Do you dream about chucking Cincinnati city life and embracing your "Green Acres" dreams? Your opportunity may be closer than you think.
According to a new study from lawn-care service LawnStarter, Kentucky is one of the top U.S. states in which to start a farm -- and succeed at it -- in 2021. The Commonwealth sits at No. 8 on the list, with an overall score of 55.07 (LawnStarter's No. 1 pick Montana has an overall score of 59.72).
Kentucky ranks highly in several of LawnStarter's metrics; it's No. 8 in both farm infrastructure and climate and No. 10 in viability. The state's lowest score comes is in environmental hazards, landing at just No. 28.
Ohio did not fare as well, coming in at No. 29 on the list with an overall score of 47.69. While the Buckeye State ranks at No. 4 in viability and No. 18 for climate, it's No. 49 in infrastructure and No. 40 in both environmental hazards and costs.
To determine its rankings, LawnStarter analyzed data from federal agencies, nonprofits and health information groups and focused on the following metrics for each state:
- Viability: amount of farmland, farm growth, population density
- Infrastructure: air/water/road quality, renewable power opportunities, rural healthcare options
- Climate: sunshine, precipitation and weather trends
- Environmental hazards: toxic chemicals, natural hazards, environmental scores
- Personnel: farm workers per 100,000 residents
- Costs: farmland purchase/rental prices, increases, property taxes, cost of living
- ROI (return on investment) potential: annual income, market value
See LawnStarter's full list of the best states for starting a farm in 2021.
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