The Homestead Act was a way for citizens to acquire farmland for free from the government if they met specific requirements and promised to work the land for at least five years.  This may seem like the ultimate dream nowadays, but times have changed dramatically since 1862 when The Homestead Act was created and ratified by the US Congress.  The US population has grown by 300 million people, and modern technology has made traveling and developing land a much quicker process.  The country has become a powerhouse, and we are no longer getting established.  This means there are no longer large tracts of government-owned land that could be divvied up among eligible people.  Luckily for some, there are places in the US that still offer free or nearly free land. These deals were constructed around the same logic as The Homestead Act. Small towns that need more people, and more businesses to stay afloat, are offering lots to people willing to move to a small town and build their own homes.  While you may not end up with a free large farm that you can hunt, this can be a great way to live near outstanding rural hunting opportunities, as well as saving money that could be reallocated to hunting land or property.

 

Kansas

 

Give free land in the US a quick google search, and the first state you will see on almost every article is Kansas.  Kansas, a very rural and agricultural-based state, has a bunch of small towns scattered around.  Several small towns are offering lots to build a home on to people willing to move to the area.  The idea is to help the town's economy.  There are hopes these people will bring businesses to the region, as well as spending money to build their homes and benefit others along the way. These towns need a certain number of people to allow businesses like grocery stores, doctors' offices, and other essential establishments to make money and provide services to the community.  The world revolves around money, and the loss of the property value to the local government is usually well recovered by the economic impact from the spending of just one family.  Some of the Kansas cities that have made the list are Marquette, Mankato, Lincoln, Plainville, Osborne, and Wilson.  Each of these cities holds a population of fewer than 2000 people, and each has its deal for the potential new residents consisting of build time and occupation requirements for the homes.

 

Nebraska

 

The northern neighbor of Kansas, Nebraska, also makes the list for having given away free land in recent years.  Small Nebraska cities, operating under the same thought process as the Kansas cities, have likewise set aside a certain number of lots to people who are willing to move to the cities.  They are working on building the cities economically.  These lots come with their own unique requirements based on the location that may include home size, length of stay, build time, etc.  If Nebraska is calling your name, you may still be able to pick up some free land.  Cities like Elwood and Curtis have made the list in the past year.

 

Texas

 

Nebraska and Kansas both rank in the bottom ten states for population density.  This means their citizens are relatively spread out, so it makes sense that there are lots of land and plots that can be given away. So why does Texas have its own specific offering?  Texas is the second-largest state based on population, behind California.  There's no way there is still free land, right? Well, the thing with Texas is that so much of its population lives in the major cities or the east side of the state.  Texas is a large enough state geographically that there are areas that are less desirable to live in.  This results in small towns that, similar to the other cities on the list, need some help.  Does La Villa, Texas, sound like your next place of residence?

There are other towns across the country, taking this approach to grow.  Check with small towns in the state you want some free land in and see what kind of deal you can work.  Lots that are offered up are typically limited in number, so act quickly. While these lots are generally small, they prove that there is still an opportunity to find free land in the United States.