Looking to downsize? Some states are more ideal for a tiny house than others.
To mark TinyFest California this March, LawnStarter ranked 2024’s Best States for Tiny House Living.
The verdict: North Carolina is the No. 8 best state for tiny house living in an urban setting and No. 17 overall.
How does North Carolina stack up in some key metrics (1st = Best)?
- Average Yard Acreage – 8th
- Tiny House Legality Score – 1st
- Off-Grid Lifestyle Index – 38th
2024’s Best States for Tiny House Living
| 1 |
Vermont |
89.07 |
1 |
2 |
15 |
| 2 |
Kentucky |
85.34 |
1 |
14 |
3 |
| 3 |
Arkansas |
84.60 |
1 |
5 |
16 |
| 4 |
Maine |
83.80 |
1 |
4 |
20 |
| 5 |
Minnesota |
78.32 |
1 |
21 |
4 |
| 6 |
Montana |
76.39 |
1 |
18 |
10 |
| 7 |
Alabama |
74.45 |
1 |
6 |
28 |
| 8 |
Georgia |
73.40 |
1 |
12 |
23 |
| 9 |
Texas |
72.91 |
1 |
39 |
2 |
| 10 |
Kansas |
70.35 |
1 |
37 |
7 |
| 11 |
Missouri |
69.97 |
1 |
27 |
11 |
| 12 |
Idaho |
68.45 |
1 |
23 |
17 |
| 13 |
Nebraska |
67.68 |
1 |
45 |
6 |
| 14 |
Illinois |
67.29 |
1 |
41 |
9 |
| 15 |
South Carolina |
67.23 |
1 |
13 |
31 |
| 16 |
Wyoming |
67.18 |
1 |
36 |
12 |
| 17 |
North Carolina |
65.83 |
1 |
8 |
38 |
| 18 |
Indiana |
65.66 |
1 |
22 |
22 |
| 19 |
Ohio |
63.26 |
1 |
25 |
24 |
| 20 |
Virginia |
63.16 |
1 |
16 |
30 |
| 21 |
Oregon |
59.99 |
1 |
42 |
19 |
| 22 |
New Hampshire |
59.41 |
3 |
1 |
28 |
| 23 |
Mississippi |
58.23 |
3 |
3 |
26 |
| 24 |
Connecticut |
57.96 |
1 |
10 |
48 |
| 25 |
Washington |
57.49 |
1 |
33 |
27 |
| 26 |
South Dakota |
56.69 |
2 |
31 |
13 |
| 27 |
Oklahoma |
55.62 |
3 |
20 |
5 |
| 28 |
Tennessee |
55.30 |
3 |
11 |
18 |
| 29 |
New Mexico |
55.30 |
1 |
29 |
32 |
| 30 |
Michigan |
54.50 |
1 |
24 |
37 |
| 31 |
Massachusetts |
51.31 |
1 |
19 |
46 |
| 32 |
Delaware |
49.04 |
1 |
34 |
39 |
| 33 |
Pennsylvania |
48.18 |
1 |
26 |
44 |
| 34 |
Florida |
48.05 |
1 |
44 |
36 |
| 35 |
Colorado |
47.57 |
1 |
46 |
35 |
| 36 |
Hawaii |
47.56 |
1 |
48 |
33 |
| 37 |
Utah |
45.67 |
1 |
40 |
42 |
| 38 |
California |
44.88 |
1 |
49 |
34 |
| 39 |
Arizona |
43.91 |
1 |
47 |
40 |
| 40 |
Rhode Island |
43.52 |
1 |
30 |
49 |
| 41 |
Maryland |
42.94 |
1 |
38 |
47 |
| 42 |
Nevada |
36.74 |
1 |
50 |
45 |
| 43 |
West Virginia |
43.31 |
4 |
9 |
21 |
| 44 |
Iowa |
43.16 |
4 |
28 |
1 |
| 45 |
Wisconsin |
40.60 |
4 |
17 |
14 |
| 46 |
North Dakota |
37.16 |
4 |
32 |
8 |
| 47 |
Louisiana |
35.49 |
4 |
15 |
25 |
| 48 |
Alaska |
29.31 |
4 |
7 |
43 |
| 49 |
New York |
14.31 |
4 |
35 |
41 |
| 50 |
New Jersey |
5.27 |
4 |
43 |
50 |
To come up with our ranking, we compared the 50 states on the legality of constructing a tiny home. We also looked at the suitability of building in an urban setting based on average yard acreages and in a remote environment based on off-grid lifestyle-friendliness, a separate LawnStarter ranking that consists of 23 key factors.
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