Massachusetts vs Montana
Head-to-head homesteading comparison across taxes, land, climate, laws, safety & more
Overall Score
Category Wins
3/10
Overall Score
Category Wins
5/10
Quick Comparison
Winner highlighted per category
Montana Edges Out Massachusetts Overall
With an overall homesteading score of 63.6 vs 50.8, Montana 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: Montana offers cheaper farmland at $1,230/acre vs $13,500/acre. Massachusetts has a longer growing season (200 vs 130 days). Montana has lower property taxes (0.74% vs 1.15%).
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
| Data Point | Massachusetts MA | Montana MT |
|---|---|---|
| Taxes & Cost | ||
| Yes | Yes | |
| 9% | 5.9% | |
| 6.25% | 0% | |
| 1.15% | 0.74% | |
| 131.6 | 95 | |
| Land & Building | ||
| $13,500 | $1,230 | |
| Yes (Statewide) | No Statewide Code | |
| No Statewide Code | Yes (Statewide) | |
| Climate & Growing | ||
| 5b-7a | 3a-6b | |
| 200 | 130 | |
| 50" | 20" | |
| 5 | 5 | |
| 2 | 6 | |
| 1 | 1 | |
| Water & Energy | ||
| Unrestricted | Allowed with Limits | |
| 4.05 | 4.93 | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Laws & Freedom | ||
| High | Low | |
| 1 | 10 | |
| Moderate | Strong | |
| Yes (Farm Sales Only) | Yes (Farm Sales Only) | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Safety & Healthcare | ||
| 327 | 420 | |
| 15% | 35% | |
| Demographics & Community | ||
| 901.2 | 7.6 | |
| 8% | 45% | |
| 95% | 70% | |
| Business | ||
| #34 | #5 | |
| $500/yr | $35/yr | |
| 3.5% | 2.8% | |
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