Skip to content
Submit

Maryland vs Virginia

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

Maryland

MD

Rank #45

Overall Score

54.6

Category Wins

3/10

Virginia

VA

Rank #26
Overall Winner

Overall Score

65.0

Category Wins

6/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

1.05%
Property Tax
0.84%
116.2
Cost of Living
108
$9,200
Farm Land $/Acre
$6,200
230 days
Growing Season
210 days
48"
Annual Rainfall
50"
6/10
Soil Quality
7/10
7/10
Safety (Rural)
7/10
2/10
Gun Friendly
6/10
4.3 hrs
Solar (PSH)
4.1 hrs
93%
Broadband
87%

Virginia Edges Out Maryland Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 65.0 vs 54.6, Virginia 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: Virginia offers cheaper farmland at $6,200/acre vs $9,200/acre. Maryland has a longer growing season (230 vs 210 days). Virginia has lower property taxes (0.84% 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 PointMaryland
MD
Virginia
VA
Taxes & Cost
YesYes
5.75%5.75%
6%5.87%
1.05%0.84%
116.2108
Land & Building
$9,200$6,200
Yes (Statewide)Yes (Statewide)
No Statewide CodeZoning-dependent; increasingly permitted in some areas
Climate & Growing
6a-8a6a-8a
230210
48"50"
67
23
23
Water & Energy
UnrestrictedPermitted
4.34.1
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
MediumModerate
26
ModerateStrong
Yes (Farm Sales Only)Herd Share Only
YesYes
Safety & Healthcare
454410
20%43%
Demographics & Community
636209
13%23%
93%87%
Business
#46#27
$100/yr$100/yr
3.5%3.4%

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