Resilient Homestead Mapper
Data-driven scores for every U.S. county — land affordability, climate resilience, USDA
grant eligibility, water security, and agricultural income potential — to help homesteaders
and beginning farmers find the right place to plant roots.
What is Resilient Homestead Mapper?
Resilient Homestead Mapper scores all 3,143 U.S. counties across six dimensions so that
homesteaders, small-scale farmers, and rural land buyers can make informed decisions before
they buy land or relocate. Every score is built from public datasets including USDA NRCS,
NOAA, FEMA, the U.S. Census Bureau, and proprietary land-price aggregates.
The interactive county map is free and requires no signup. Full county reports, state
comparison tables, and parcel-level due diligence are available through a one-time-access
plan.
County Score Dimensions
Affordability Score
Median farmland price per acre and relative cost of living. Higher scores mean cheaper land and lower operating costs.
Hazard Resilience Score
Composite exposure to wildfire, flood, drought, tornado, and extreme heat. Higher scores mean lower long-term risk.
Water Security Score
Average annual rainfall, groundwater depth, and surface water access — essential for farming and livestock.
Funding Fit Score
USDA EQIP, FSA loan, and state grant eligibility. Counties with more program availability score higher.
Income Fit Score
Proximity to farmers markets, food hubs, and agricultural income benchmarks for the region.
Execution Ease Score
Rural infrastructure quality, broadband access, and proximity to essential services.
Popular State County Explorations
Farm Tools
The free Manure Application Timing Tool uses live National
Weather Service data to show 7-day runoff risk windows so farmers can schedule nutrient
applications safely. Other tools support homestead planning, water sourcing, and farm
startup decisions.
Resources for Beginning Farmers
The Resources page indexes USDA programs (EQIP, FSA Operating
Loans, Beginning Farmer programs), state-level grant databases, land trust contacts, and
recommended reading for new homesteaders and small-scale producers.