Have you ever wondered what states would be the best to live in as a prepper? Last week, the website Lawn Starter ranked the best and worst states to live off the grid based on almost two-dozen factors. If you’re looking for a place to settle and get away from the hustle and bustle of our current dystopia, they compared the fifty states based on twenty-three key factors (such as the lowest price per acre of farmland, phone coverage, and access to hospitals). Even if you’re not looking to move, it’s a fascinating study!
According to Lawn Starter, the best places to live off-grid are those states with infrastructure that allow for it in practical terms (such as road conditions, solar or wind power that can be tapped into, and property taxes) and states where there are areas at a distance from issues plaguing “regular” households (like air and water quality violations, crime rate, and population density).
I’m not going to give it all away, but according to their study, the “best” place to live off-grid is Iowa, and the state to avoid is New Jersey.
But how applicable is this to the apocalypse? Presuming the end of the world isn’t a climate disaster or nuclear war (but something like zombies or evil robots), the article is still applicable to our concerns as some of their rankings include rainfall, natural hazards, very cold days, very hot days, and amount of sunshine. Unless you’re used to the cold or heat and know how to live with it, certain states should be avoided.
Regarding climate (average yearly amount of sunshine, rain, cold days, and hot day), the best place to lives to live in an apocalypse would be:
Hawaii
Florida
Delaware
Louisiana
North Carolina
Yet, climate alone doesn’t take into account the things you would need in an apocalypse: space to grow your own food, other resources (such as building materials), and hunting. While the Hawaiian islands would be paradise (I went to Kauai ten years ago and I’m still dreaming about it), getting to Hawaii in an apocalypse is a big issue. So while it does get cold in the middle of the country, those states would be a great second option due to the farming opportunities and the lower population density. Alaska ranked quite low on Lawn Starter’s off-grid living list because of climate and infrastructure concerns, but in an apocalypse, the latter wouldn’t be important, so if you like the snow, it might be ideal.
Overall, Lawn Starter’s ranking poses an interesting question: should you move to Florida?
Of course, if you want my opinion, being Canadian, I’d say move up north.
