County Freedom Index

State freedom map

North Carolina Freedom Map

Compare all 100 North Carolina counties for tiny homes, RV living, off-grid living, homesteading, land affordability, solar, broadband, climate, public land, and county-rule research.

County profiles100
Regions8
Verified profiles0
Top score79

Interactive map

Explore North Carolina Counties

Map filters100 countiesUpdates the map below
Alamance County: Freedom Score 56Alexander County: Freedom Score 57Alleghany County: Freedom Score 73Anson County: Freedom Score 56Ashe County: Freedom Score 75Avery County: Freedom Score 58Beaufort County: Freedom Score 57Bertie County: Freedom Score 62Bladen County: Freedom Score 65Brunswick County: Freedom Score 58Buncombe County: Freedom Score 53Burke County: Freedom Score 56Cabarrus County: Freedom Score 56Caldwell County: Freedom Score 63Camden County: Freedom Score 57Carteret County: Freedom Score 59Caswell County: Freedom Score 55Catawba County: Freedom Score 57Chatham County: Freedom Score 56Cherokee County: Freedom Score 78Chowan County: Freedom Score 56Clay County: Freedom Score 74Cleveland County: Freedom Score 56Columbus County: Freedom Score 68Craven County: Freedom Score 56Cumberland County: Freedom Score 55Currituck County: Freedom Score 58Dare County: Freedom Score 36Davidson County: Freedom Score 57Davie County: Freedom Score 57Duplin County: Freedom Score 55Durham County: Freedom Score 34Edgecombe County: Freedom Score 54Forsyth County: Freedom Score 55Franklin County: Freedom Score 55Gaston County: Freedom Score 55Gates County: Freedom Score 55Graham County: Freedom Score 75Granville County: Freedom Score 56Greene County: Freedom Score 54Guilford County: Freedom Score 54Halifax County: Freedom Score 65Harnett County: Freedom Score 56Haywood County: Freedom Score 56Henderson County: Freedom Score 58Hertford County: Freedom Score 53Hoke County: Freedom Score 57Hyde County: Freedom Score 65Iredell County: Freedom Score 57Jackson County: Freedom Score 63Johnston County: Freedom Score 56Jones County: Freedom Score 59Lee County: Freedom Score 54Lenoir County: Freedom Score 55Lincoln County: Freedom Score 57Macon County: Freedom Score 58Madison County: Freedom Score 79Martin County: Freedom Score 53McDowell County: Freedom Score 57Mecklenburg County: Freedom Score 35Mitchell County: Freedom Score 74Montgomery County: Freedom Score 59Moore County: Freedom Score 57Nash County: Freedom Score 61New Hanover County: Freedom Score 37Northampton County: Freedom Score 70Onslow County: Freedom Score 57Orange County: Freedom Score 36Pamlico County: Freedom Score 57Pasquotank County: Freedom Score 56Pender County: Freedom Score 57Perquimans County: Freedom Score 56Person County: Freedom Score 55Pitt County: Freedom Score 55Polk County: Freedom Score 57Randolph County: Freedom Score 56Richmond County: Freedom Score 63Robeson County: Freedom Score 76Rockingham County: Freedom Score 55Rowan County: Freedom Score 56Rutherford County: Freedom Score 61Sampson County: Freedom Score 55Scotland County: Freedom Score 56Stanly County: Freedom Score 57Stokes County: Freedom Score 56Surry County: Freedom Score 62Swain County: Freedom Score 75Transylvania County: Freedom Score 57Tyrrell County: Freedom Score 73Union County: Freedom Score 57Vance County: Freedom Score 56Wake County: Freedom Score 36Warren County: Freedom Score 55Washington County: Freedom Score 61Watauga County: Freedom Score 58Wayne County: Freedom Score 56Wilkes County: Freedom Score 66Wilson County: Freedom Score 55Yadkin County: Freedom Score 56Yancey County: Freedom Score 74
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Pick any two counties and jump into a side-by-side research profile.

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Expansion state

North Carolina Is Part Of The Shared Freedom Map Platform

A sourced discovery dataset for North Carolina counties, mountain and Piedmont rural land screening, tiny-home and RV research, off-grid feasibility, county zoning, building permits, septic, wells, floodplain, coastal constraints, municipal overlays, and parcel-level due diligence, with direct county-office confirmation still pending. These pages use the same county template, scoring model, and source-first workflow as Colorado.

