Field Directory · Self-Reliance Communities
Find your people before you need them.
A living map of where preppers, homesteaders, off-gridders, and neighbors organize online — sorted by city, with the reliable open links kept separate from the ones that ask you to sign in.
SCOPE: 60 U.S. METROS · CATEGORIES: 6 · UPDATED: JULY 2026
01
Who's in these communities
Plain-language definitions, because the labels overlap and none of them mean what a headline thinks they mean.
PreppersPREP
People who prepare for disruptions — storms, outages, job loss, and supply problems — with food, water, reserves, and practical skills.
SEARCH: prepping, preparedness, emergency preparedness
HomesteadersHMSTD
People producing more of their own food and goods — gardens, chickens, canning, bread, and repair. Not necessarily rural.
SEARCH: homestead, urban homestead, backyard chickens
Off-griddersOFFGRD
People cutting dependence on utilities through their own power, water, and waste systems. Some go fully independent, most do it in parts.
SEARCH: off grid, solar, rainwater, tiny home
SurvivalistsSRVL
Skills-first preparedness — wilderness skills, navigation, first aid, and staying functional when systems don't.
SEARCH: survival, bushcraft, wilderness first aid
Permaculture & self-sufficiencyPERMA
Land and lifestyle design aimed at resilience, regeneration, and low-input systems like food forests, water capture, and soil health.
SEARCH: permaculture, self sufficiency, food forest
Mutual aid & neighborsAID
Neighbor-to-neighbor networks that share rides, tools, food, labor, and crisis support. Often the most useful and least ideological way in.
SEARCH: mutual aid, neighborhood, Nextdoor
02
National hubs — open without an account
Large, established communities you can read logged-out. Good for skills and vocabulary before you search locally.
Redditr/preppersLargest general prepping communityRedditr/TwoXPreppersPreparedness, beginner-friendlyRedditr/homesteadHomesteading, land, animals, foodRedditr/homesteadingSister homesteading communityRedditr/offgridOff-grid living and systemsRedditr/selfrelianceSkills and independenceRedditr/SurvivalWilderness and survival skillsRedditr/PermacultureRegenerative land designRedditr/canningFood preservation done safelyRedditr/vegetablegardeningGrowing your own foodRedditr/solarSolar power, DIY to whole-homeForumPermiesLong-running permaculture forumForumSurvivalist BoardsLarge general survival forumReferenceMother Earth NewsHomesteading & self-reliance magazineReferenceBackwoods HomeSelf-reliant living how-tos
03
The city directory
Tap a city to open its guide. Links are split into what you can read without signing in and what may prompt a login, so you always know before you click.
No sign-in neededMay ask you to sign in
59 cities shown
New York
NY · NortheastNODE 001
NE
New York
NY · Northeast
NE
Start in r/nyc and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your New York guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Philadelphia
PA · NortheastNODE 002
NE
Philadelphia
PA · Northeast
NE
Start in r/philadelphia and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Philadelphia guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Boston
MA · NortheastNODE 003
NE
Boston
MA · Northeast
NE
Start in r/boston and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Boston guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Washington
DC · NortheastNODE 004
NE
Washington
DC · Northeast
NE
Start in r/washingtondc and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Washington guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Baltimore
MD · NortheastNODE 005
NE
Baltimore
MD · Northeast
NE
Start in r/baltimore and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Baltimore guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Pittsburgh
PA · NortheastNODE 006
NE
Pittsburgh
PA · Northeast
NE
Start in r/pittsburgh and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Pittsburgh guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Houston
TX · SouthNODE 007
S
Houston
TX · South
S
Start in r/houston and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Houston guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
San Antonio
TX · SouthNODE 008
S
San Antonio
TX · South
S
Start in r/sanantonio and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your San Antonio guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Dallas
TX · SouthNODE 009
S
Dallas
TX · South
S
Start in r/Dallas and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Dallas guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Austin
TX · SouthNODE 010
S
Austin
TX · South
S
Start in r/Austin and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Austin guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Fort Worth
TX · SouthNODE 011
S
Fort Worth
TX · South
S
Start in r/FortWorth and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Fort Worth guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
El Paso
TX · SouthNODE 012
S
El Paso
TX · South
S
Start in r/ElPaso and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your El Paso guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Arlington
TX · SouthNODE 013
S
Arlington
TX · South
S
Start in r/Dallas and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Arlington guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Jacksonville
FL · SouthNODE 014
S
Jacksonville
FL · South
S
Start in r/jacksonville and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Jacksonville guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Miami
FL · SouthNODE 015
S
Miami
