County Freedom Index

State freedom map

California Freedom Map

Compare all 58 California counties for tiny homes, RV living, off-grid living, homesteading, land affordability, solar, broadband, climate, public land, and county-rule research.

County profiles58
Regions10
Verified profiles0
Top score86

Interactive map

Explore California Counties

Map filters58 countiesUpdates the map below
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Compare Two Counties

Pick any two counties and jump into a side-by-side research profile.

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Expansion state

California Is Part Of The Shared Freedom Map Platform

A sourced discovery dataset for California county-rule screening, high-demand rural land research, coastal constraints, high-desert parcels, and alternative housing due diligence, with county-office confirmation still pending. These pages use the same county template, scoring model, and source-first workflow as Colorado.

View methodology

Rank California

California County Rankings

Highest Freedom ScoresBest for Tiny HomesBest for RV LivingBest for Off-Grid LivingCheapest LandBest Solar PotentialBest Public Land Access

Best fit

California Counties By Lifestyle Goal

Start with a use case, compare the top county-level candidates, then move into parcel-level zoning, water, septic, access, and covenant research.

Tiny

Best For Tiny Home Research

4/5

County-level candidates where tiny-home research starts with stronger alternative-housing scores, rural land context, and source coverage.

Top starts: Modoc, Trinity, Lassen

RV

Best For RV Living Research

4/5

Counties worth comparing for RV occupancy, temporary use, sanitation, access, construction, and covenant questions.

Top starts: Modoc, Trinity, Lassen

Off grid

Best For Off-Grid Living

5/5

Stronger off-grid discovery candidates based on rural density, land affordability, solar, public land, water, septic, and county-rule research.

Top starts: Modoc, Trinity, Lassen

Land

Cheapest Rural Land

100/100

Lower price-per-acre counties that still need practical screening for water, septic, roads, covenants, access, and total development cost.

Top starts: Inyo, Modoc, Lassen

Public

Best Public Land Access

10.9M

Counties with major public-land acreage and recreation signals, balanced against private parcel access and buildability constraints.

Top starts: San Bernardino, Inyo, Riverside

Overall

Highest Freedom Scores

86

The broadest starting point for comparing counties across lifestyle scores, land affordability, taxes, solar, broadband, and public land.

Top starts: Modoc, Trinity, Lassen

Research guides

California Lifestyle Research Paths

Use these guides to translate county rankings into practical due-diligence checklists for your intended housing and land-use plan.

Best for Tiny HomesBest for RV LivingBest for Off-Grid LivingCheapest LandBest Public Land Access

Browse California

County Profiles

#1

Modoc County

Far Northern California

86
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
99
Partially sourced#2

Trinity County

North Coast and Klamath

85
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
74
Partially sourced#3

Lassen County

Far Northern California

84
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
91
Partially sourced#4

Siskiyou County

Far Northern California

84
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
80
Partially sourced#5

Sierra County

Far Northern California

80
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
57
Partially sourced#6

Inyo County

Sierra Nevada and Eastern California

79
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
100
Partially sourced#7

Plumas County

Far Northern California

74
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#8

Alpine County

Sierra Nevada and Eastern California

72
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#9

Shasta County

Far Northern California

70
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
50
Partially sourced#10

Colusa County

Sacramento Valley

68
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
68
Partially sourced#11

Glenn County

Far Northern California

68
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
59
Partially sourced#12

Mariposa County

Sierra Nevada and Eastern California

67
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
24
Partially sourced#13

Tehama County

Far Northern California

65
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
47
Partially sourced#14

Tuolumne County

Sierra Nevada and Eastern California

65
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
37
Partially sourced#15

Calaveras County

Sierra Nevada and Eastern California

62
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#16

Imperial County

Southern Border and Desert

62
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
24
Partially sourced#17

Kern County

Central Valley

62
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
27
Partially sourced#18

San Bernardino County

Greater Los Angeles and Inland Empire

62
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#19

Del Norte County

North Coast and Klamath

61
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#20

Humboldt County

North Coast and Klamath

60
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#21

Monterey County

Central Coast

59
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#22

Napa County

Bay Area

59
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#23

San Luis Obispo County

Central Coast

59
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#24

Santa Barbara County

Central Coast

59
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#25

Santa Cruz County

Central Coast

59
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#26

Amador County

Sierra Nevada and Eastern California

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#27

Butte County

Far Northern California

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
24
Partially sourced#28

El Dorado County

Sierra Nevada and Eastern California

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
2/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#29

Madera County

Central Valley

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#30

Marin County

Bay Area

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#31

Merced County

Central Valley

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#32

Mono County

Sierra Nevada and Eastern California

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
2/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#33

San Benito County

Central Coast

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#34

Sonoma County

Bay Area

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#35

Stanislaus County

Central Valley

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#36

Tulare County

Central Valley

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#37

Ventura County

Central Coast

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#38

Fresno County

Central Valley

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#39

Kings County

Central Valley

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#40

Lake County

California

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#41

Mendocino County

North Coast and Klamath

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
2/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#42

Nevada County

Sierra Nevada and Eastern California

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#43

Placer County

Sierra Nevada and Eastern California

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#44

San Joaquin County

Central Valley

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#45

Solano County

Sacramento Valley

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#46

Sutter County

Sacramento Valley

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#47

Yolo County

Sacramento Valley

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#48

Yuba County

Sacramento Valley

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#49

Riverside County

Greater Los Angeles and Inland Empire

48
Tiny
2/5
RV
2/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#50

Sacramento County

Sacramento Valley

41
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#51

San Diego County

Southern Border and Desert

40
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#52

Contra Costa County

Bay Area

34
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#53

Orange County

Greater Los Angeles and Inland Empire

33
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#54

Santa Clara County

Bay Area

33
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#55

Los Angeles County

Greater Los Angeles and Inland Empire

32
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#56

San Mateo County

Bay Area

32
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#57

San Francisco County

Bay Area

31
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#58

Alameda County

Bay Area

30
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced

Expansion queue

Future State Datasets

The remaining planned datasets are being evaluated.

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