Bolthole · Minnesota

Best Places to Live in Minnesota

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

Nationally, Minnesota ranks #30 for homesteading and #33 for off-grid living.

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Minnesota
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Counties by BoltScore

    Off-grid & homestead laws in Minnesota

    How Minnesota 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 87 Minnesota counties, ranked

    1. 1Lake of the Woods County73
    2. 2Kittson County72
    3. 3Big Stone County71
    4. 4Traverse County71
    5. 5Swift County71
    6. 6Koochiching County70
    7. 7Red Lake County70
    8. 8Lac qui Parle County69
    9. 9Grant County68
    10. 10Wadena County68
    11. 11Jackson County68
    12. 12Stevens County68
    13. 13Clearwater County68
    14. 14Watonwan County68
    15. 15Cottonwood County68
    16. 16Chippewa County67
    17. 17Redwood County67
    18. 18Yellow Medicine County67
    19. 19Marshall County67
    20. 20Wilkin County67
    21. 21Roseau County66
    22. 22Sibley County66
    23. 23Lincoln County66
    24. 24Mahnomen County66
    25. 25Pope County65
    26. 26Kanabec County64
    27. 27Norman County64
    28. 28Pipestone County64
    29. 29Todd County64
    30. 30Waseca County64
    31. 31Faribault County64
    32. 32Houston County63
    33. 33Pennington County63
    34. 34Martin County63
    35. 35Renville County63
    36. 36Lyon County63
    37. 37Meeker County63
    38. 38Rock County63
    39. 39Hubbard County62
    40. 40Dodge County62
    41. 41Aitkin County62
    42. 42Murray County62
    43. 43Pine County61
    44. 44McLeod County61
    45. 45Isanti County61
    46. 46Brown County61
    47. 47Mille Lacs County61
    48. 48Beltrami County60
    49. 49Douglas County60
    50. 50Le Sueur County60
    51. 51Nobles County60
    52. 52Freeborn County60
    53. 53Cass County60
    54. 54Nicollet County60
    55. 55Wabasha County59
    56. 56Steele County59
    57. 57Becker County58
    58. 58Morrison County58
    59. 59Kandiyohi County58
    60. 60Lake County58
    61. 61Fillmore County58
    62. 62Carlton County58
    63. 63Blue Earth County57
    64. 64Itasca County57
    65. 65Mower County57
    66. 66Polk County57
    67. 67Benton County57
    68. 68Goodhue County57
    69. 69Cook County57
    70. 70Winona County55
    71. 71St. Louis County55
    72. 72Chisago County55
    73. 73Otter Tail County54
    74. 74Stearns County53
    75. 75Crow Wing County53
    76. 76Rice County53
    77. 77Sherburne County52
    78. 78Carver County51
    79. 79Wright County49
    80. 80Clay County49
    81. 81Olmsted County48
    82. 82Dakota County44
    83. 83Scott County43
    84. 84Anoka County42
    85. 85Ramsey County40
    86. 86Washington County40
    87. 87Hennepin County37

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