Homestead Exemption by State
Homestead Exemption by State
Ranking - Law
Florida and Texas sit at the safest end of this map because both list Unlimited homestead protection. New Jersey and Pennsylvania sit at the red end with $0 under state law.
Quick Answer
Homestead Exemption by State
-
1
Homestead exemption by state is highest in Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, and South Dakota, which all list Unlimited protection.
-
2
Nevada has the highest capped amount at $605,000. Massachusetts and Rhode Island follow at $500,000, and Minnesota lists $420,000.
-
3
New Jersey and Pennsylvania list $0 under state law. Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia list $5,000.
Map
Homestead Exemption by State Map
| Rank | State | Protection Level |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | Unlimited |
| 2 | Texas | Unlimited |
| 3 | Arkansas | Unlimited |
| 4 | Iowa | Unlimited |
| 5 | Kansas | Unlimited |
| 6 | Oklahoma | Unlimited |
| 7 | South Dakota | Unlimited |
| 8 | Nevada | Very High |
| 9 | Massachusetts | Very High |
| 10 | Rhode Island | Very High |
| 11 | Minnesota | Very High |
| 12 | Montana | Strong |
| 13 | California | Strong |
| 14 | New York | Strong |
| 15 | Arizona | Strong |
| 16 | Ohio | Strong |
| 17 | Delaware | Strong |
| 18 | New Hampshire | Strong |
| 19 | Vermont | Strong |
| 20 | Washington | Strong |
| 21 | Colorado | Moderate |
| 22 | Idaho | Moderate |
| 23 | North Dakota | Moderate |
| 24 | Maine | Moderate |
| 25 | Alaska | Moderate |
| 26 | Mississippi | Moderate |
| 27 | Wisconsin | Moderate |
| 28 | Connecticut | Moderate |
| 29 | South Carolina | Moderate |
| 30 | Nebraska | Moderate |
| 31 | New Mexico | Moderate |
| 32 | Oregon | Minimal |
| 33 | Louisiana | Minimal |
| 34 | North Carolina | Minimal |
| 35 | Michigan | Minimal |
| 36 | Utah | Minimal |
| 37 | Maryland | Minimal |
| 38 | Georgia | Minimal |
| 39 | Hawaii | Minimal |
| 40 | Wyoming | Minimal |
| 41 | Indiana | Minimal |
| 42 | Alabama | Minimal |
| 43 | Illinois | Minimal |
| 44 | Missouri | Minimal |
| 45 | Kentucky | Minimal |
| 46 | Tennessee | Minimal |
| 47 | Virginia | Minimal |
| 48 | West Virginia | Minimal |
| 49 | New Jersey | None |
| 50 | Pennsylvania | None |
Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, and South Dakota form the dark-green group with Unlimited protection. Nevada leads the capped states at $605,000, while New Jersey and Pennsylvania sit alone in dark red at $0.
Homestead Exemption by State Table
50 entries
No matching entries
Adjust the filter to show more entries.
