County Freedom Index

State freedom map

New York Freedom Map

Compare all 62 New York counties for tiny homes, RV living, off-grid living, homesteading, land affordability, solar, broadband, climate, public land, and county-rule research.

County profiles62
Regions11
Verified profiles0
Top score77

Interactive map

Explore New York Counties

Map filters62 countiesUpdates the map below
Albany County: Freedom Score 33Allegany County: Freedom Score 75Bronx County: Freedom Score 28Broome County: Freedom Score 60Cattaraugus County: Freedom Score 76Cayuga County: Freedom Score 49Chautauqua County: Freedom Score 60Chemung County: Freedom Score 59Chenango County: Freedom Score 77Clinton County: Freedom Score 49Columbia County: Freedom Score 49Cortland County: Freedom Score 49Delaware County: Freedom Score 74Dutchess County: Freedom Score 50Erie County: Freedom Score 32Essex County: Freedom Score 53Franklin County: Freedom Score 66Fulton County: Freedom Score 51Genesee County: Freedom Score 49Greene County: Freedom Score 49Hamilton County: Freedom Score 69Herkimer County: Freedom Score 58Jefferson County: Freedom Score 58Kings County: Freedom Score 30Lewis County: Freedom Score 67Livingston County: Freedom Score 50Madison County: Freedom Score 49Monroe County: Freedom Score 32Montgomery County: Freedom Score 50Nassau County: Freedom Score 25New York County: Freedom Score 29Niagara County: Freedom Score 49Oneida County: Freedom Score 58Onondaga County: Freedom Score 32Ontario County: Freedom Score 50Orange County: Freedom Score 49Orleans County: Freedom Score 49Oswego County: Freedom Score 54Otsego County: Freedom Score 55Putnam County: Freedom Score 50Queens County: Freedom Score 29Rensselaer County: Freedom Score 50Richmond County: Freedom Score 27Rockland County: Freedom Score 24Saratoga County: Freedom Score 50Schenectady County: Freedom Score 49Schoharie County: Freedom Score 72Schuyler County: Freedom Score 49Seneca County: Freedom Score 49St. Lawrence County: Freedom Score 77Steuben County: Freedom Score 75Suffolk County: Freedom Score 33Sullivan County: Freedom Score 64Tioga County: Freedom Score 75Tompkins County: Freedom Score 50Ulster County: Freedom Score 50Warren County: Freedom Score 50Washington County: Freedom Score 58Wayne County: Freedom Score 49Westchester County: Freedom Score 24Wyoming County: Freedom Score 49Yates County: Freedom Score 48
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New York Is Part Of The Shared Freedom Map Platform

A sourced discovery dataset for New York counties, rural land screening, tiny-home and RV research, off-grid feasibility, city, town, and village local-law context, building-code review, septic, private wells, DEC wetlands and floodplain, Adirondack Park Agency considerations, permits, and parcel-level due diligence, with direct local-office confirmation still pending. These pages use the same county template, scoring model, and source-first workflow as Colorado.

View methodology

Rank New York

New York County Rankings

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

Best fit

New York 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: Chenango, St. Lawrence, Cattaraugus

RV

Best For RV Living Research

4/5

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

Top starts: Chenango, St. Lawrence, Cattaraugus

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: Chenango, St. Lawrence, Cattaraugus

