Skip to content
Submit

Maryland vs West Virginia

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

Maryland

MD

Rank #45

Overall Score

54.6

Category Wins

5/10

West Virginia

WV

Rank #34
Overall Winner

Overall Score

62.5

Category Wins

5/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

1.05%
Property Tax
0.57%
116.2
Cost of Living
83.2
$9,200
Farm Land $/Acre
$3,200
230 days
Growing Season
180 days
48"
Annual Rainfall
55"
6/10
Soil Quality
5/10
7/10
Safety (Rural)
6/10
2/10
Gun Friendly
9/10
4.3 hrs
Solar (PSH)
3.85 hrs
93%
Broadband
72%

West Virginia Edges Out Maryland Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 62.5 vs 54.6, West Virginia comes out ahead in our balanced analysis — winning 5 out of 10 key categories. But the best state for you depends on what matters most.

Key differences: West Virginia offers cheaper farmland at $3,200/acre vs $9,200/acre. Maryland has a longer growing season (230 vs 180 days). West Virginia 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 PointMaryland
MD
West Virginia
WV
Taxes & Cost
YesYes
5.75%5.12%
6%6.55%
1.05%0.57%
116.283.2
Land & Building
$9,200$3,200
Yes (Statewide)Partial
No Statewide CodeVaries
Climate & Growing
6a-8a5b-7a
230180
48"55"
65
22
22
Water & Energy
UnrestrictedUnrestricted
4.33.85
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
MediumMedium
29
ModerateModerate
Yes (Farm Sales Only)Herd Share Only
YesYes
Safety & Healthcare
454315
20%45%
Demographics & Community
63673.6
13%51%
93%72%
Business
#46#23
$100/yr$100/yr
3.5%4.5%

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