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Michigan vs North Dakota

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

Michigan

MI

Rank #35

Overall Score

62.4

Category Wins

4/10

North Dakota

ND

Rank #12
Overall Winner

Overall Score

69.5

Category Wins

6/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

1.38%
Property Tax
0.98%
91.5
Cost of Living
96
$6,700
Farm Land $/Acre
$1,750
190 days
Growing Season
140 days
38"
Annual Rainfall
22"
6/10
Soil Quality
9/10
8/10
Safety (Rural)
9/10
6/10
Gun Friendly
9/10
3.9 hrs
Solar (PSH)
4 hrs
85%
Broadband
83%

North Dakota Edges Out Michigan Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 69.5 vs 62.4, North Dakota 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: North Dakota offers cheaper farmland at $1,750/acre vs $6,700/acre. Michigan has a longer growing season (190 vs 140 days). North Dakota has lower property taxes (0.98% vs 1.38%).

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 PointMichigan
MI
North Dakota
ND
Taxes & Cost
YesYes
4.25%2.5%
6%7.87%
1.38%0.98%
91.596
Land & Building
$6,700$1,750
Yes (Statewide)Yes (Statewide)
VariesPermitted with local approval; generally allowed
Climate & Growing
4a-6b3a-4a
190140
38"22"
69
26
35
Water & Energy
UnrestrictedPermitted
3.94
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
NoneMinimal
69
StrongVery strong
Herd Share OnlyPermitted for raw milk operations with licensing
YesYes
Safety & Healthcare
478284
30%38%
Demographics & Community
177.111
25%40%
85%83%
Business
#12#9
$50/yr$125/yr
4.2%2.1%

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