Which US States Most Dig Community Gardening? (2024)

Which US states have the most community gardens per capita? The answer may surprise you…

When you think of community gardening, you might only think of big cities and urban areas, but did you know that there are over 1,300 community gardens in the United States?

And the top states for community gardens per capita are hardly urban… Number one is North Dakota, with one community garden for every 23 thousand people. Numbers two through four are all fairly rural too: Nebraska, Iowa, and Alaska. It’s not until you get to the number five that a more urban area comes up: Washington DC.

Here’s the full ranking of all fifty states plus the District of Columbia.

RankStateGardensPopulation1 Garden per X People
1North Dakota31723,39323,335
2Nebraska551,868,51633,973
3Iowa873,090,41635,522
4Alaska20735,13236,757
5District of Columbia15646,44943,097
6South Dakota16844,87752,805
7Montana181,015,16556,398
8Vermont11626,63056,966
9Louisiana564,625,47082,598
10Mississippi362,991,20783,089
11Maine131,328,302102,177
12Idaho151,612,136107,476
13South Carolina444,774,839108,519
14Arkansas262,959,373113,822
15Wyoming5582,658116,532
16West Virginia151,854,304123,620
17Kansas232,893,957125,824
18Rhode Island81,051,511131,439
19Missouri446,044,171137,368
20Connecticut253,596,080143,843
21Washington426,971,406165,986
22Maryland305,928,814197,627
23Michigan509,895,622197,912
24Illinois6212,882,135207,776
25Minnesota265,420,380208,476
26New Mexico92,085,287231,699
27Oregon163,930,065245,629
28Indiana256,570,902262,836
29New Hampshire51,323,459264,692
30Virginia318,260,405266,465
31North Carolina349,848,060289,649
32Wisconsin195,742,713302,248
33Delaware3925,749308,583
34Pennsylvania4012,773,801319,345
35Colorado165,268,367329,273
36Ohio3311,570,808350,631
37Utah82,900,872362,609
38Kentucky124,395,295366,275
39New York4919,651,127401,043
40Tennessee166,495,978405,999
41Texas6426,448,193413,253
42Georgia249,992,167416,340
43Hawaii31,404,054468,018
44Alabama94,833,722537,080
45Nevada52,790,136558,027
46New Jersey158,899,339593,289
47Massachusetts116,692,824608,439
48California6238,332,521618,266
49Oklahoma63,850,568641,761
50Arizona86,626,624828,328
51Florida1519,552,8601,303,524

Source: USDA

In some of the states where community gardening is less popular, private gardening is definitely taking up the slack. Check out the top five states for private garden projects on Porch. None of the top states for private garden projects on Porch even cracked the top twenty for community gardens.

RankStateCommunity RankMedian Cost
1Washington21$140,000
2Massachusetts47$130,000
3Maryland22$64,000
4California48$60,000
5Minnesota25$50,000

Here’s a not-too-out-of-the-ordinary example from Washington—a $200,000 lakefront garden project by Darwin Webb Landscape Architects.

Which US States Most Dig Community Gardening? (1)

When it comes to gardening, money doesn’t have to be an obstacle. Whether you’re able to afford a luxurious, exquisite garden like this, or a more modest garden, or just a slot in the local community garden, you’ve got lots of choices to get your green thumb on this spring. Looking for a community garden in your area? Check out the USDA map of community gardens. There’s no excuse not to get out there and grow something!

Top image credit: Seattle Municipal Archives

Which US States Most Dig Community Gardening? (2024)

FAQs

Which US States Most Dig Community Gardening? ›

Number one is North Dakota, with one community garden for every 23 thousand people. Numbers two through four are all fairly rural too: Nebraska, Iowa, and Alaska. It's not until you get to the number five that a more urban area comes up: Washington DC.

Where in the US is best for gardening? ›

Orlando, FL, known for the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, ranks #1 on our list as the best city in the U.S. for green thumbs. Miami and Tampa, FL ranked second and third by a narrow margin.

What state has the best climate for gardening? ›

California is best known for its warm weather and predictable weather patterns. These same qualities are one of the reasons California is one of the best places for agriculture and home gardening. This is especially true in the Central Valley where much of the state's agricultural land is located.

