Bolthole Index

Bolthole Index · Illinois

Best Places to Live in Illinois

Every Illinois county scored on the Bolthole Index for seclusion, self-sufficiency, administrative boringness, durability, property autonomy, and carry cost. Brown County leads at 83/100. Use the rankings to compare counties by score, factor strength, and local constraints.

Nationally, Illinois ranks #13 for homesteading and #21 for off-grid living.

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Counties by Index Score

    Off-grid & homestead laws in Illinois

    How Illinois 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 102 Illinois counties, ranked

    1. 1Brown County83
    2. 2Schuyler County83
    3. 3Crawford County78
    4. 4Wayne County77
    5. 5Clark County77
    6. 6Clay County77
    7. 7Hardin County74
    8. 8Richland County74
    9. 9Fulton County74
    10. 10Marion County74
    11. 11Greene County74
    12. 12Gallatin County73
    13. 13McDonough County73
    14. 14Effingham County73
    15. 15Hancock County73
    16. 16Henderson County73
    17. 17Adams County73
    18. 18Pope County73
    19. 19Wabash County72
    20. 20White County72
    21. 21Johnson County72
    22. 22Hamilton County71
    23. 23Saline County70
    24. 24Jasper County70
    25. 25Cumberland County69
    26. 26Massac County69
    27. 27Jefferson County69
    28. 28Edwards County69
    29. 29Fayette County68
    30. 30Jackson County67
    31. 31Franklin County67
    32. 32Macoupin County67
    33. 33Alexander County67
    34. 34Vermilion County67
    35. 35Coles County66
    36. 36Pulaski County66
    37. 37Mercer County65
    38. 38Morgan County65
    39. 39Mason County65
    40. 40Calhoun County65
    41. 41Pike County65
    42. 42Union County64
    43. 43Clinton County64
    44. 44Edgar County64
    45. 45Cass County64
    46. 46Jo Daviess County63
    47. 47Carroll County63
    48. 48Williamson County62
    49. 49Randolph County62
    50. 50Knox County61
    51. 51Perry County61
    52. 52Montgomery County61
    53. 53Shelby County61
    54. 54Lawrence County61
    55. 55Menard County60
    56. 56Bond County59
    57. 57Woodford County58
    58. 58Peoria County56
    59. 59Warren County56
    60. 60Washington County56
    61. 61Jersey County55
    62. 62Scott County55
    63. 63Putnam County55
    64. 64Marshall County54
    65. 65Rock Island County54
    66. 66Monroe County53
    67. 67Ogle County52
    68. 68Sangamon County50
    69. 69Madison County50
    70. 70Bureau County49
    71. 71Christian County49
    72. 72Moultrie County49
    73. 73Tazewell County49
    74. 74Piatt County48
    75. 75Champaign County48
    76. 76McLean County48
    77. 77Macon County47
    78. 78Stephenson County47
    79. 79LaSalle County47
    80. 80Douglas County46
    81. 81Iroquois County45
    82. 82De Witt County45
    83. 83Stark County45
    84. 84Whiteside County44
    85. 85Livingston County44
    86. 86Logan County43
    87. 87Lee County42
    88. 88Grundy County41
    89. 89Winnebago County41
    90. 90St. Clair County41
    91. 91Henry County41
    92. 92Ford County37
    93. 93Kankakee County36
    94. 94DeKalb County35
    95. 95DuPage County34
    96. 96McHenry County33
    97. 97Lake County32
    98. 98Will County32
    99. 99Kendall County30
    100. 100Cook County29
    101. 101Kane County28
    102. 102Boone County23

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