Michigan vs Utah

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

Michigan

Rank #35

Overall Score

62.4

Category Wins

3/10

Utah

Rank #19

Overall Winner

Overall Score

66.6

Category Wins

5/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

1.38%

Property Tax

0.6%

91.5

Cost of Living

104

$6,700

Farm Land $/Acre

$2,800

190 days

Growing Season

180 days

38"

Annual Rainfall

24"

6/10

Soil Quality

6/10

8/10

Safety (Rural)

8/10

6/10

Gun Friendly

9/10

3.9 hrs

Solar (PSH)

5.5 hrs

85%

Broadband

88%

Utah Edges Out Michigan Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 66.6 vs 62.4, Utah 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: Utah offers cheaper farmland at $2,800/acre vs $6,700/acre. Michigan has a longer growing season (190 vs 180 days). Utah has lower property taxes (0.6% 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 Point	Michigan MI	Utah UT
Taxes & Cost
	Yes	Yes
	4.25%	4.65%
	6%	7.25%
	1.38%	0.6%
	91.5	104
Land & Building
	$6,700	$2,800
	Yes (Statewide)	Yes (Statewide)
	Varies	Permitted with local zoning approval; increasingly allowed
Climate & Growing
	4a-6b	4a-9a
	190	180
	38"	24"
	6	6
	2	8
	3	2
Water & Energy
	Unrestricted	Permitted
	3.9	5.5
	Yes	Yes
Laws & Freedom
	None	Minimal
	6	9
	Strong	Strong
	Herd Share Only	Permitted for raw milk operations with licensing
	Yes	Yes
Safety & Healthcare
	478	267
	30%	38%
Demographics & Community
	177.1	38
	25%	11%
	85%	88%
Business
	#12	#16
	$50/yr	$50/yr
	4.2%	2.9%

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