What state produces the most landscape plants? ›

Florida, the leading State with crops valued at $1.07 billion, up 13 percent from the 2018 value. California, the next largest producer, is down 17 percent from the prior year to $1.02 billion in wholesale value. These two States account for 47 percent of the total value.

What states are best for greenhouses? ›

According to Hickman's report, the largest number of greenhouse vegetable growers/producers are located in the states of Pennsylvania – 593, New York – 435, California–427, Maine–386 and Michigan–341.

What state does the most gardening? ›

Which US States Most Dig Community Gardening?
RankState1 Garden per X People
1North Dakota23,335
2Nebraska33,973
3Iowa35,522
4Alaska36,757
47 more rows
Feb 22, 2016

Which US region has the best soil? ›

Mollisols found in the Midwestern U.S. are the best for agriculture due to the grasslands that were present thousands of years ago. These prairies produced strong and fertile soils because after each year, the grasses would breakdown and contribute nutrients to the ground.

What state has perfect weather all year-round? ›

The US city that is often considered to have the best year-round weather is San Diego, California. With its mild temperatures, low humidity, and abundant sunshine, San Diego offers a pleasant climate throughout the year, making it a popular destination for those seeking ideal weather conditions.

What is the best state to grow your own food in? ›

10 Best States For Homesteading 2023
  1. Tennessee. Rural Tennessee is already a popular location for sustainable living enthusiasts, with a fantastic harvesting season of around 9 months of the year, there are low property taxes and costs.
  2. Idaho. ...
  3. Oregon. ...
  4. Maine. ...
  5. Michigan. ...
  6. Connecticut. ...
  7. Montana. ...
  8. Alaska. ...
Feb 9, 2024

Which US state grows the most vegetables? ›

California ranked first in both vegetable categories: fresh market (870,274 acres) and processing (300,299 acres). Florida and Idaho followed in fresh market vegetables, and Washington and Wisconsin followed in processing vegetables.

What state has the longest gardening season? ›

The closer to the equator, the longer the growing season. In fact, there are areas of South Florida that see no end to the growing season during most years. The state with the shortest growing season is Alaska. In Alaska, the average growing season is around 100 days long.

What state is best for landscaping? ›

Best States for Landscaping Businesses
  • Vermont.
  • Wyoming.
  • Nevada.
  • Minnesota.
  • Massachusetts.
  • Connecticut.
  • Washington.
  • Montana.
Jan 19, 2023

What state is the best to grow crops? ›

California ranks first in the U.S. for agricultural cash receipts followed by Iowa, Texas, Nebraska and Illinois. How much does agriculture contribute to the economy? Short story: Billions.

What state has the most earth homes? ›

Oregon comes in first overall as the number one state for green homes. Compared to the rest of the country, Oregon excels in almost every category, from renewable energy and recycling to green real estate and incentive programs.

What is the greenhouse capital of the United States? ›

With 400 acres "under glass" by the early 1960s, Greater Cleveland enjoyed the reputation as the "Greenhouse Capital of America." The only larger concentrations in the world were said to be in Holland and England. Today Cleveland has the largest urban hydroponic greenhouse in the U.S.

Where is the best place for a green house? ›

Generally, the best spot for a greenhouse is on the south or southeast side of the house in a sunny area that gets the most sun from fall through winter (November to February in most places). If this option doesn't exist, the next best location for the greenhouse is the east side.

What state is best for growing crops? ›

California ranks first in the U.S. for agricultural cash receipts followed by Iowa, Texas, Nebraska and Illinois. How much does agriculture contribute to the economy? Short story: Billions.

Where is the best place to establish your garden? ›

The best place to site your vegetable garden would be where it gets the most sun and has the best soil. A southern exposure is ideal, especially if the ground slopes away from the garden so the heavier cold air flows away from it. That gives the garden it's longest season with best light and soil.

What part of the United States has the longest growing season? ›

High in the Sierra Nevada mountains in the U.S. state of California, the growing season lasts only 50 days, but along the state's southern coast, the growing season lasts 365 days.

Which city has the best gardens? ›

Botanical Gardens, Kolkata

The Botanical Gardens of Calcutta were founded by Robert Kyd in 1787. Protected by the Botanical Survey of India, it stretches over 109 hectares.

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