|
Rank
|
State
|
Protection Level
|
Homestead Exemption
|
Bankruptcy Note
|
Notes
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Florida
|
Unlimited | Unlimited | 40-month residency rule applies in bankruptcy | |
| 2 |
Texas
|
Unlimited | Unlimited | State-law homestead applies, subject to acreage limits | |
| 3 |
Arkansas
|
Unlimited | Unlimited | State-law homestead applies | |
| 4 |
Iowa
|
Unlimited | Unlimited | State-law homestead applies | |
| 5 |
Kansas
|
Unlimited | Unlimited | 40-month residency rule applies in bankruptcy | |
| 6 |
Oklahoma
|
Unlimited | Unlimited | State-law homestead applies | |
| 7 |
South Dakota
|
Unlimited | Unlimited | State-law homestead applies | |
| 8 |
Nevada
|
Very High | $605,000 | Recorded homestead declaration required | |
| 9 |
Massachusetts
|
Very High | $500,000 | Automatic homestead is $125,000 | |
| 10 |
Rhode Island
|
Very High | $500,000 | State-law homestead applies | |
| 11 |
Minnesota
|
Very High | $420,000 | Can rise to $1,050,000 for agricultural use | |
| 12 |
Montana
|
Strong | $250,000 | Recorded homestead declaration required | |
| 13 |
California
|
Strong | $75,000-$175,000 | Higher amount applies for age 65+, disability, or qualifying 55+ income cases | |
| 14 |
New York
|
Strong | $85,400-$170,825 | County-based range | |
| 15 |
Arizona
|
Strong | $150,000 | One amount for a single person or married couple | |
| 16 |
Ohio
|
Strong | $145,425 | Doubled for spouses filing jointly | |
| 17 |
Delaware
|
Strong | $125,000 | State-law homestead applies | |
| 18 |
New Hampshire
|
Strong | $120,000 | State-law homestead applies | |
| 19 |
Vermont
|
Strong | $125,000 | State-law homestead applies | |
| 20 |
Washington
|
Strong | $125,000 | Attaches automatically for current primary residence | |
| 21 |
Colorado
|
Moderate | $75,000-$105,000 | $105,000 for age 60+ or disability | |
| 22 |
Idaho
|
Moderate | $100,000 | Amount applies to value after liens | |
| 23 |
North Dakota
|
Moderate | $100,000 | Amount applies above liens and encumbrances | |
| 24 |
Maine
|
Moderate | $47,500-$95,000 | $95,000 for age 60+, permanent disability, or minor dependents | |
| 25 |
Alaska
|
Moderate | $72,900 | Co-owner claims are capped together | |
| 26 |
Mississippi
|
Moderate | $75,000 | $30,000 for some mobile-home cases | |
| 27 |
Wisconsin
|
Moderate | $75,000 | Doubled for married couples | |
| 28 |
Connecticut
|
Moderate | $75,000 | $125,000 for some hospital-treatment judgments | |
| 29 |
South Carolina
|
Moderate | $59,100 | Doubled for co-owners both claiming the exemption | |
| 30 |
Nebraska
|
Moderate | $60,000 | State-law homestead applies | |
| 31 |
New Mexico
|
Moderate | $60,000 | Doubled for co-owners | |
| 32 |
Oregon
|
Minimal | $40,000 | $50,000 if more than one household member holds an interest | |
| 33 |
Louisiana
|
Minimal | $35,000 | State-law homestead applies | |
| 34 |
North Carolina
|
Minimal | $35,000 | Doubled for spouses filing jointly | |
| 35 |
Michigan
|
Minimal | $30,000 | $3,500 for creditor claims outside bankruptcy | |
| 36 |
Utah
|
Minimal | $30,000 | Doubled for married couples | |
| 37 |
Maryland
|
Minimal | $22,975 | Bankruptcy only | |
| 38 |
Georgia
|
Minimal | $21,500 | Doubled for married couples | |
| 39 |
Hawaii
|
Minimal | $20,000 | $30,000 for a head of family or owner over age 64 | |
| 40 |
Wyoming
|
Minimal | $20,000 | Doubled for co-owners if both live in the homestead | |
| 41 |
Indiana
|
Minimal | $19,300 | Doubled for married couples | |
| 42 |
Alabama
|
Minimal | $15,000 | Doubled for married couples | |
| 43 |
Illinois
|
Minimal | $15,000 | Doubled for married couples or co-owners | |
| 44 |
Missouri
|
Minimal | $15,000 | $5,000 for a mobile home on land not owned by the debtor | |
| 45 |
Kentucky
|
Minimal | $5,000 | State-law homestead applies | |
| 46 |
Tennessee
|
Minimal | $5,000 | $7,500 for joint owners and spouses | |
| 47 |
Virginia
|
Minimal | $5,000 | $10,000 for an owner age 65+ | |
| 48 |
West Virginia
|
Minimal | $5,000 | $25,000 in bankruptcy, doubled for married couples | |
| 49 |
New Jersey
|
None | $0 | No state homestead exemption | |
| 50 |
Pennsylvania
|
None | $0 | No state homestead exemption |
No matching entries
Adjust the filter to show more entries.
