The 10 most popular US states for off-the-grid living, according to HomeAdvisor

Percentage of #offgridliving posts: 3.46%

Off-grid tip: Diane Vuković, an author and writer for the blog Primal Survivor who regularly updates a list of off-grid laws relating to water, electric, and waste in each of the 50 states, deemed New York "one of the strictest" when it comes to regulations.

"However, this does not mean it is impossible to go off-grid in New York," she said. "It just means that you will likely have to do a lot more research to find a place where off-grid living is allowed and get numerous permits, licenses, and inspections."

Source: HomeAdvisor

Percentage of #offgridliving posts: 3.71%

Off-grid tip: The Earthship Biotecture in Taos, New Mexico, is an off-grid community that has made headlines over the years for its eye-catching designs. Founded by Michael Reynolds in the 1970s, it consists of self-sufficient, solar-powered homes and buildings made with upcycled material like car tires and glass.

Source: HomeAdvisor

Percentage of #offgridliving posts: 3.73%

Off-grid tip: Utah Homestead Properties, a brokerage specializing in self-sufficient homes, highlights Utah's vast wilderness, affordable real estate prices, and "independent, self-sufficient mindset" as reasons why the state is a great place to set up an off-grid life. The arid climate and extreme temperatures require off-gridders to get creative about heating and cooling, but there are "lots" of builders in the state that understand how to work around these challenges, the company writes on its website.

Source: HomeAdvisor

Percentage of #offgridliving posts: 4.14%

Off-grid tip: Alaska's microgrid laws are "very progressive," Vuković wrote for Primal Survivor. "However, off-grid solar may not be feasible in many areas of the state where there isn't much daylight during winter," she added.

Source: HomeAdvisor

Percentage of #offgridliving posts: 4.24%

Off-grid tip: Reports of a woman who was evicted from her off-grid home in Cape Coral, Florida, back in 2016 have contributed to the belief that off-grid living is illegal in Florida, according to Vuković and the blog Off Grid World.

"Many people have exaggerated on a story going around the internet that Florida doesn't allow off grid living, but the story is completely false," Off Grid World wrote in a recently updated post.

In reality, living off-grid in Florida is legal: Residents can set up off-grid solar power systems, collect rainwater, and with permission, install compost toilets, Vuković wrote.

Source: HomeAdvisor

Percentage of #offgridliving posts: 4.46%

Off-grid tip: "Although unplugging from public utilities isn't practical everywhere, the mild temperatures; abundance of sunshine, wind, and rain; and fertile soil make Hawaii an attractive place to go off grid," LiAnne Yu wrote for Hawaii Business magazine in November 2017.

The Big Island, or Hawaii Island, is home to several established off-grid communities. "Living off the land here is a way of life," Sean Jennings wrote of the Big Island on his blog Homesteadin' Hawaii.

Source: HomeAdvisor

Percentage of #offgridliving posts: 7.37%

Off-grid tip: One of Oregon's notable off-grid communities is the gated Three Rivers Recreation Area. Spanning 4,000 acres near the Metolius River arm of Lake Billy Chinook, it comes with its own marina and airstrip. It is home to 600 properties and between 75 and 80 full-time residents, according to Cascade Sotheby's International Realty.

Source: HomeAdvisor

Percentage of #offgridliving posts: 8.64%

Off-grid tip: In 2019, early retirees Steve and Courtney Adcock settled down at an off-grid home in the Arizona desert powered by solar. "Residential solar energy systems aren't cheap, but they are game-changers," Steve wrote in a blog post. "Solar power systems save money in the long run, include a tax credit in the US and, of course, it's clean energy. We love not having an electric bill."

Source: HomeAdvisor

Percentage of #offgridliving posts: 9.57%

Off-grid tip: A popular Colorado destination that draws a steady steam of novice and veteran off-gridders is San Luis Valley in Alamosa County, Tom McGhee reported for The Denver Post. "Mountains carve the sky in all directions, and the promise of cheap land and life beyond the confines of civilization lures many. It is dream land beyond the reach of electricity and other infrastructure considered necessary by most," he wrote.

Source: HomeAdvisor

Percentage of #offgridliving posts: 12.91%

"If you live in Los Angeles, San Francisco, or San Diego, you may well have an off-gridding Instagram-user right next door," HomeAdvisor wrote of the most popular state for off-grid living, according to its report.

HomeAdvisor describes the #offgridliving asethetic as a happy medium between a plugged-in life and homesteading. "You'll still find baskets of eggs, but they're surrounded by bushcraft knives, off-road vehicles, and ornate water filtration systems," the company said.

Source: HomeAdvisor