In the wake of the pandemic, with growing economic uncertainty and climate change stressing public infrastructure, more Americans are seeking ways to live off the grid. This does not necessarily mean forgoing all modern conveniences. Rather, living off the grid simply often means just that – being disconnected from local utility grids and having a higher degree of self-sufficiency.
A recent study released by LawnStarter, a lawn care company that frequently conducts research into city and state amenities, created a weighted index of 23 key measures to identify the best states to live off the grid. These measures fall into one of five categories: feasibility, infrastructure, affordability, climate, and safety.
In the wake of the pandemic, with growing economic uncertainty and climate change stressing public infrastructure, more Americans are seeking ways to live off the grid. This does not necessarily mean forgoing all modern conveniences. Rather, living off the grid simply often means just that – being disconnected from local utility grids and having a higher degree of self-sufficiency.
A recent study released by LawnStarter, a lawn care company that frequently conducts research into city and state amenities, created a weighted index of 23 key measures to identify the best states to live off the grid. These measures fall into one of five categories: feasibility, infrastructure, affordability, climate, and safety.
| Rank | State | Overall off-the-grid score | Highest ranking category | Lowest ranking category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | 67.1 | Safety | Affordability |
| 2 | Texas | 65.6 | Infrastructure | Climate |
| 3 | Kentucky | 63.4 | Safety | Infrastructure |
| 4 | Minnesota | 61.3 | Safety | Climate |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 61.1 | Affordability | Climate |
| 6 | Nebraska | 61.0 | Safety | Climate |
| 7 | Kansas | 60.6 | Safety | Feasibility |
| 8 | North Dakota | 59.5 | Feasibility | Climate |
| 9 | Illinois | 58.9 | Safety | Affordability |
| 10 | Montana | 58.5 | Affordability | Climate |
| 11 | Missouri | 58.3 | Safety | Infrastructure |
| 12 | Wyoming | 57.8 | Affordability | Climate |
| 13 | South Dakota | 57.7 | Infrastructure | Climate |
| 14 | Wisconsin | 57.2 | Safety | Climate |
| 15 | Vermont | 56.9 | Infrastructure | Affordability |
| 16 | Arkansas | 56.8 | Climate | Infrastructure |
| 17 | Idaho | 56.6 | Feasibility | Climate |
| 18 | Tennessee | 55.5 | Affordability | Feasibility |
| 19 | Oregon | 55.2 | Feasibility | Climate |
| 20 | Maine | 54.3 | Infrastructure | Affordability |
| 21 | West Virginia | 54.1 | Affordability | Infrastructure |
| 22 | Indiana | 52.9 | Infrastructure | Feasibility |
| 23 | Georgia | 52.4 | Climate | Infrastructure |
| 24 | Ohio | 52.3 | Safety | Climate |
| 25 | Louisiana | 52.2 | Climate | Infrastructure |
| 26 | Mississippi | 52.2 | Safety | Infrastructure |
| 27 | Washington | 51.1 | Infrastructure | Climate |
| 28 | New Hampshire | 51.0 | Safety | Affordability |
| 29 | Alabama | 51.0 | Affordability | Feasibility |
| 30 | Virginia | 50.8 | Climate | Safety |
| 31 | South Carolina | 50.4 | Climate | Safety |
| 32 | New Mexico | 50.0 | Affordability | Safety |
| 33 | Hawaii | 49.6 | Climate | Affordability |
| 34 | California | 49.1 | Infrastructure | Affordability |
| 35 | Colorado | 48.1 | Affordability | Feasibility |
| 36 | Florida | 47.9 | Climate | Safety |
| 37 | Michigan | 47.9 | Safety | Climate |
| 38 | North Carolina | 46.8 | Climate | Feasibility |
| 39 | Delaware | 46.0 | Climate | Safety |
| 40 | Arizona | 46.0 | Climate | Affordability |
| 41 | New York | 45.5 | Infrastructure | Feasibility |
| 42 | Utah | 40.6 | Affordability | Safety |
| 43 | Alaska | 40.1 | Feasibility | Infrastructure |
| 44 | Pennsylvania | 40.0 | Climate | Feasibility |
| 45 | Nevada | 39.4 | Affordability | Safety |
| 46 | Massachusetts | 37.6 | Climate | Feasibility |
| 47 | Maryland | 36.6 | Climate | Feasibility |
| 48 | Connecticut | 34.5 | Climate | Feasibility |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 33.5 | Climate | Feasibility |
| 50 | New Jersey | 28.2 | Climate | Affordability |
Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. via The Center Square
