Bolthole Index

Reachable backup land

Best boltholes near Boston

A bolthole only works if you can get to it. The classic brief — “a farm or a ranch somewhere far off the beaten track but which you can get to reasonably quickly and easily” (Barton Biggs, Wealth, War & Wisdom) — assumes you drive there in a day, not fly. Below: every county within roughly eight hours of Boston, ranked by the Bolthole Index, in three drive bands. The strongest pick within four hours is Knox County, Maine at 95/100.

Under 2 hours

ranked by Index score
  1. 1Dukes CountyMassachusetts · ≈1.6h drive · ~71 mi71
  2. 2Cheshire CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.7h drive · ~75 mi71
  3. 3Belknap CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.8h drive · ~80 mi68
  4. 4Merrimack CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.6h drive · ~72 mi66
  5. 5Hillsborough CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.2h drive · ~54 mi66
  6. 6Franklin CountyMassachusetts · ≈1.8h drive · ~78 mi65
  7. 7York CountyMaine · ≈1.8h drive · ~78 mi64
  8. 8Strafford CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.5h drive · ~65 mi60
  9. 9Hampshire CountyMassachusetts · ≈1.9h drive · ~85 mi58
  10. 10Barnstable CountyMassachusetts · ≈1.5h drive · ~68 mi54

2–4 hours

ranked by Index score
  1. 1Knox CountyMaine · ≈3.8h drive · ~168 mi95
  2. 2Oxford CountyMaine · ≈3.5h drive · ~153 mi92
  3. 3Lincoln CountyMaine · ≈3.2h drive · ~142 mi85
  4. 4Windsor CountyVermont · ≈2.6h drive · ~114 mi84
  5. 5Windham CountyVermont · ≈2.2h drive · ~96 mi83
  6. 6Addison CountyVermont · ≈3.5h drive · ~153 mi83
  7. 7Lamoille CountyVermont · ≈4.0h drive · ~175 mi83
  8. 8Caledonia CountyVermont · ≈3.5h drive · ~156 mi82
  9. 9Grafton CountyNew Hampshire · ≈2.6h drive · ~116 mi81
  10. 10Rutland CountyVermont · ≈3.0h drive · ~130 mi81

4–8 hours

ranked by Index score
  1. 1Hancock CountyMaine · ≈4.7h drive · ~209 mi92
  2. 2Penobscot CountyMaine · ≈5.8h drive · ~254 mi92
  3. 3Orleans CountyVermont · ≈4.0h drive · ~177 mi87
  4. 4Franklin CountyMaine · ≈4.3h drive · ~189 mi85
  5. 5Washington CountyMaine · ≈5.8h drive · ~256 mi85
  6. 6Somerset CountyMaine · ≈5.2h drive · ~228 mi85
  7. 7Clinton CountyPennsylvania · ≈7.9h drive · ~347 mi81
  8. 8Waldo CountyMaine · ≈4.0h drive · ~178 mi80
  9. 9Tioga CountyPennsylvania · ≈7.3h drive · ~320 mi80
  10. 10Perry CountyPennsylvania · ≈7.9h drive · ~346 mi79

How to read this

Drive times are estimates (straight-line distance +25% at a 55 mph average) to the county center — terrain and traffic will move them. Scores are the national Bolthole Index (see the methodology): a county that tops this list can still rank mid-pack nationally, because proximity to Boston is a constraint, not a bonus. The under-2-hour band trades seclusion for reachability; most serious setups land in the 2–4 hour band.

FAQ

What is the best bolthole near Boston?

Knox County, Maine is the strongest county within about 4 hours of Boston, scoring 95/100 on the Bolthole Index (≈3.8h by road, ~168 miles).

How far should a bolthole be from Boston?

Far enough to be off the beaten track, close enough to reach without flying — most readers target the 2–4 hour band. Under 2 hours trades seclusion for accessibility; past 8 hours you're relying on infrastructure you can't count on.

How are these counties ranked?

Every county within 8 estimated driving hours of Boston is ranked by its Bolthole Index score — six factors covering seclusion, self-sufficiency, administrative boringness, durability, property autonomy, and carry cost. Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance.