{
  "name": "County Freedom Index Public Field Provenance",
  "description": "Field-level source class, transformation, refresh cadence, limitation, and documentation path for the public county dataset.",
  "dataset_version": "county-summary-2026-08-04",
  "last_reviewed": "2026-08-04",
  "field_count": 30,
  "dataset_record_count": 3143,
  "dataset_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/data",
  "provenance_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/data/provenance",
  "fields": [
    {
      "field": "state",
      "label": "State",
      "category": "Identity",
      "provenanceClass": "Public source",
      "primaryInput": "U.S. Census geographic identifiers",
      "transformation": "Normalized state name",
      "refreshCadence": "Boundary or Census geography change",
      "limitation": "Geographic label only",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "state_code",
      "label": "State code",
      "category": "Identity",
      "provenanceClass": "Public source",
      "primaryInput": "U.S. Census geographic identifiers",
      "transformation": "Two-letter postal abbreviation",
      "refreshCadence": "Boundary or Census geography change",
      "limitation": "Geographic label only",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "county",
      "label": "County or equivalent",
      "category": "Identity",
      "provenanceClass": "Public source",
      "primaryInput": "U.S. Census county and county-equivalent names",
      "transformation": "Normalized display name",
      "refreshCadence": "Boundary or Census geography change",
      "limitation": "County-equivalent naming differs by state",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "fips",
      "label": "County FIPS",
      "category": "Identity",
      "provenanceClass": "Public source",
      "primaryInput": "U.S. Census geographic identifiers",
      "transformation": "Five-character state and county FIPS code",
      "refreshCadence": "Boundary or Census geography change",
      "limitation": "Identifies a county geography, not a parcel",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "region",
      "label": "Research region",
      "category": "Identity",
      "provenanceClass": "Editorial research",
      "primaryInput": "County Freedom Index browsing taxonomy",
      "transformation": "County assigned to a regional research cluster",
      "refreshCadence": "When regional taxonomy changes",
      "limitation": "A browsing aid, not an official jurisdiction",
      "documentationPath": "/regions",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/regions"
    },
    {
      "field": "profile_url",
      "label": "County profile URL",
      "category": "Identity",
      "provenanceClass": "Generated metadata",
      "primaryInput": "State and county route registry",
      "transformation": "Canonical County Freedom Index URL generated from the county slug",
      "refreshCadence": "Per release",
      "limitation": "Link structure may change with redirects preserved",
      "documentationPath": "/data",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/data"
    },
    {
      "field": "data_quality",
      "label": "Data quality",
      "category": "Confidence",
      "provenanceClass": "Editorial research",
      "primaryInput": "County source-review status",
      "transformation": "Mapped to verified, partially sourced, or draft",
      "refreshCadence": "Per accepted research update",
      "limitation": "Describes county-level evidence depth, not parcel approval",
      "documentationPath": "/how-we-verify",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/how-we-verify"
    },
    {
      "field": "research_confidence",
      "label": "Research confidence",
      "category": "Confidence",
      "provenanceClass": "Editorial research",
      "primaryInput": "County source trail and review notes",
      "transformation": "Published confidence label from the research record",
      "refreshCadence": "Per accepted research update",
      "limitation": "Confidence can vary across fields within one profile",
      "documentationPath": "/how-we-verify",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/how-we-verify"
    },
    {
      "field": "citation_count",
      "label": "Citation count",
      "category": "Confidence",
      "provenanceClass": "Derived",
      "primaryInput": "Accepted county citation URL list",
      "transformation": "Count of citation URLs attached to the county research record",
      "refreshCadence": "Per accepted research update",
      "limitation": "A larger count does not automatically mean stronger evidence",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "freedom_score_0_to_100",
      "label": "Freedom Score",
      "category": "Composite indexes",
      "provenanceClass": "Derived",
      "primaryInput": "Published housing, affordability, tax, solar, and broadband inputs",
      "transformation": "Weighted first-party formula documented in the methodology",
      "refreshCadence": "When an input or scoring method changes",
      "limitation": "A comparative discovery score, not a legal conclusion",
