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 81/100.

Under 2 hours

ranked by Index score
  1. 1York CountyMaine · ≈1.8h drive · ~78 mi68
  2. 2Cheshire CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.7h drive · ~75 mi66
  3. 3Belknap CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.8h drive · ~80 mi58
  4. 4Strafford CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.5h drive · ~65 mi57
  5. 5New London CountyConnecticut · ≈1.8h drive · ~80 mi54
  6. 6Merrimack CountyNew Hampshire · ≈1.6h drive · ~72 mi52
  7. 7Franklin CountyMassachusetts · ≈1.8h drive · ~78 mi52
  8. 8Dukes CountyMassachusetts · ≈1.6h drive · ~71 mi51
  9. 9Windham CountyConnecticut · ≈1.4h drive · ~60 mi50
  10. 10Hampshire CountyMassachusetts · ≈1.9h drive · ~85 mi46

2–4 hours

ranked by Index score
  1. 1Lincoln CountyMaine · ≈3.2h drive · ~142 mi81
  2. 2Oxford CountyMaine · ≈3.5h drive · ~153 mi81
  3. 3Knox CountyMaine · ≈3.8h drive · ~168 mi80
  4. 4Sagadahoc CountyMaine · ≈2.9h drive · ~126 mi79
  5. 5Caledonia CountyVermont · ≈3.5h drive · ~156 mi79
  6. 6Addison CountyVermont · ≈3.5h drive · ~153 mi79
  7. 7Kennebec CountyMaine · ≈3.5h drive · ~156 mi78
  8. 8Androscoggin CountyMaine · ≈3.1h drive · ~134 mi78
  9. 9Lamoille CountyVermont · ≈4.0h drive · ~175 mi77
  10. 10Chittenden CountyVermont · ≈4.0h drive · ~175 mi77

4–8 hours

ranked by Index score
  1. 1Orleans CountyVermont · ≈4.0h drive · ~177 mi82
  2. 2Hancock CountyMaine · ≈4.7h drive · ~209 mi82
  3. 3Penobscot CountyMaine · ≈5.8h drive · ~254 mi82
  4. 4Washington CountyMaine · ≈5.8h drive · ~256 mi80
  5. 5Waldo CountyMaine · ≈4.0h drive · ~178 mi79
  6. 6Grand Isle CountyVermont · ≈4.6h drive · ~201 mi78
  7. 7Sullivan CountyPennsylvania · ≈6.5h drive · ~287 mi77
  8. 8Franklin CountyMaine · ≈4.3h drive · ~189 mi76
  9. 9Somerset CountyMaine · ≈5.2h drive · ~228 mi75
  10. 10Tioga CountyPennsylvania · ≈7.3h drive · ~320 mi75

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 81/100 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.