Bolthole · North Carolina

Best Places to Live in North Carolina

Every North Carolina county ranked by BoltScore — for land, water, freedom, and self-sufficiency. Washington County leads at 73/100. No bunkers, no doom — just where the ground is worth standing on.

Nationally, North Carolina ranks #14 for homesteading and #25 for off-grid living.

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North Carolina
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Counties by BoltScore

    Off-grid & homestead laws in North Carolina

    How North Carolina treats the things that matter for living off-grid or homesteading. Scores feed the national rankings; 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 100 North Carolina counties, ranked

    1. 1Washington County73
    2. 2Caswell County73
    3. 3Tyrrell County73
    4. 4Gates County73
    5. 5Camden County72
    6. 6Jones County72
    7. 7Chowan County71
    8. 8Northampton County71
    9. 9Martin County71
    10. 10Perquimans County71
    11. 11Pamlico County70
    12. 12Bertie County70
    13. 13Greene County69
    14. 14Hyde County68
    15. 15Halifax County68
    16. 16Anson County67
    17. 17Person County67
    18. 18Yadkin County67
    19. 19Hertford County67
    20. 20Richmond County67
    21. 21Bladen County67
    22. 22Warren County66
    23. 23Edgecombe County66
    24. 24Stokes County66
    25. 25Scotland County66
    26. 26Alexander County66
    27. 27Montgomery County66
    28. 28Polk County66
    29. 29Lenoir County66
    30. 30Alleghany County65
    31. 31Beaufort County65
    32. 32Robeson County65
    33. 33Davie County65
    34. 34Pasquotank County65
    35. 35Vance County65
    36. 36Currituck County65
    37. 37Columbus County64
    38. 38Graham County64
    39. 39Granville County64
    40. 40Mitchell County64
    41. 41Duplin County64
    42. 42Wilson County64
    43. 43Sampson County63
    44. 44Craven County63
    45. 45Hoke County63
    46. 46Nash County63
    47. 47Stanly County62
    48. 48Franklin County62
    49. 49Pitt County62
    50. 50Wayne County62
    51. 51Wilkes County62
    52. 52Madison County62
    53. 53Clay County62
    54. 54Rockingham County62
    55. 55Rutherford County62
    56. 56McDowell County61
    57. 57Yancey County61
    58. 58Caldwell County61
    59. 59Surry County61
    60. 60Carteret County60
    61. 61Ashe County60
    62. 62Cherokee County60
    63. 63Burke County59
    64. 64Randolph County59
    65. 65Lee County59
    66. 66Cleveland County59
    67. 67Pender County59
    68. 68Harnett County58
    69. 69Avery County58
    70. 70Johnston County57
    71. 71Haywood County56
    72. 72Onslow County56
    73. 73Rowan County56
    74. 74Davidson County55
    75. 75Moore County55
    76. 76Swain County55
    77. 77Catawba County55
    78. 78Brunswick County55
    79. 79Chatham County55
    80. 80Lincoln County55
    81. 81Alamance County55
    82. 82Transylvania County54
    83. 83Iredell County54
    84. 84Cumberland County54
    85. 85Gaston County52
    86. 86Watauga County52
    87. 87Macon County52
    88. 88Henderson County51
    89. 89Union County50
    90. 90Forsyth County50
    91. 91Jackson County50
    92. 92Guilford County50
    93. 93Durham County48
    94. 94Orange County48
    95. 95Cabarrus County48
    96. 96Dare County48
    97. 97Buncombe County47
    98. 98Wake County45
    99. 99New Hanover County43
    100. 100Mecklenburg County42

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