      "documentationPath": "/methodology",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/methodology"
    },
    {
      "field": "housing_freedom_index_0_to_100",
      "label": "Housing Freedom Index",
      "category": "Composite indexes",
      "provenanceClass": "Derived",
      "primaryInput": "Alternative-housing discovery scores",
      "transformation": "Normalized first-party housing index",
      "refreshCadence": "When an input or scoring method changes",
      "limitation": "County-level signal that still requires parcel and code review",
      "documentationPath": "/methodology",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/methodology"
    },
    {
      "field": "off_grid_freedom_index_0_to_100",
      "label": "Off-Grid Freedom Index",
      "category": "Composite indexes",
      "provenanceClass": "Derived",
      "primaryInput": "Off-grid, solar, rural, climate, and infrastructure signals",
      "transformation": "Normalized first-party off-grid index",
      "refreshCadence": "When an input or scoring method changes",
      "limitation": "Does not confirm water, septic, access, or utility feasibility",
      "documentationPath": "/methodology",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/methodology"
    },
    {
      "field": "homestead_freedom_index_0_to_100",
      "label": "Homestead Freedom Index",
      "category": "Composite indexes",
      "provenanceClass": "Derived",
      "primaryInput": "Rural-use, climate, affordability, and housing signals",
      "transformation": "Normalized first-party homestead index",
      "refreshCadence": "When an input or scoring method changes",
      "limitation": "Does not confirm agricultural, livestock, or dwelling rights",
      "documentationPath": "/methodology",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/methodology"
    },
    {
      "field": "connectivity_index_0_to_100",
      "label": "Connectivity Index",
      "category": "Composite indexes",
      "provenanceClass": "Derived",
      "primaryInput": "County broadband and infrastructure signals",
      "transformation": "Normalized first-party connectivity index",
      "refreshCadence": "When an input or scoring method changes",
      "limitation": "Does not guarantee service at an address",
      "documentationPath": "/methodology",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/methodology"
    },
    {
      "field": "tiny_home_score_1_to_5",
      "label": "Tiny home score",
      "category": "Housing signals",
      "provenanceClass": "Editorial research",
      "primaryInput": "County planning, zoning, building, and housing research",
      "transformation": "County-level discovery score on a 1-5 scale",
      "refreshCadence": "Quarterly or source change",
      "limitation": "Does not confirm a tiny home is permitted on a parcel",
      "documentationPath": "/how-we-verify",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/how-we-verify"
    },
    {
      "field": "rv_living_score_1_to_5",
      "label": "RV living score",
      "category": "Housing signals",
      "provenanceClass": "Editorial research",
      "primaryInput": "County RV, camping, occupancy, and permit research",
      "transformation": "County-level discovery score on a 1-5 scale",
      "refreshCadence": "Quarterly or source change",
      "limitation": "Duration and occupancy rules can be parcel-specific",
      "documentationPath": "/how-we-verify",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/how-we-verify"
    },
    {
      "field": "off_grid_score_1_to_5",
      "label": "Off-grid score",
      "category": "Housing signals",
      "provenanceClass": "Editorial research",
      "primaryInput": "County rule and rural-infrastructure research",
      "transformation": "County-level discovery score on a 1-5 scale",
      "refreshCadence": "Quarterly or source change",
      "limitation": "Does not confirm well, septic, power, road, or dwelling feasibility",
      "documentationPath": "/how-we-verify",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/how-we-verify"
    },
    {
      "field": "container_home_score_1_to_5",
      "label": "Container home score",
      "category": "Housing signals",
      "provenanceClass": "Editorial research",
      "primaryInput": "County building-code and alternative-housing research",
      "transformation": "County-level discovery score on a 1-5 scale",
      "refreshCadence": "Quarterly or source change",
      "limitation": "Engineering and code requirements remain project-specific",
      "documentationPath": "/how-we-verify",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/how-we-verify"
    },
    {
      "field": "adu_score_1_to_5",
      "label": "ADU score",
      "category": "Housing signals",
      "provenanceClass": "Editorial research",
      "primaryInput": "County and state accessory-dwelling research",
      "transformation": "County-level discovery score on a 1-5 scale",
      "refreshCadence": "Quarterly or source change",
      "limitation": "ADU rules often depend on zoning, utilities, and an existing primary dwelling",
      "documentationPath": "/how-we-verify",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/how-we-verify"
