Bolthole Index

Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-10

New York Counties With No Zoning

31 of New York's 62 counties — 50% — have no county-wide zoning. That is the 11th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Lewis County (74/100). 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 1042 counties nationwide → New York: owner-builder → New York: no minimum home size → Full New York profile →

From the New York guide

Which New York counties have no zoning?

The county counts concern unincorporated land, and 31 New York counties are listed without countywide zoning.3 The first counties to explore are Lewis, Franklin, Steuben, Allegany, Washington, Cattaraugus, Clinton and Schoharie, all listed without countywide zoning.3

New York grants zoning power to cities, towns and villages, not counties, so a countywide answer cannot settle the zoning of a rural parcel inside a town.4 Obtain the parcel’s zoning map and district rules from the relevant municipal planning or zoning office; actual districts and controls are established locally.15 The New York no-zoning county list is a starting point for choosing an area, rather than confirmation that an address has no land-use restrictions.4

Read the full New York guide →

Sources

  1. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 62 New York counties, as of October 10, 2026: New York counties with no county-wide zoning
  2. New York: documents.dps.ny.gov, quoted and re-checked
  3. New York: Zoning and the Comprehensive Plan, quoted and re-checked

From the New York guide, written from the cited official sources and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: confirm with the office before you buy or build.

31 of 62 New York counties · sorted by Index score

Keep exploring

Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the New York state page for all 62 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.

Off-grid gear

Building on land in one of these New York 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.