer growing season (250 vs 230 days). South Carolina has lower property taxes (0.57% vs 1.05%).

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 Point	Maryland MD	South Carolina SC
Taxes & Cost
	Yes	Yes
	5.75%	5.21%
	6%	7.5%
	1.05%	0.57%
	116.2	96
Land & Building
	$9,200	$3,100
	Yes (Statewide)	Yes (Statewide)
	No Statewide Code	Permitted with local zoning approval; increasingly common
Climate & Growing
	6a-8a	7b-9a
	230	250
	48"	56"
	6	6
	2	4
	2	4
Water & Energy
	Unrestricted	Permitted
	4.3	4.5
	Yes	Yes
Laws & Freedom
	Medium	Minimal
	2	8
	Moderate	Strong
	Yes (Farm Sales Only)	Permitted for raw milk operations with licensing
	Yes	Yes
Safety & Healthcare
	454	506
	20%	50%
Demographics & Community
	636	165
	13%	35%
	93%	79%
Business
	#46	#24
	$100/yr	$110/yr
	3.5%	3.6%

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