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New Mexico vs Vermont

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

Rank #41

Overall Score

61.1

Category Wins

6/10

Rank #33
Overall Winner

Overall Score

62.9

Category Wins

4/10

Quick Comparison

Winner highlighted per category

0.8%
Property Tax
2.1%
97
Cost of Living
117
$1,250
Farm Land $/Acre
$7,500
200 days
Growing Season
130 days
24"
Annual Rainfall
56"
5/10
Soil Quality
6/10
5/10
Safety (Rural)
9/10
8/10
Gun Friendly
7/10
5.9 hrs
Solar (PSH)
3.7 hrs
75%
Broadband
82%

Vermont Edges Out New Mexico Overall

With an overall homesteading score of 62.9 vs 61.1, Vermont 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: New Mexico offers cheaper farmland at $1,250/acre vs $7,500/acre. New Mexico has a longer growing season (200 vs 130 days). New Mexico has lower property taxes (0.8% vs 2.1%).

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 PointNew Mexico
NM
Vermont
VT
Taxes & Cost
YesYes
5.9%8.75%
8.09%6%
0.8%2.1%
97117
Land & Building
$1,250$7,500
Yes (Statewide)Yes (Statewide)
Permitted with local approval; zoning permissive in many areasPermitted with local approval; ADU-friendly policies
Climate & Growing
4b-10a2b-4b
200130
24"56"
56
82
31
Water & Energy
PermittedPermitted
5.93.7
YesYes
Laws & Freedom
MinimalHigh
87
StrongVery strong
Permitted for raw milk operations with licensingPermitted for raw milk operations with licensing
YesYes
Safety & Healthcare
742155
52%28%
Demographics & Community
1768
28%68%
75%82%
Business
#34#44
$0/yr$125/yr
4.3%3.1%

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