Homestead Exemption Laws by State
A homestead exemption protects some or all of the equity in your home from creditors. If a creditor wins a money judgment against you, or if you file for bankruptcy, the exempt amount cannot be taken to pay the debt. This guide covers that creditor protection only. It is separate from the property tax homestead exemption, which lowers the taxable value of a home and is handled by local tax offices.
48 states and DC compared. Last checked .
At a glance
- Exemption amount: range
- $3,500 to $605,000
- Across the 36 jurisdictions with a single statewide figure.
- Unlimited in value
- 8 of 49
- States and DC where the answer is yes or yes in some cases.
Compare homestead exemption laws
Each state writes its own rule. Some protect a fixed dollar amount of equity, some protect the home regardless of its value, and some limit the protection by land area instead of, or as well as, by value. This guide compares the dollar amount, whether the value is unlimited and any acreage limit side by side, and links each rule to the statute it comes from.
49 of 49 shown
| Acreage limit | Sources | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALAlabama | $18,800 ($56,400 if 62+ or disabled) | No | 160 acresThe homestead may not exceed 160 acres in size. | |
| AKAlaska | $72,900 | No | No acreage limitAS 09.38.010 limits the exemption by value only. | |
| AZArizona | $400,000 base, adjusted yearly | No | No acreage limitThe land must be one compact body on which the dwelling house sits; the statute sets no acreage cap. | |
| ARArkansas | $2,500, but a minimum area is fully protected | Partly: minimum area only | 1 acre in a city or town, 160 acres elsewhereNever reduced below 80 acres rural or one-quarter acre urban. | |
| CACalifornia | $300,000 to $600,000 base, by county median | No | No acreage limitThe exemption amount is set by value only. | |
| COColorado | $250,000 ($350,000 if 60+ or disabled) | No | No acreage limitC.R.S. 38-41-201 limits the exemption by value only. | |
| CTConnecticut | $250,000 | No | No acreage limitThe homestead is owner-occupied real property, a co-op or a mobile manufactured home used as a primary residence. | |
| DEDelaware | $200,000 (bankruptcy or insolvency) | No | No acreage limitCovers equity in real property or a manufactured home that is the principal residence. | |
| DCDistrict of Columbia | Unlimited | Yes | No acreage limitD.C. Code 15-501(a)(14) sets no area limit. | |
| FLFlorida | Unlimited | Yes | 1/2 acre in a municipality, 160 acres elsewhereInside a municipality the exemption is limited to the owner's or family's residence. | |
| GAGeorgia | $50,000 ($100,000 for some married debtors) | No | No acreage limitO.C.G.A. 44-13-100 limits the exemption by value only. | |
| HIHawaii | $20,000 ($30,000 if head of family or 65+) | No | No acreage limitHRS 651-92 covers an interest in one parcel of real property in Hawaii, with no acreage limit. | |
| IDIdaho | $175,000 | No | No acreage limitThe homestead may consist of lands regardless of area. | |
| ILIllinois | $50,000 per person | No | No acreage limitCovers a farm or lot of land and buildings, a condominium, or a cooperative used as a residence. | |
| INIndiana | $22,750 | No | No acreage limitIC 34-55-10-2(c)(1) limits the exemption by value only. | |
| IAIowa | Unlimited | Yes | 1/2 acre in a city plat, 40 acres elsewhere | |
| KSKansas | Unlimited | Yes | 1 acre in a city, 160 acres of farmland elsewhereA manufactured or mobile home used as a residence also qualifies. | |
| KYKentucky | $5,000 | No | No acreage limitKRS 427.060 limits the exemption by value only. | |
| LALouisiana | $35,000 | No | 5 acres in a municipality, 200 acres elsewhereContiguous tracts count toward the total. | |
| MEMaine | $80,000 ($160,000 with dependents, 60+ or disabled) | No | No acreage limit14 M.R.S. 4422(1) limits the residence exemption by value only. | |
| MDMaryland | $31,575 (bankruptcy only) | No | No acreage limitThe exemption covers owner occupied residential real property, a condo unit or a co-op, without a land limit. | |
| MAMassachusetts | $125,000 ($1,000,000 if declared) | No | No acreage limitThe exemption is defined by dollar amount, not land area. | |
| MIMichigan | $3,500 (more in bankruptcy) | No | 1 lot in a plat, city or village, 40 acres elsewhere | |
| MNMinnesota | $540,000 ($1,350,000 if agricultural) | No | 160 acres | |
| MSMississippi | $75,000 | No | 160 acres | |
| MOMissouri | $15,000 ($40,000 from Jan. 1, 2027) | No | No acreage limitRSMo 513.475 limits the homestead by value only. | |
| MTMontana | $350,000 in 2021, plus 4% a year | No | No acreage limitThe homestead is the dwelling and the land it sits on. The former acreage section, MCA 70-32-102, was repealed in 1981. | |
| NENebraska | $120,000 | No | 2 lots in a city or village, 160 acres elsewhere | |
| NVNevada | $605,000 | No | No acreage limitA homestead is "a quantity of land" with the dwelling, without an acreage cap. | |
| NHNew Hampshire | $400,000 | No | No acreage limit | |
| NMNew Mexico | $150,000 ($300,000 if spouse recently died) | No | No acreage limitN.M. Stat. 42-10-9 limits the exemption by dollar amount only. | |
