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Missouri vs New Jersey

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

Rank #10
Overall Winner

Overall Score

69.6

Category Wins

8/10

Rank #49

Overall Score

41.9

Category Wins

2/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

0.88%
Property Tax
2.49%
87.1
Cost of Living
130
$4,200
Farm Land $/Acre
$16,000
200 days
Growing Season
180 days
50"
Annual Rainfall
48"
6/10
Soil Quality
7/10
8/10
Safety (Rural)
7/10
9/10
Gun Friendly
2/10
4.5 hrs
Solar (PSH)
4.1 hrs
80%
Broadband
95%

Missouri Edges Out New Jersey Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 69.6 vs 41.9, Missouri comes out ahead in our balanced analysis — winning 8 out of 10 key categories. But the best state for you depends on what matters most.

Key differences: Missouri offers cheaper farmland at $4,200/acre vs $16,000/acre. Missouri has a longer growing season (200 vs 180 days). Missouri has lower property taxes (0.88% vs 2.49%).

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 PointMissouri
MO
New Jersey
NJ
Taxes & Cost
YesYes
4.7%10.75%
8.33%6.625%
0.88%2.49%
87.1130
Land & Building
$4,200$16,000
No Statewide CodeYes (Statewide)
Yes (Statewide)Largely illegal; zoning typically prohibits tiny homes
Climate & Growing
5b-7a6a-7a
200180
50"48"
67
33
63
Water & Energy
UnrestrictedPermitted
4.54.1
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
NoneModerate
92
StrongModerate
Yes (Farm Sales Only)Illegal for human consumption
YesNo
Safety & Healthcare
540356
40%12%
Demographics & Community
89.51,205
30%5%
80%95%
Business
#13#36
$50/yr$125/yr
3.2%3.7%

Not sure which state is right for you?

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