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 Lincoln County, Maine at 88/100.

Under 2 hours

ranked by Index score
  1. 1Cheshire CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.7h drive · ~75 mi73
  2. 2Belknap CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.8h drive · ~80 mi71
  3. 3Hillsborough CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.2h drive · ~54 mi68
  4. 4Merrimack CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.6h drive · ~72 mi68
  5. 5Franklin CountyMassachusetts · ≈1.8h drive · ~78 mi67
  6. 6York CountyMaine · ≈1.8h drive · ~78 mi67
  7. 7Strafford CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.5h drive · ~65 mi61
  8. 8Hampshire CountyMassachusetts · ≈1.9h drive · ~85 mi60
  9. 9Dukes CountyMassachusetts · ≈1.6h drive · ~71 mi60
  10. 10Barnstable CountyMassachusetts · ≈1.5h drive · ~68 mi56

2–4 hours

ranked by Index score
  1. 1Lincoln CountyMaine · ≈3.2h drive · ~142 mi88
  2. 2Windsor CountyVermont · ≈2.6h drive · ~114 mi87
  3. 3Knox CountyMaine · ≈3.8h drive · ~168 mi87
  4. 4Windham CountyVermont · ≈2.2h drive · ~96 mi85
  5. 5Addison CountyVermont · ≈3.5h drive · ~153 mi85
  6. 6Caledonia CountyVermont · ≈3.5h drive · ~156 mi85
  7. 7Lamoille CountyVermont · ≈4.0h drive · ~175 mi85
  8. 8Rutland CountyVermont · ≈3.0h drive · ~130 mi84
  9. 9Grafton CountyNew Hampshire · ≈2.6h drive · ~116 mi83
  10. 10Oxford CountyMaine · ≈3.5h drive · ~153 mi82

4–8 hours

ranked by Index score
  1. 1Penobscot CountyMaine · ≈5.8h drive · ~254 mi90
  2. 2Orleans CountyVermont · ≈4.0h drive · ~177 mi90
  3. 3Hancock CountyMaine · ≈4.7h drive · ~209 mi88
  4. 4Washington CountyMaine · ≈5.8h drive · ~256 mi88
  5. 5Waldo CountyMaine · ≈4.0h drive · ~178 mi83
  6. 6Tioga CountyPennsylvania · ≈7.3h drive · ~320 mi82
  7. 7Somerset CountyMaine · ≈5.2h drive · ~228 mi82
  8. 8Franklin CountyVermont · ≈4.4h drive · ~193 mi82
  9. 9Franklin CountyMaine · ≈4.3h drive · ~189 mi81
  10. 10Wayne CountyPennsylvania · ≈5.0h drive · ~221 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?

Lincoln County, Maine is the strongest county within about 4 hours of Boston, scoring 88/100 on the Bolthole Index (≈3.2h by road, ~142 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.