Download as PDF
Print-ready table — Homestead Exemption by State
Unlimited Homestead Exemption States
Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, and South Dakota are the only states on this page with Unlimited homestead protection. Florida adds a 1/2-acre city cap or 160-acre rural cap, while Texas adds a 10-acre city cap or 100-acre rural cap, or 200 acres for a family.
Kansas and Florida also share a 40-month bankruptcy residency note in the source table. Oklahoma keeps its Unlimited label only when at least 75% of the square footage is residential, and South Dakota limits the homestead to 1 acre in a municipality or 160 acres outside town.
Highest Homestead Exemption States
Nevada has the highest capped homestead exemption at $605,000. Massachusetts and Rhode Island follow at $500,000, and Minnesota stands next at $420,000, with a possible agricultural increase to $1,050,000.
Montana reaches $250,000, California reaches $175,000 in its highest listed bracket, and New York reaches $170,825 in its highest listed counties. Ohio also stands out at $145,425, ahead of Delaware, Vermont, Washington, and New Hampshire at $125,000 or $120,000.
States with No Homestead Exemption
New Jersey and Pennsylvania are the only two states on this map with $0 under state law. Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia sit just above that line at $5,000, while Alabama, Illinois, and Missouri stay at $15,000.
Maryland is another outlier because its listed $22,975 exemption is limited to bankruptcy cases. Michigan also splits its treatment, showing $30,000 in bankruptcy but just $3,500 for creditor claims outside bankruptcy.
Quick Answers
Which states have unlimited homestead exemption?
What is the homestead exemption in Florida?
What is the homestead exemption in Texas?
Which state has the highest homestead exemption?
What is the homestead exemption in New Jersey?
What is the homestead exemption in Pennsylvania?
Methodology
This page uses the 50-state homestead table from Insurance and Estates, current as of February 2026, plus the code sections listed in that table. The map groups states by the state-law dollar amount shown in the table, while bankruptcy-only exceptions and acreage limits are noted in the rows.
Sources
- Insurance and Estates. Homestead Exemptions by State
- Florida Constitution, Article X, Section 4
- Texas Property Code, Chapter 41
- 11 U.S.C. § 522
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey. 2025 Notice to the Bar and Public
You Might Also Like
Serial Killers by State
Alaska has the highest serial killer rate at 0.867 per 100,000 residents. Hawaii is lowest, and California has the highest raw count at 128.
Flag of Arkansas
Arkansas had no state flag until 1913. Its white diamond marks the only diamond-producing state. A fourth star marks Confederate membership.
Flag of Arizona
Arizona's flag was sketched on an envelope in 1910 for a rifle team. Adopted in 1917, it became law without the governor's signature.
Flag of Alaska
Benny Benson designed Alaska's flag at 13. Eight gold stars on navy blue, the Big Dipper pointing to Polaris, adopted in 1927 and kept at statehood.
Alabama State Flag
Alabama's crimson cross on white was adopted in 1895, likely modeled after the Confederate Battle Flag. The state's first flag was destroyed by a storm one month after raising.
Flag of California
Brown grizzly on white, adopted in 1911, traces to settler William Todd's handmade flag raised at Sonoma on June 14, 1846.
Rainwater Harvesting Laws by State
Rainwater harvesting is legal in all 50 states. Colorado caps residential storage at 110 gallons, while Utah allows up to 2,500 gallons.
Weird Laws in Arkansas
Weird laws in Arkansas include a repealed statewide tattoo ban, a 145-year-old pronunciation law, and a Sunday car sales rule that is still enforced today.