Bolthole Index

Bolthole Index · Iowa

Best Places to Live in Iowa

Every Iowa county scored on the Bolthole Index for seclusion, self-sufficiency, administrative boringness, durability, property autonomy, and carry cost. Lucas County leads at 76/100. Use the rankings to compare counties by score, factor strength, and local constraints.

Nationally, Iowa ranks #32 for homesteading and #37 for off-grid living.

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Counties by Index Score

    Off-grid & homestead laws in Iowa

    How Iowa treats the things that matter for living off-grid or homesteading. State law also feeds each county’s admin, autonomy, and carry factors; rules often vary by county.

    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.

    All 99 Iowa counties, ranked

    1. 1Lucas County76
    2. 2Jefferson County74
    3. 3Wayne County73
    4. 4Davis County72
    5. 5Van Buren County72
    6. 6Appanoose County71
    7. 7Union County70
    8. 8Monroe County69
    9. 9Decatur County69
    10. 10Allamakee County68
    11. 11Lee County68
    12. 12Ringgold County68
    13. 13Clayton County67
    14. 14Des Moines County66
    15. 15Dubuque County66
    16. 16Keokuk County64
    17. 17Henry County63
    18. 18Winneshiek County63
    19. 19Marion County62
    20. 20Wapello County62
    21. 21Washington County61
    22. 22Madison County61
    23. 23Jones County61
    24. 24Taylor County60
    25. 25Jackson County60
    26. 26Guthrie County59
    27. 27Louisa County59
    28. 28Clarke County59
    29. 29Fayette County58
    30. 30Mahaska County58
    31. 31O'Brien County57
    32. 32Harrison County57
    33. 33Monona County57
    34. 34Howard County56
    35. 35Muscatine County55
    36. 36Warren County55
    37. 37Tama County55
    38. 38Dallas County54
    39. 39Chickasaw County54
    40. 40Black Hawk County53
    41. 41Kossuth County53
    42. 42Mills County53
    43. 43Page County53
    44. 44Ida County53
    45. 45Adair County52
    46. 46Palo Alto County52
    47. 47Delaware County52
    48. 48Linn County52
    49. 49Iowa County51
    50. 50Buena Vista County51
    51. 51Buchanan County51
    52. 52Greene County50
    53. 53Boone County50
    54. 54Dickinson County50
    55. 55Sac County49
    56. 56Floyd County49
    57. 57Cass County49
    58. 58Bremer County49
    59. 59Benton County49
    60. 60Story County49
    61. 61Humboldt County49
    62. 62Shelby County49
    63. 63Johnson County49
    64. 64Fremont County48
    65. 65Franklin County48
    66. 66Webster County48
    67. 67Polk County48
    68. 68Mitchell County48
    69. 69Scott County48
    70. 70Pocahontas County48
    71. 71Hardin County48
    72. 72Poweshiek County48
    73. 73Clay County48
    74. 74Crawford County47
    75. 75Montgomery County47
    76. 76Grundy County47
    77. 77Emmet County47
    78. 78Clinton County47
    79. 79Pottawattamie County47
    80. 80Audubon County47
    81. 81Cerro Gordo County46
    82. 82Adams County46
    83. 83Butler County46
    84. 84Cherokee County46
    85. 85Worth County45
    86. 86Wright County45
    87. 87Marshall County44
    88. 88Hamilton County43
    89. 89Lyon County43
    90. 90Jasper County43
    91. 91Cedar County43
    92. 92Woodbury County43
    93. 93Osceola County42
    94. 94Winnebago County41
    95. 95Hancock County40
    96. 96Plymouth County40
    97. 97Calhoun County40
    98. 98Sioux County38
    99. 99Carroll County38

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