    },
    {
      "field": "solar_potential_1_to_10",
      "label": "Solar potential",
      "category": "Infrastructure and access",
      "provenanceClass": "Public source",
      "primaryInput": "NASA POWER county-centroid climatology",
      "transformation": "Irradiance context normalized to a 1-10 planning score",
      "refreshCadence": "Annual or source change",
      "limitation": "Not a roof, shading, battery, or system-design study",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "broadband_availability_1_to_10",
      "label": "Broadband availability",
      "category": "Infrastructure and access",
      "provenanceClass": "Public source",
      "primaryInput": "ACS broadband subscription data via Census Reporter",
      "transformation": "County household subscription proxy normalized to 1-10",
      "refreshCadence": "Annual",
      "limitation": "Not address-level provider or speed availability",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "public_land_access_score_1_to_5",
      "label": "Public-land access",
      "category": "Infrastructure and access",
      "provenanceClass": "Derived",
      "primaryInput": "Federal, state, and local public-land GIS context",
      "transformation": "County access and recreation context normalized to 1-5",
      "refreshCadence": "Annual or source change",
      "limitation": "Not a parcel-boundary, legal-access, or trailhead determination",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "population",
      "label": "Population",
      "category": "Demographics",
      "provenanceClass": "Public source",
      "primaryInput": "U.S. Census county population estimates",
      "transformation": "Published county estimate",
      "refreshCadence": "Annual",
      "limitation": "County total, not a parcel or service-area population",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "population_density_per_sq_mile",
      "label": "Population density",
      "category": "Demographics",
      "provenanceClass": "Derived",
      "primaryInput": "Census population and county land area",
      "transformation": "Population divided by county land area",
      "refreshCadence": "Annual",
      "limitation": "County averages can hide large internal differences",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "growing_season_days",
      "label": "Growing season",
      "category": "Climate",
      "provenanceClass": "Public source",
      "primaryInput": "NOAA ACIS and regional climate-center context",
      "transformation": "County-level growing-season estimate",
      "refreshCadence": "Annual or source change",
      "limitation": "Elevation and microclimates can vary substantially",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "annual_precipitation_inches",
      "label": "Annual precipitation",
      "category": "Climate",
      "provenanceClass": "Public source",
      "primaryInput": "NOAA ACIS and regional climate-center context",
      "transformation": "County-level annual precipitation estimate",
      "refreshCadence": "Annual or source change",
      "limitation": "Not a parcel water-supply estimate",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "average_snowfall_inches",
      "label": "Average snowfall",
      "category": "Climate",
      "provenanceClass": "Public source",
      "primaryInput": "NOAA ACIS station-based context",
      "transformation": "County-level snowfall estimate",
      "refreshCadence": "Annual or source change",
      "limitation": "Station coverage and elevation can materially affect local snowfall",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "average_temperature_f",
      "label": "Average temperature",
      "category": "Climate",
      "provenanceClass": "Public source",
      "primaryInput": "NOAA ACIS and regional climate-center context",
      "transformation": "County-level annual temperature estimate",
      "refreshCadence": "Annual or source change",
      "limitation": "County average can mask seasonal and elevation extremes",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "property_tax_rate_percent",
      "label": "Property tax rate",
      "category": "Taxes",
      "provenanceClass": "Public source",
      "primaryInput": "Property Tax Explorer county effective-rate context",
      "transformation": "Published county-level effective-rate signal",
      "refreshCadence": "Annual",
      "limitation": "Not a parcel tax bill or assessment forecast",
      "documentationPath": "/sources",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/sources"
    },
    {
      "field": "dataset_last_reviewed",
      "label": "Dataset last reviewed",
      "category": "Release metadata",
      "provenanceClass": "Generated metadata",
      "primaryInput": "County Freedom Index release process",
      "transformation": "Shared public-dataset review date",
      "refreshCadence": "Per release",
      "limitation": "Does not mean every underlying source was updated on that date",
      "documentationPath": "/data-changelog",
      "documentation_url": "https://countyfreedomindex.com/data-changelog"
    }
  ]
}