Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-09-24
1 of Maryland's 24 counties — 4% — set no minimum dwelling size. That is the 14th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Garrett County (72/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 380 counties nationwide → Maryland: no zoning → Maryland: owner-builder → Full Maryland profile →
1 of 24 Maryland counties · sorted by Index score
County zoning minimum dwelling-size requirements in unincorporated Garrett County areas outside the six municipal boundaries and the Deep Creek Watershed. This absence applies o…
Zoning ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Maryland state page for all 24 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
Off-grid gear
Building on land in one of these Maryland counties? The kit we'd start with:
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General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
