Transparency

Sources

A plain-language glossary for the county-level data layers behind County Freedom Indexacross live state datasets. These layers are useful for discovery, not parcel-level approval.

Data layers

Source Glossary

Sourced

County Boundaries

County boundary data powers the map and supports county-level geographic joins. It is not a parcel boundary dataset.

US county GeoJSON filtered to live state counties
Sourced

Population And Density

Population uses county estimates. Density is computed from population and county land area in the imported boundary data.

U.S. Census 2024 county estimates
Sourced snapshot

Land Market

Land market values use active listing snapshots and average price-per-acre estimates from public marketplace summaries. They are useful for county comparison, but they are not parcel appraisals, guaranteed sale prices, or true statistical medians.

LandSearch county listing summaries
Sourced

Property Taxes

Property tax scores use effective property tax rates as a county-level affordability signal.

Property Tax Explorer
Sourced and estimated

Climate

Precipitation, temperature, growing season, and snowfall are county-level climate estimates. Snowfall uses station-based coverage where available.

NOAA ACIS via RCC
Sourced GIS snapshot

Public Land

Public land estimates use county-clipped federal, state, and local public land/access layers. Overlapping designations are excluded where they would double-count acreage.

State and federal public land GIS layers
Sourced proxy

Broadband

Broadband availability uses household broadband subscription as a county-level proxy. It is not parcel-level service availability.

ACS 2024 table B28002 via Census Reporter
Sourced proxy

Solar

Solar potential uses county-centroid irradiance values. It is a planning proxy, not a site-specific solar design study.

NASA POWER climatology
Derived discovery score

Alternative Housing Scores

Tiny home, RV, off-grid, container home, and ADU scores are county-level discovery scores. They require parcel-level confirmation before action.

County-level research review

Dataset inventory

Live National Dataset Inventory

The national dataset currently publishes 3143 county and county-equivalent profiles across 50 state datasets: 164 verified profiles, 2979 sourced-discovery profiles, and 59629 citation URLs. Public labels stay separate from parcel-level approval, zoning, water, septic, road, covenant, and permit checks.

Source-quality review

Source Upgrades Require Evidence

The source-quality layer currently organizes 460review rows for future cleanup and confirmation work. 460rows remain paused from public-facing changes, and verification updates remain at 0 until supporting evidence is accepted and validated.

Data confidence

Confidence labels describe source support. They do not approve a parcel, project, permit, well, septic system, RV stay, or dwelling.

Verified

County-level profile has stronger official source coverage, but parcel-level approval is still not confirmed.

Sourced discovery

County-level sourced discovery profile has useful official or public sources, but parcel decisions still require local due diligence.

Draft

Draft profile should be treated as early screening only until more source review is complete.

State source coverage

Coverage By State

Each state keeps its own source trail, confidence label, and local-rule review queue. Use this summary to understand where verified profiles are strongest and where sourced-discovery profiles require deeper current local-rule source support.

live64 counties

Colorado

Source coverage for Colorado includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
64
Sourced discovery
0
Citations
132
Open state
live23 counties

Wyoming

Source coverage for Wyoming includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
23
Sourced discovery
0
Citations
230
Open state
live33 counties

New Mexico

Source coverage for New Mexico includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
33
Sourced discovery
0
Citations
592
Open state
live44 counties

Idaho

Source coverage for Idaho includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
44
Sourced discovery
0
Citations
759
Open state
live159 counties

Georgia

Source coverage for Georgia includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
159
Citations
3441
Open state
live5 counties

Hawaii

Source coverage for Hawaii includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
5
Citations
98
Open state
live30 counties

Alaska

Source coverage for Alaska includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
30
Citations
705
Open state
live9 counties

Connecticut

Source coverage for Connecticut includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
9
Citations
144
Open state
live56 counties

Montana

Source coverage for Montana includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
56
Citations
857
Open state
live15 counties

Arizona

Source coverage for Arizona includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
15
Citations
213
Open state
live17 counties

Nevada

Source coverage for Nevada includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
17
Citations
239
Open state
live29 counties

Utah

Source coverage for Utah includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
29
Citations
514
Open state
live133 counties

Virginia

Source coverage for Virginia includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
133
Citations
3318
Open state
live36 counties

Oregon

Source coverage for Oregon includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
36
Citations
696
Open state
live39 counties

Washington

Source coverage for Washington includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
39
Citations
721
Open state
live58 counties

California

Source coverage for California includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
58
Citations
1018
Open state
live77 counties

Oklahoma

Source coverage for Oklahoma includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
77
Citations
1343
Open state
live66 counties

