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Montana vs Rhode Island

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

Rank #32
Overall Winner

Overall Score

63.6

Category Wins

6/10

Rank #50

Overall Score

39.9

Category Wins

4/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

0.74%
Property Tax
1.63%
95
Cost of Living
123
$1,230
Farm Land $/Acre
$18,300
130 days
Growing Season
190 days
20"
Annual Rainfall
50"
5/10
Soil Quality
6/10
8/10
Safety (Rural)
7/10
10/10
Gun Friendly
3/10
4.93 hrs
Solar (PSH)
3.9 hrs
70%
Broadband
97%

Montana Edges Out Rhode Island Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 63.6 vs 39.9, Montana 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: Montana offers cheaper farmland at $1,230/acre vs $18,300/acre. Rhode Island has a longer growing season (190 vs 130 days). Montana has lower property taxes (0.74% vs 1.63%).

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 PointMontana
MT
Rhode Island
RI
Taxes & Cost
YesYes
5.9%5.99%
0%7%
0.74%1.63%
95123
Land & Building
$1,230$18,300
No Statewide CodeYes (Statewide)
Yes (Statewide)Largely prohibited by zoning; ADU-friendly policies limited
Climate & Growing
3a-6b6a-6b
130190
20"50"
56
63
12
Water & Energy
Allowed with LimitsPermitted
4.933.9
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
LowHigh
103
StrongWeak
Yes (Farm Sales Only)Illegal for human consumption
YesNo
Safety & Healthcare
420349
35%20%
Demographics & Community
7.61,003
45%10%
70%97%
Business
#5#45
$35/yr$150/yr
2.8%3.6%

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