County Freedom Index

State freedom map

Minnesota Freedom Map

Compare all 87 Minnesota counties for tiny homes, RV living, off-grid living, homesteading, land affordability, solar, broadband, climate, public land, and county-rule research.

County profiles87
Regions9
Verified profiles0
Top score82

Interactive map

Explore Minnesota Counties

Map filters87 countiesUpdates the map below
Aitkin County: Freedom Score 72Anoka County: Freedom Score 35Becker County: Freedom Score 58Beltrami County: Freedom Score 70Benton County: Freedom Score 53Big Stone County: Freedom Score 57Blue Earth County: Freedom Score 52Brown County: Freedom Score 51Carlton County: Freedom Score 53Carver County: Freedom Score 35Cass County: Freedom Score 72Chippewa County: Freedom Score 55Chisago County: Freedom Score 51Clay County: Freedom Score 50Clearwater County: Freedom Score 82Cook County: Freedom Score 63Cottonwood County: Freedom Score 55Crow Wing County: Freedom Score 67Dakota County: Freedom Score 35Dodge County: Freedom Score 52Douglas County: Freedom Score 53Faribault County: Freedom Score 56Fillmore County: Freedom Score 57Freeborn County: Freedom Score 51Goodhue County: Freedom Score 52Grant County: Freedom Score 57Hennepin County: Freedom Score 24Houston County: Freedom Score 58Hubbard County: Freedom Score 70Isanti County: Freedom Score 52Itasca County: Freedom Score 69Jackson County: Freedom Score 58Kanabec County: Freedom Score 50Kandiyohi County: Freedom Score 52Kittson County: Freedom Score 77Koochiching County: Freedom Score 78Lac qui Parle County: Freedom Score 64Lake County: Freedom Score 58Lake of the Woods County: Freedom Score 75Le Sueur County: Freedom Score 52Lincoln County: Freedom Score 64Lyon County: Freedom Score 52Mahnomen County: Freedom Score 76Marshall County: Freedom Score 82Martin County: Freedom Score 55McLeod County: Freedom Score 51Meeker County: Freedom Score 53Mille Lacs County: Freedom Score 54Morrison County: Freedom Score 53Mower County: Freedom Score 52Murray County: Freedom Score 58Nicollet County: Freedom Score 51Nobles County: Freedom Score 53Norman County: Freedom Score 81Olmsted County: Freedom Score 43Otter Tail County: Freedom Score 53Pennington County: Freedom Score 66Pine County: Freedom Score 63Pipestone County: Freedom Score 57Polk County: Freedom Score 60Pope County: Freedom Score 58Ramsey County: Freedom Score 24Red Lake County: Freedom Score 63Redwood County: Freedom Score 57Renville County: Freedom Score 62Rice County: Freedom Score 52Rock County: Freedom Score 59Roseau County: Freedom Score 80Scott County: Freedom Score 36Sherburne County: Freedom Score 52Sibley County: Freedom Score 56St. Louis County: Freedom Score 69Stearns County: Freedom Score 53Steele County: Freedom Score 50Stevens County: Freedom Score 58Swift County: Freedom Score 57Todd County: Freedom Score 55Traverse County: Freedom Score 69Wabasha County: Freedom Score 52Wadena County: Freedom Score 60Waseca County: Freedom Score 50Washington County: Freedom Score 35Watonwan County: Freedom Score 55Wilkin County: Freedom Score 69Winona County: Freedom Score 53Wright County: Freedom Score 52Yellow Medicine County: Freedom Score 56
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Expansion state

Minnesota Is Part Of The Shared Freedom Map Platform

A sourced discovery dataset for Minnesota counties, lake-country and northern rural land research, homesteading, off-grid screening, county/township/city zoning, shoreland, wetlands, floodplain, septic, private wells, and public-waters due diligence, with local-office confirmation still pending. These pages use the same county template, scoring model, and source-first workflow as Colorado.

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Rank Minnesota

Minnesota County Rankings

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

Best fit

Minnesota 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: Clearwater, Marshall, Norman

RV

Best For RV Living Research

4/5

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

Top starts: Clearwater, Marshall, Norman

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: Clearwater, Marshall, Norman