| NYNew York | $102,400 to $204,825, by county | No | No acreage limitThe exemption covers a lot of land with a dwelling, a co-op, condo unit or mobile home. | |
| NCNorth Carolina | $35,000 ($60,000 if 65+ and co-owner died) | No | No acreage limitG.S. 1C-1601(a)(1) limits the exemption by value only. | |
| NDNorth Dakota | $150,000 | No | No acreage limitThe homestead is the land and dwelling where the claimant resides; separate lots must be contiguous. | |
| OHOhio | $182,625 | No | No acreage limitThe exemption covers one parcel or item of property used as a residence. | |
| OKOklahoma | Unlimited | Yes | 1 acre in a city or town, 160 acres elsewhere | |
| OROregon | $158,300 ($316,700 for 2+ debtors) | No | 1 block in a city, 160 acres elsewhere | |
| PAPennsylvania | $300 general exemption (any property) | No | Not listed | |
| RIRhode Island | $500,000 | No | No acreage limit | |
| SCSouth Carolina | $50,000 base, adjusted every 2 years | No | No acreage limit | |
| SDSouth Dakota | Unlimited | Yes | 1 acre in a town plat, 160 acres elsewhereSmaller limits apply to homesteads on federal mineral land claims. | |
| TNTennessee | $35,000 ($52,500 for joint owners) | No | No acreage limit | |
| TXTexas | Unlimited | Yes | 10 acres urban, 100 or 200 acres ruralThe rural limit is 100 acres for a single adult and 200 acres for a family. | |
| UTUtah | $42,000 base, adjusted yearly | No | 1 acre | |
| VTVermont | $125,000 | No | No acreage limitCovers the dwelling house, outbuildings and the land used with them. | |
| VAVirginia | $50,000 | No | No acreage limit | |
| WAWashington | $125,000 or county median, if higher | No | No acreage limitThe homestead may consist of land regardless of area. | |
| WVWest Virginia | $5,000 ($35,000 in bankruptcy) | No | No acreage limit | |
| WYWyoming | $100,000 | No | No acreage limitThe homestead may include any number of acres. |
New Jersey and Wisconsin are not listed because we could not confirm the current rule from the statute text.
General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.
What this means in practice
The exemption applies to equity, not to the full value of the home. Equity is the market value minus the mortgages and other liens on the property. A lender that holds a mortgage on the home, and certain other claims such as taxes on the property, can usually still be enforced against it regardless of the exemption.
Check whether you need to take a step to claim the protection. Some states protect a home automatically once it is your residence, while others require you to record a homestead declaration with the county or to claim the exemption in court when a creditor tries to collect.
In bankruptcy, federal law can limit a state homestead exemption for a home bought within a set period before the filing, and residency rules decide which state's exemptions apply if you moved recently. Some states also let filers choose the federal bankruptcy exemptions instead of the state list. A bankruptcy attorney can confirm which rules apply to your situation.
Homestead Exemption Laws: state by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Frequently asked questions
What is a homestead exemption from creditors?
It is a state law that shields some or all of the equity in your primary home from creditors who hold a judgment against you, and from the trustee in a bankruptcy case. It does not erase the debt, but it limits what a creditor can take to collect it.
Is this the same as the property tax homestead exemption?
No. The property tax homestead exemption reduces the assessed value of a home for tax purposes. The creditor homestead exemption described here protects home equity from collection. The two have different rules, amounts and application steps, even in the same state.
Does the homestead exemption protect my home from my mortgage lender?
Generally no. A mortgage or deed of trust you signed is a voluntary lien on the home, and the lender can foreclose if you default. The exemption mainly protects against unsecured creditors and judgment creditors who have no agreed lien on the property.
What happens if my equity is more than the exemption?
If your equity is higher than the protected amount, a creditor or bankruptcy trustee may be able to force a sale of the home. You would typically receive the exempt amount from the sale proceeds, and the rest would go toward the debts.
Do I have to live in the home to claim the exemption?
The exemption is generally limited to the home you use as your residence. Rental properties, vacation homes and vacant land are typically not covered, although the exact definition of a homestead and the residency rules vary by state.
Which states have the highest and lowest exemption amount?
Among the 36 jurisdictions with a single statewide figure, exemption amount ranges from $3,500 (Michigan) to $605,000 (Nevada). The most common figure is $35,000 (3 jurisdictions). Check each state's page for exceptions.
Unlimited in value: which states say yes?
Of the 49 jurisdictions we checked, the answer is yes in 7 jurisdictions, in some cases in 1, no in 41. Yes: District of Columbia, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas. In some cases: Arkansas.