View methodology

Rank North Carolina

North Carolina County Rankings

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

Best fit

North Carolina 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: Madison, Cherokee, Robeson

RV

Best For RV Living Research

4/5

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

Top starts: Madison, Cherokee, Robeson

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: Madison, Cherokee, Ashe

Land

Cheapest Rural Land

82/100

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

Top starts: Bladen, Robeson, Wilkes

Public

Best Public Land Access

0.6M

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

Top starts: Dare, Hyde, Swain

Overall

Highest Freedom Scores

79

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

Top starts: Madison, Cherokee, Robeson

Research guides

North Carolina 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 North Carolina

County Profiles

#1

Madison County

Western Mountains

79
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
53
Partially sourced#2

Cherokee County

Western Mountains

78
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
45
Partially sourced#3

Robeson County

Sandhills and Southeast Coast

76
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
81
Partially sourced#4

Ashe County

Western Mountains

75
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
25
Partially sourced#5

Graham County

Western Mountains

75
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
30
Partially sourced#6

Swain County

Western Mountains

75
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
23
Partially sourced#7

Clay County

Western Mountains

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

Mitchell County

Western Mountains

74
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
26
Partially sourced#9

Yancey County

Western Mountains

74
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#10

Alleghany County

Western Mountains

73
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#11

Tyrrell County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

73
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#12

Northampton County

Northeast Piedmont and Roanoke

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

Columbus County

Sandhills and Southeast Coast

68
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#14

Wilkes County

Western Mountains

66
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
80
Partially sourced#15

Bladen County

Sandhills and Southeast Coast

65
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
82
Partially sourced#16

Halifax County

Northeast Piedmont and Roanoke

65
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#17

Hyde County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

65
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
58
Partially sourced#18

Caldwell County

Western Mountains

63
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
63
Partially sourced#19

Jackson County

Western Mountains

63
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
54
Partially sourced#20

Richmond County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

63
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
75
Partially sourced#21

Bertie County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

62
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
45
Partially sourced#22

Surry County

Triad and Northern Piedmont

62
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
58
Partially sourced#23

Nash County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

61
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
53
Partially sourced#24

Rutherford County

Western Mountains

61
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
52
Partially sourced#25

Washington County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

61
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
78
Partially sourced#26

Carteret County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

59
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#27

Jones County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

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

Montgomery County

North Carolina

59
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
37
Partially sourced#29

Avery County

Western Mountains

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

Brunswick County

Sandhills and Southeast Coast

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

Currituck County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

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

Henderson County

Western Mountains

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

Macon County

Western Mountains

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

Watauga County

Western Mountains

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

Alexander County

Charlotte Metro and Foothills

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

Beaufort County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

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

Camden County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

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

Catawba County

Charlotte Metro and Foothills

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

Davidson County

Triad and Northern Piedmont

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

Davie County

Triad and Northern Piedmont

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

Hoke County

Sandhills and Southeast Coast

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

Iredell County

Charlotte Metro and Foothills

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

Lincoln County

Charlotte Metro and Foothills

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

McDowell County

Western Mountains

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

Moore County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

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

Onslow County

Sandhills and Southeast Coast

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

Pamlico County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

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

Pender County

Sandhills and Southeast Coast

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

Polk County

Western Mountains

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#50

Stanly County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#51

Transylvania County

Western Mountains

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#52

Union County

Charlotte Metro and Foothills

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

Alamance County

Triad and Northern Piedmont

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#54

Anson County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#55

Burke County

Western Mountains

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
21
Partially sourced#56

Cabarrus County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#57

Chatham County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#58

Chowan County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#59

Cleveland County

Charlotte Metro and Foothills

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#60

Craven County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#61

Granville County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#62

Harnett County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#63

Haywood County

Western Mountains

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#64

Johnston County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#65

Pasquotank County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#66

Perquimans County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#67

Randolph County

Triad and Northern Piedmont

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#68

Rowan County

Charlotte Metro and Foothills

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#69

Scotland County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#70

Stokes County

Triad and Northern Piedmont

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#71

Vance County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#72

Wayne County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#73

Yadkin County

Triad and Northern Piedmont

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#74

Caswell County

Triad and Northern Piedmont

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#75

Cumberland County

Sandhills and Southeast Coast

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#76

Duplin County

Sandhills and Southeast Coast

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#77

Forsyth County

Triad and Northern Piedmont

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#78

Franklin County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#79

Gaston County

Charlotte Metro and Foothills

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#80

Gates County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#81

Lenoir County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#82

Person County

Triad and Northern Piedmont

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#83

Pitt County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#84

Rockingham County

Triad and Northern Piedmont

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#85

Sampson County

Sandhills and Southeast Coast

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#86

Warren County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#87

Wilson County

Northeast Piedmont and Roanoke

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#88

Edgecombe County

Northeast Piedmont and Roanoke

54
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#89

Greene County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

54
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#90

Guilford County

Triad and Northern Piedmont

54
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#91

Lee County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

54
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#92

Buncombe County

Western Mountains

53
Tiny
3/5
RV
2/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#93

Hertford County

Northeast Piedmont and Roanoke

53
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#94

Martin County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

53
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#95

New Hanover County

Sandhills and Southeast Coast

37
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#96

Dare County

Coastal Plain and Outer Banks

36
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#97

Orange County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

36
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
2/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#98

Wake County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

36
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#99

Mecklenburg County

Charlotte Metro and Foothills

35
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#100

Durham County

Central Piedmont and Triangle

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

Expansion queue

Future State Datasets

The remaining planned datasets are being evaluated.

View guides