States-Most Free to Least

[EarthMama]

The overall order of states, from most free to least free:

1. New Hampshire
2. Colorado
3. South Dakota
4. Idaho
5. Texas
6. Missouri
7. Tennessee
8. Arizona
9. Virginia
10. North Dakota
11. Utah
12. Kansas
13. Indiana
14. Michigan
15. Wyoming
16. Iowa
17. Georgia
18. Oklahoma
19. Montana
20. Pennsylvania
21. Alabama
22. Florida
23. North Carolina
24. Nevada
25. Mississippi
26. Delaware
27. Oregon
28. Nebraska
29. Arkansas
30. South Carolina
31. Alaska
32. Kentucky
33. West Virginia
34. Louisiana
35. Minnesota
36. New Mexico
37. Wisconsin
38. Ohio
39. Maine
40. Vermont
41. Connecticut
42. Illinois
43. Massachusetts
44. Washington
45. Hawaii
46. Maryland
47. California
48. Rhode Island
49. New Jersey
50. New York

Go to:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=91539

to get the whole gist of the story.

[flatwater]

Were 44 living next door to 4 Boy that sucks.

[Brosia]

:-/ #50 here. I'm not really suprised. We have Wall Street, and had Hillary Clinton ;)

[Boris859]

#14,I am quite pleased with the result,I didn't really think it was that high,even though Michigans unemployment rate is high,at least we are pretty free ;D

[cwatson]

#5 here. Although it sure doesn't feel like it some times.

[Grizzy]

#5 God Bless Texas!

[ldsparamedic]

I am suprised to see Colorado so high on the list since you cannot legally catch the rainwater off your own roof.

[Iwoots]

We're #37! We're #37! We're.... oh, wait a minute, that's the wrong end of the list to be on. ::)

[Kelleysvt]

How about #40 next to #1 - *sigh*. Haven't read the article yet but can't wait to see how they calculated it.
You can't collect your own rainwater in CO :o what's that all about?!

[Deberosa]

How about #40 next to #1 - *sigh*. *Haven't read the article yet but can't wait to see how they calculated it. *
You can't collect your own rainwater in CO :o what's that all about?!

Yes it's illegal in Washington too! It's probably rained 3 inches here in the last 48 hours and still pouring and rains 6 feet a year! But it's illegal to catch any of it to use! The state declared they owned the rain.

No wonder they are 44! Good bye WA!

[MYellowRose]

Guess I'm happy to live in the #5 state. ;D

[PaulNKS]

I don't know about WA but a buddy of mine in CO says the reasoning behind not being allowed to catch rainwater is that it prevents the rainwater from leeching back into the water table below ground..... I wouldn't take that...too much restriction.

[10ACZ_GAL]

Good to see TN is # 7. Still in the top ten cataglory. ;D

[WileyCoyote]

I tend to disagree. Laws are one thing - they are mostly made by big city people who feel the need to control others' behavior. Enforcement is quite another. The more independently rural you are, the less likely it is for people to follow them - or cops to enforce them. I think it is all pretty subjective...

[mistyriver]

Yes it's illegal in Washington too! *It's probably rained 3 inches here in the last 48 hours and still pouring and rains 6 feet a year! *But it's illegal to catch any of it to use! *The state declared they owned the rain.

No wonder they are 44! *Good bye WA!

I know lots of people in WA who collect rainwater so I looked this up. It doesn;t look like it's illegal but in some instances needs to be permitted. Not the small catchment systems my friends have though.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/hq/rwh_rule.html

[crafty2002]

They have me listed at #9, a rocks throw from #23 and they are full of crap. I'd give anything to move this property 300 yards south and tell Va. what to kiss.

As far as catching rain water being illigal, that has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard of.
You catch it, save it, drink it, pee it, water the garden or wash the clothes with it. Where the hell does it end up at?
What difference does it make if it take two days to get there and is dirty when it starts it's trip down?
Even if you sweat it out, it's going to come back down.
I would love to put some of those idiots in the desert with a dry canteen. >:(

Edt. for stupid spelling

[EarthMama]

I'm in #13 but to be quite honest, I wish I was a little farther down on the list. There's a few things that happen around my area that I wish were regulated up the whazoo!!! Sheesh!

>:(

[Lobo]

I live in #1 but I feel a little oppressed ie...zoning..... This list has changed my mind though about moving. I was trying to move to the wilderness of northern ME.

Lobo

[MissouriFree]

mighty Missouri is drug down by St Louis and KC or it would be hgher..

great place to be in .....