South Dakota

Source coverage for South Dakota includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
66
Citations
1234
Open state
live105 counties

Kansas

Source coverage for Kansas includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
105
Citations
1588
Open state
live93 counties

Nebraska

Source coverage for Nebraska includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
93
Citations
1404
Open state
live53 counties

North Dakota

Source coverage for North Dakota includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
53
Citations
1036
Open state
live75 counties

Arkansas

Source coverage for Arkansas includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
75
Citations
1489
Open state
live115 counties

Missouri

Source coverage for Missouri includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
115
Citations
2119
Open state
live95 counties

Tennessee

Source coverage for Tennessee includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
95
Citations
2349
Open state
live55 counties

West Virginia

Source coverage for West Virginia includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
55
Citations
1197
Open state
live254 counties

Texas

Source coverage for Texas includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
254
Citations
4881
Open state
live120 counties

Kentucky

Source coverage for Kentucky includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
120
Citations
2276
Open state
live82 counties

Mississippi

Source coverage for Mississippi includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
82
Citations
1818
Open state
live46 counties

South Carolina

Source coverage for South Carolina includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
46
Citations
783
Open state
live67 counties

Alabama

Source coverage for Alabama includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
67
Citations
1475
Open state
live64 counties

Louisiana

Source coverage for Louisiana includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
64
Citations
1294
Open state
live16 counties

Maine

Source coverage for Maine includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
16
Citations
256
Open state
live14 counties

Vermont

Source coverage for Vermont includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
14
Citations
224
Open state
live10 counties

New Hampshire

Source coverage for New Hampshire includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
10
Citations
160
Open state
live72 counties

Wisconsin

Source coverage for Wisconsin includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
72
Citations
1379
Open state
live83 counties

Michigan

Source coverage for Michigan includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
83
Citations
1497
Open state
live87 counties

Minnesota

Source coverage for Minnesota includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
87
Citations
2013
Open state
live99 counties

Iowa

Source coverage for Iowa includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
99
Citations
1691
Open state
live92 counties

Indiana

Source coverage for Indiana includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
92
Citations
1759
Open state
live67 counties

Florida

Source coverage for Florida includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
67
Citations
1621
Open state
live100 counties

North Carolina

Source coverage for North Carolina includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
100
Citations
2027
Open state
live67 counties

Pennsylvania

Source coverage for Pennsylvania includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
67
Citations
1143
Open state
live88 counties

Ohio

Source coverage for Ohio includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
88
Citations
1409
Open state
live102 counties

Illinois

Source coverage for Illinois includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
102
Citations
2135
Open state
live62 counties

New York

Source coverage for New York includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
62
Citations
1117
Open state
live24 counties

Maryland

Source coverage for Maryland includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
24
Citations
484
Open state
live14 counties

Massachusetts

Source coverage for Massachusetts includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
14
Citations
239
Open state
live3 counties

Delaware

Source coverage for Delaware includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
3
Citations
48
Open state
live21 counties

New Jersey

Source coverage for New Jersey includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
21
Citations
378
Open state
live5 counties

Rhode Island

Source coverage for Rhode Island includes county profiles, scoring layers, and discovery notes for comparing alternative housing and rural land research at the county level.

Verified
0
Sourced discovery
5
Citations
86
Open state

Land price caveat

Average Snapshot, Not Parcel-Level Pricing

Land-price fields are designed to help compare counties at a discovery level. Always check recent parcel comps, legal access, utilities, water, septic, slope, title, covenants, and road conditions before treating a property as affordable.

Public land caveat

Some Public-Land Acreage Is Guarded

Public-land layers are useful for county-level recreation and access context, but acreage is held back where geography, overlap, or source confidence needs more review. Those rows stay cautious instead of promoting unsupported acreage.

Review public land status

Verification

County-Level Sources Are Only The Starting Point

Before buying land or building, verify zoning, permits, water, septic, access, subdivision rules, and local constraints for the specific parcel.

Read disclaimer

Publication guardrail

Source Trails Do Not Automatically Publish Changes

Source links support discovery and review, but public data changes stay paused until supporting evidence is recorded, checks pass, and source review approves the update.

Gate statusblocked before real reviewer entry
Red gates5
Unpublished fields5
Pending reruns4
Public writes0

Use these sources

Turn Source Notes Into Better Due Diligence

Sources explain where the county-level signals come from. Use them to compare counties more carefully, then verify the exact parcel with local records, covenants, utilities, water, septic, and access constraints.