Land

Cheapest Rural Land

94/100

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

Top starts: Broome, St. Lawrence, Chenango

Public

Best Public Land Access

1.1M

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

Top starts: Hamilton, Essex, St. Lawrence

Overall

Highest Freedom Scores

77

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

Top starts: Chenango, St. Lawrence, Cattaraugus

Research guides

New York 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 New York

County Profiles

#1

Chenango County

Southern Tier and Central Leatherstocking

77
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
92
Partially sourced#2

St. Lawrence County

North Country and Adirondacks

77
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
93
Partially sourced#3

Cattaraugus County

Western New York

76
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
91
Partially sourced#4

Allegany County

Western New York

75
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
78
Partially sourced#5

Steuben County

Southern Tier and Central Leatherstocking

75
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
83
Partially sourced#6

Tioga County

Southern Tier and Central Leatherstocking

75
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
78
Partially sourced#7

Delaware County

Southern Tier and Central Leatherstocking

74
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
70
Partially sourced#8

Schoharie County

Capital Region and Southern Adirondacks

72
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
59
Partially sourced#9

Hamilton County

North Country and Adirondacks

69
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#10

Lewis County

North Country and Adirondacks

67
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
31
Partially sourced#11

Franklin County

North Country and Adirondacks

66
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#12

Sullivan County

Hudson Valley and Catskills

64
Tiny
4/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
61
Partially sourced#13

Broome County

Southern Tier and Central Leatherstocking

60
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
94
Partially sourced#14

Chautauqua County

Western New York

60
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
90
Partially sourced#15

Chemung County

Southern Tier and Central Leatherstocking

59
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
84
Partially sourced#16

Herkimer County

North Country and Adirondacks

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
85
Partially sourced#17

Jefferson County

North Country and Adirondacks

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
79
Partially sourced#18

Oneida County

Central New York

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
81
Partially sourced#19

Washington County

Capital Region and Southern Adirondacks

58
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
78
Partially sourced#20

Otsego County

Southern Tier and Central Leatherstocking

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
62
Partially sourced#21

Oswego County

Central New York

54
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
53
Partially sourced#22

Essex County

North Country and Adirondacks

53
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#23

Fulton County

Mohawk Valley

51
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
36
Partially sourced#24

Dutchess County

Hudson Valley and Catskills

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#25

Livingston County

Genesee Valley and Rochester Region

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
30
Partially sourced#26

Montgomery County

Mohawk Valley

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
30
Partially sourced#27

Ontario County

Finger Lakes

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#28

Putnam County

Downstate and Hudson Valley Suburbs

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#29

Rensselaer County

Capital Region and Southern Adirondacks

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#30

Saratoga County

Capital Region and Southern Adirondacks

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#31

Tompkins County

Southern Tier and Central Leatherstocking

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#32

Ulster County

Hudson Valley and Catskills

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#33

Warren County

Capital Region and Southern Adirondacks

50
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
26
Partially sourced#34

Cayuga County

Central New York

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#35

Clinton County

North Country and Adirondacks

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#36

Columbia County

Hudson Valley and Catskills

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#37

Cortland County

Central New York

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#38

Genesee County

Genesee Valley and Rochester Region

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#39

Greene County

Hudson Valley and Catskills

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#40

Madison County

Central New York

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#41

Niagara County

Western New York

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#42

Orange County

Hudson Valley and Catskills

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#43

Orleans County

Genesee Valley and Rochester Region

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#44

Schenectady County

Capital Region and Southern Adirondacks

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#45

Schuyler County

Southern Tier and Central Leatherstocking

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#46

Seneca County

Finger Lakes

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#47

Wayne County

Finger Lakes

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#48

Wyoming County

Genesee Valley and Rochester Region

49
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
29
Partially sourced#49

Yates County

Finger Lakes

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

Albany County

Capital Region and Southern Adirondacks

33
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#51

Suffolk County

Downstate and Hudson Valley Suburbs

33
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#52

Erie County

Western New York

32
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#53

Monroe County

Genesee Valley and Rochester Region

32
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#54

Onondaga County

Central New York

32
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#55

Kings County

New York City

30
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#56

New York County

New York City

29
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#57

Queens County

New York City

29
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#58

Bronx County

New York City

28
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#59

Richmond County

New York City

27
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#60

Nassau County

Downstate and Hudson Valley Suburbs

25
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#61

Rockland County

Downstate and Hudson Valley Suburbs

24
Tiny
1/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#62

Westchester County

Downstate and Hudson Valley Suburbs

24
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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