[swampyankee]

41, no wonder why I feel so constricted >:(, but i moved from 48 so that's a step in the right direction ;)

[kldickinson1]

#43 here, and man can you feel the pressure. Can't help it, though; MA ranks 4th nationwide in terms of population density. Lots of people competing for the same resources equals lots of rules. However, I will have to read this full article, because MA and VT are only three spots away, and that doesn't seem right. VT even has its own gun terminology, "Vermont-style carry," because you can CC with just a driver's license. In MA? HA! You need to take a safety course ($80) and then apply for a Class A License ($100), and then you MIGHT be issued a license. You can be rejected even after you've shelled out the $180. It's just one example, but it seems like a pretty big difference.

[debidoodle]

#5 here! I'm surprised to see Alaska so far down the list. I have family up there and they are always talking about how no one up there bothers anyone else, and how restrictive things are down here!!

[Phssthpok]

This comparison was made by weighting biases towards state expenditures IIRC. I moved from the state tied for first place, and let me tell you in Montana I feel much more free. We have no town cops, I built my house with no permits (save a $40 septic) and no inspection at all. We have no sales tax, 6 cops for the whole county and all that I've met are real peace officers, not 'law enforcement' revenue collectors. In fact the last time I ran across the Sheriff he spotted that I was concealed carrying and all he asked me was what kind of gun it was and how I liked it.

Anyway, I would take anybody else's opinion of "the most free" with a grain of salt.

Prometheus, with thanks to Phssthpok for access.

[LJH]

Hmmm, I guess #11 isn't too bad. Especially since, as WileyCoyote pointed out, most of us outback rural types just ignore the stooopid regulations anyway.

[Kelly]

here is a link to the original article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/realclearpolitics/america039s_freest_states

as well as the full report:
http://www.mercatus.org/uploadedFiles/Mercatus/Publications/Freedom%20in%20the%2050%20States.pdf

#2 state doesnt always feel like #2 state, but i know it could be ALOT worse.

[nhlivefreeordie]

Came from #1, now live in #20, but have acerage in #1, and will be back for good in 4 years.:D

[nhlivefreeordie]

Came from #1, now live in #20, but have acreage in #1, and will be back for good in 4 years.:D

[AZTimT]

This comparison was made by weighting biases towards state expenditures IIRC. I moved from the state tied for first place, and let me tell you in Montana I feel much more free. We have no town cops, I built my house with no permits (save a $40 septic) and no inspection at all. We have no sales tax, 6 cops for the whole county and all that I've met are real peace officers, not 'law enforcement' revenue collectors. In fact the last time I ran across the Sheriff he spotted that I was concealed carrying and all he asked me was what kind of gun it was and how I liked it.

Anyway, I would take anybody else's opinion of "the most free" with a grain of salt.

Prometheus, with thanks to Phssthpok for access.


Exactly, and you forgot to mention over the counter deer tags, permanent license plates for $200 on 10+ year old vehicles etc. Heck the most liberal city here in MT is conservative to where I am leaving.

On top of those and many more wonderful motivators, I moved from AZ #8 (maybe 10 years ago I'd buy that, not now) to MT #19 (feels like it is a lot more free than #8) because of a more important reason, financial freedom: http://www.mybudget360.com/fiscal-situation-of-50-states-combined-budget-gaps-estimated-at-350-billon-for-2010-and-2011/
or better yet how much will that freedom cost you:http://manyeyes.alphaworks.ibm.com/manyeyes/visualizations/per-capita-state-budget-deficit-map

After all, since the feds already have made sure that 350+/- million Americans (and their descendants) are responsible for 104 trillion to the rest of the world, I would rather not add one cent to the $297,000 each of us already owes to the world.

Politicians do crazy things for money and/or power, so if a state is broke, expect it to start dipping into your freedoms through your wallet ASAP. A perfect example is in the last 2 years, AZ started using photo radar cameras ONLY for revenue. They do not count on your license or affect your insurance, only take $180+ from your pocket and you can not fight it in court since it is a photograph of you in the car and your license plate and there are no points to your license so you are automatically guilty without the opportunity to prove yourself innocent. If something about that just seems wrong to you, be aware AZ is the pilot state for this nationwide program, so if you see it coming in your area, make noise to stop it before it is too late.

The only way to gauge government expenditures or not IMO is whether or not they are A. Justified and B. affordable in a Balanced Budget. If those criteria aren't met, you wind up needing a bailout or higher taxes.

[ktm rider]

Well, You gotta love living in #46. I'm surprised we are so high on the list. I would have thought we would have been #50. The welcome signs entering Maryland say " Please drive gently" ( whatever that means) but they should say "Welcome to the communist state comrade".:o

[swedishfish]

#14,I am quite pleased with the result,I didn't really think it was that high,even though Michigans unemployment rate is high,at least we are pretty free ;D

Yo MICHIGAN! hang in there buddy. Maybe the riffraff will go to Ohio once we are bankrupt!