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: Marshall, Norman, Kittson

Public

Best Public Land Access

2.1M

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

Top starts: St. Louis, Lake, Cook

Overall

Highest Freedom Scores

82

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

Top starts: Clearwater, Marshall, Norman

Research guides

Minnesota 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 Minnesota

County Profiles

#1

Clearwater County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

82
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
96
Partially sourced#2

Marshall County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

82
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
100
Partially sourced#3

Norman County

West Central Lakes and Prairie

81
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
100
Partially sourced#4

Roseau County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

80
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
97
Partially sourced#5

Koochiching County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

78
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
76
Partially sourced#6

Kittson County

Minnesota

77
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
100
Partially sourced#7

Mahnomen County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

76
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
68
Partially sourced#8

Lake of the Woods County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

75
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
53
Partially sourced#9

Aitkin County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

72
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#10

Cass County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

72
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#11

Beltrami County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

70
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#12

Hubbard County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

70
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#13

Itasca County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

69
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#14

St. Louis County

North Shore and Arrowhead

69
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
61
Partially sourced#15

Traverse County

West Central Lakes and Prairie

69
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#16

Wilkin County

West Central Lakes and Prairie

69
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#17

Crow Wing County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

67
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#18

Pennington County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

66
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
100
Partially sourced#19

Lac qui Parle County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

64
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#20

Lincoln County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

64
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
65
Partially sourced#21

Cook County

North Shore and Arrowhead

63
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
57
Partially sourced#22

Pine County

Central Minnesota

63
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
66
Partially sourced#23

Red Lake County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

63
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#24

Renville County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

62
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
65
Partially sourced#25

Polk County

Minnesota

60
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
45
Partially sourced#26

Wadena County

Minnesota

60
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
61
Partially sourced#27

Rock County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

59
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#28

Becker County

West Central Lakes and Prairie

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

Houston County

Southeast Minnesota and Driftless

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
65
Partially sourced#30

Jackson County

South Central Minnesota

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
25
Partially sourced#31

Lake County

North Shore and Arrowhead

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#32

Murray County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

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

Pope County

West Central Lakes and Prairie

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#34

Stevens County

West Central Lakes and Prairie

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#35

Big Stone County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#36

Fillmore County

Southeast Minnesota and Driftless

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#37

Grant County

West Central Lakes and Prairie

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#38

Pipestone County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#39

Redwood County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#40

Swift County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#41

Faribault County

South Central Minnesota

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#42

Sibley County

South Central Minnesota

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#43

Yellow Medicine County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#44

Chippewa County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#45

Cottonwood County

South Central Minnesota

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#46

Martin County

South Central Minnesota

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#47

Todd County

West Central Lakes and Prairie

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#48

Watonwan County

South Central Minnesota

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#49

Mille Lacs County

Central Minnesota

54
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
40
Partially sourced#50

Benton County

Central Minnesota

53
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#51

Carlton County

Northern Minnesota and Lake Country

53
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
42
Partially sourced#52

Douglas County

West Central Lakes and Prairie

53
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#53

Meeker County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

53
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#54

Morrison County

Central Minnesota

53
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#55

Nobles County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

53
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#56

Otter Tail County

West Central Lakes and Prairie

53
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#57

Stearns County

Central Minnesota

53
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#58

Winona County

Southeast Minnesota and Driftless

53
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#59

Blue Earth County

South Central Minnesota

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#60

Dodge County

Southeast Minnesota and Driftless

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#61

Goodhue County

Southeast Minnesota and Driftless

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#62

Isanti County

Central Minnesota

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#63

Kandiyohi County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#64

Le Sueur County

South Central Minnesota

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#65

Lyon County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#66

Mower County

Southeast Minnesota and Driftless

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#67

Rice County

Southeast Minnesota and Driftless

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#68

Sherburne County

Central Minnesota

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#69

Wabasha County

Southeast Minnesota and Driftless

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#70

Wright County

Central Minnesota

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#71

Brown County

South Central Minnesota

51
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#72

Chisago County

Central Minnesota

51
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#73

Freeborn County

South Central Minnesota

51
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#74

McLeod County

Southwest Minnesota Prairie

51
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#75

Nicollet County

South Central Minnesota

51
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#76

Clay County

West Central Lakes and Prairie

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#77

Kanabec County

Central Minnesota

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#78

Steele County

Southeast Minnesota and Driftless

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#79

Waseca County

South Central Minnesota

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#80

Olmsted County

Southeast Minnesota and Driftless

43
Tiny
2/5
RV
2/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
50
Partially sourced#81

Scott County

Twin Cities Metro

36
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#82

Anoka County

Twin Cities Metro

35
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#83

Carver County

Twin Cities Metro

35
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#84

Dakota County

Twin Cities Metro

35
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#85

Washington County

Twin Cities Metro

35
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#86

Hennepin County

Twin Cities Metro

24
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#87

Ramsey County

Twin Cities Metro

24
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced

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Future State Datasets

The remaining planned datasets are being evaluated.

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