[swedishfish]

mighty Missouri is drug down by St Louis and KC or it would be hgher..

great place to be in .....

oh man. St Louis.. I spent a week there one day.

[Estrie]

I live rurally in #27, so I can deal with that. I have lived here practically my whole life so I know the drill here. At least I can catch my own rainwater without anyone getting pissy about it!

[Roots_Farm]

oh man. St Louis.. I spent a week there one day.


:confused:

[Roots_Farm]

Go Mo.

Johnson County Missouri. I want to dig a well, I dig a well. I want to build a barn, I build a barn. I want to keep some animals, I keep some animals. I want to…..well you get the point. I don’t need a permit. I don’t need an inspection I don’t need permission.
I like it when the gubment stays out of my life.

[DiggerDirect]

Not to defend #50 but... its not all like that, in our very rural, off the grid neck of the woods we pretty much are left alone (as long as your property/school taxes are current). Hunting, fishing, trapping, great summers, great winters, (whats a winter without snow?) abundant wildlife, but as for the other 90% of the state, there should be a space, then New York in at #51. Of course EVERYTHING you do in this state has a tax or fee attached to it, but it always has in my 50 years so I dont know any different, and the old saying, theres no place like home apparently applies.

[humbug]

Hmm...there are some good things and some bad...No state income tax but we have sales tax on everything but food. The building codes in the county where I live are pretty tough making owner built a challenge. I had to have a permit to re-roof my house...which I didn't know..but they sent me a nice little letter letting me know that I needed a permit for that. You don't see a whole slew of little mom and pop business here because you are going to have to do some major hoop jumping to get your business up and running.

We are known as the "sin" state due to the fact that gambling and prostitution are legal. I don't doubt that Nevada will be one of the first states to legalize marijuana...its already been on the ballot twice and was just narrowly defeated last time.

One of the worst things about Nevada....We have Harry Reed...voted in mostly by Las Vegas and Reno...the rurals don't like him...but we are going to make a valiant effort to get him out of there!!!!

I was pleasantly surprised when I talked to the health inspector in Mineral county Montana. They only care about the septic...don't even have a building inspector!!! Its rare to see cops...not like here ..they are everywhere. As has already been mentioned Montana has over the counter tags verses a draw system in Nevada. Lifetime plates for a vehicle over ten years old..what a savings. However I did notice that most of Montana's real estate taxes are higher than here.

[mtwildflower]

I was pleasantly surprised when I talked to the health inspector in Mineral county Montana. They only care about the septic...don't even have a building inspector!!! Its rare to see cops...not like here ..they are everywhere. As has already been mentioned Montana has over the counter tags verses a draw system in Nevada. Lifetime plates for a vehicle over ten years old..what a savings. However I did notice that most of Montana's real estate taxes are higher than here.

Might not have to have a building inspector for a dwelling you plan to live in, if you ever want to sell it though, it does have to be up to code or the buyer won't be able to get a loan for it which would greatly reduce your pool of buyers. Just something to keep in mind.

And, might not need a permit to drill a well, but you better make sure someone else doesn't own the water rights, which for most land in Montana, someone else owns the rights and you have to get permission from them to drill a well.

Real estate taxes are high here. It's one reason the voters won't vote in a sales tax, because there is no guarantee that it will make property taxes go down. If there was, we'd probably pass a sales tax initiative. Lower graded land, however, will be less expensive in real estate tax than primo loamy and rockless soil.

We have over the counter tags for most game, but there is plenty of game on draw too. Bull elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, cougar, are among some of the draws. And of course, you have to know what area you are in to make sure you can legally hunt what you are hunting in any given area. Some places are does only....some are mule does only, some are spike and older bucks....you get the idea. Also, you can buy an over the counter black bear tag in the spring, and if you don't get one in the spring season, then the tag is good for the fall season.

[Roots_Farm]

Might not have to have a building inspector for a dwelling you plan to live in, if you ever want to sell it though, it does have to be up to code or the buyer won't be able to get a loan for it which would greatly reduce your pool of buyers. Just something to keep in mind.



All we have to worry about is septic. We didn't need a home inspection and we have no codes to speak of here. I don't require a permit for anything except for waste water.

[PaulNKS]

Here, we have no building codes outside of the annexed areas. Also, if a home is on acreage, the banks and the land bank will loan without an inspection on the home because the purchase is considered ag and any house is just icing.

Permits are required but the purpose for those is revenue. The cost is based on the construction cost. Nothing is ever inspected before or after the construction,... except the septic or lagoon.

When I got ready to build my little house, I went around and around with the zoning office, which issues the permit. Since I was using all salvaged lumber (2 barns and a house), there was no "cost" of construction. They tried and tried to argue with me. They even asked about the gas that it would cost me to haul the lumber. I told them It was less than one mile from where I will build. They didn't like the fact that they had to give me a permit for free. lol. I finally told them I was going to build it with or without their permit and legally they could not deny me a permit. I also told them it was up to them to prove that my house would cost a certain amount to build. They knew they had no choice. I got the permit without having to pay a fee. City people can't understand our ways. lol

Also, if it is an ag related building, state law prohibits the local county from charging for a permit. You still need the permit, but they can't charge you for it.

The only thing they do for the permit is to make certain that you have enough land to build on and that you are a certain distance from the property lines.

Paul

[sally]

That website links to a neat tool to adjust the weight of the rankings. You can put more weight on property issues, or personal freedoms, or education, for instance, to get a ranking for issues that concern you most.

http://freedom.robocourt.com/

[farmmilkmama]

Living in #37 here. I'll bet we are breaking rules here that we didn't even know were rules. I think here they go so far as to have rules about what rules you can make rules about. ;)

My favorite story as of late: We live out of town a ways. We had a neighbor nearby who got fined for stacking wood on his property. When he asked why he was being fined for stacking wood (especially since he had a woodstove), the city told him that since he occasionally sold bundles of wood to other people, his "woodcutting" was considered a business which meant he needed a permit to operate it. $500, please.

Seriously. I think you need a permit here to wake up before 6 am or to look sideways at a raccoon or to return a library book early. Its insane.

[gregabob]

Living in #37 here. I'll bet we are breaking rules here that we didn't even know were rules. I think here they go so far as to have rules about what rules you can make rules about. ;)

My favorite story as of late: We live out of town a ways. We had a neighbor nearby who got fined for stacking wood on his property. When he asked why he was being fined for stacking wood (especially since he had a woodstove), the city told him that since he occasionally sold bundles of wood to other people, his "woodcutting" was considered a business which meant he needed a permit to operate it. $500, please.

Seriously. I think you need a permit here to wake up before 6 am or to look sideways at a raccoon or to return a library book early. Its insane.

I think I'd tell that city to go pound sand--'permit' indeed......

[AlchemyAcres]

I looked at New Hampshire not long ago, but it's full of Obama lovers and a lot more people than this area.

I also got to thinking....do I really want to live someplace where it's either colder/snowier in winter or hotter in summer!? I guess I'll stay right here. LOL


~Martin

[mtwildflower]

All we have to worry about is septic. We didn't need a home inspection and we have no codes to speak of here. I don't require a permit for anything except for waste water.

My points were about Montana. I wasn't arguing your points about Missouri. ;)

[MissouriFree]

Go Mo.

Johnson County Missouri. I want to dig a well, I dig a well. I want to build a barn, I build a barn. I want to keep some animals, I keep some animals. I want to…..well you get the point. I don’t need a permit. I don’t need an inspection I don’t need permission.
I like it when the gubment stays out of my life.


Lebanon Mo area south of Ha ha tonka.. same here. you " own the land" and you do what you want. no questions,. In fact they look at you kinda queer like and say" why would you ask about something called a permit? we don't under stand what you mean."

[cabinfever]

Alaska definitely tops the list for personal freedoms, especially in Rural Alaska. One step in any direction from any town and you are in complete isolated wilderness. I am so greatful to be here and the more I read forum posts, the more I worry for those of you in the cities. I would not know how to cope. Of course the land can getcha too, lots of ways to die up here if you don't know what you're doing.

[Pokeberry Mary]

I think there is more real freedom when you are more rural. I feel pretty free in SC, but I think in part its cuz we live in the far corner of our county where there is almost nobody in our business. Not much service either--most services we need to get from an adjacent county--if we need them.

Places that are 'less affluent' and less citified are Probably also the least regulated. This works well for me. I do not mind at all having less service in exchange for less interference.

[gunsmoke]

I think there is more real freedom when you are more rural. I feel pretty free in SC, but I think in part its cuz we live in the far corner of our county where there is almost nobody in our business. Not much service either--most services we need to get from an adjacent county--if we need them.

Places that are 'less affluent' and less citified are Probably also the least regulated. This works well for me. I do not mind at all having less service in exchange for less interference.

VERY VERY TRUE

Where I live used to be "the country" so much so the city-slickers moved here and made it a suburb. The biggest thing you can do on your own property WITHOUT a permit is a doghouse.

Getting a permit requires an application, fee, six sets of stamped plans, multiple inspections proof you own the property or have the permission of owner, and for any variation from the "norms" an appearence before a Zoning Board from which your only appeal is to State District Court.

Our neighboring county is still rural and they require a permit for anything to but all the permit requires is $10 so they are much more HONEST CROOKS AND TYRANTS!