FL · South
S
Start in r/Miami and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Miami guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Tampa
FL · SouthNODE 016
S
Tampa
FL · South
S
Start in r/tampa and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Tampa guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Charlotte
NC · SouthNODE 017
S
Charlotte
NC · South
S
Start in r/Charlotte and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Charlotte guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Raleigh
NC · SouthNODE 018
S
Raleigh
NC · South
S
Start in r/raleigh and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Raleigh guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Nashville
TN · SouthNODE 019
S
Nashville
TN · South
S
Start in r/nashville and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Nashville guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Memphis
TN · SouthNODE 020
S
Memphis
TN · South
S
Start in r/memphis and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Memphis guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Oklahoma City
OK · SouthNODE 021
S
Oklahoma City
OK · South
S
Start in r/okc and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Oklahoma City guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Tulsa
OK · SouthNODE 022
S
Tulsa
OK · South
S
Start in r/tulsa and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Tulsa guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Louisville
KY · SouthNODE 023
S
Louisville
KY · South
S
Start in r/Louisville and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Louisville guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Atlanta
GA · SouthNODE 024
S
Atlanta
GA · South
S
Start in r/Atlanta and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Atlanta guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Virginia Beach
VA · SouthNODE 025
S
Virginia Beach
VA · South
S
Start in r/virginiabeach and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Virginia Beach guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
New Orleans
LA · SouthNODE 026
S
New Orleans
LA · South
S
Start in r/NewOrleans and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your New Orleans guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Chicago
IL · MidwestNODE 027
MW
Chicago
IL · Midwest
MW
Start in r/chicago and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Chicago guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Columbus
OH · MidwestNODE 028
MW
Columbus
OH · Midwest
MW
Start in r/Columbus and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Columbus guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Indianapolis
IN · MidwestNODE 029
MW
Indianapolis
IN · Midwest
MW
Start in r/indianapolis and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Indianapolis guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Detroit
MI · MidwestNODE 030
MW
Detroit
MI · Midwest
MW
Start in r/Detroit and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Detroit guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Milwaukee
WI · MidwestNODE 031
MW
Milwaukee
WI · Midwest
MW
Start in r/milwaukee and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Milwaukee guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Kansas City
MO · MidwestNODE 032
MW
Kansas City
MO · Midwest
MW
Start in r/kansascity and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Kansas City guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Omaha
NE · MidwestNODE 033
MW
Omaha
NE · Midwest
MW
Start in r/Omaha and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Omaha guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Minneapolis
MN · MidwestNODE 034
MW
Minneapolis
MN · Midwest
MW
Start in r/minneapolis and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Minneapolis guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Wichita
KS · MidwestNODE 035
MW
Wichita
KS · Midwest
MW
Start in r/wichita and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Wichita guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
St. Louis
MO · MidwestNODE 036
MW
St. Louis
MO · Midwest
MW
Start in r/StLouis and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your St. Louis guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Cleveland
OH · MidwestNODE 037
MW
Cleveland
OH · Midwest
MW
Start in r/Cleveland and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Cleveland guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Cincinnati
OH · MidwestNODE 038
MW
Cincinnati
OH · Midwest
MW
Start in r/cincinnati and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Cincinnati guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Phoenix
AZ · Mountain WestNODE 039
MTN
Phoenix
AZ · Mountain West
MTN
Start in r/phoenix and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Phoenix guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Tucson
AZ · Mountain WestNODE 040
MTN
Tucson
AZ · Mountain West
MTN
Start in r/Tucson and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Tucson guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Mesa
AZ · Mountain WestNODE 041
MTN
Mesa
AZ · Mountain West
MTN
Start in r/mesaAZ and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Mesa guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Denver
CO · Mountain WestNODE 042
MTN
Denver
CO · Mountain West
MTN
Start in r/Denver and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Denver guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Colorado Springs
CO · Mountain WestNODE 043
MTN
Colorado Springs
CO · Mountain West
MTN
Start in r/ColoradoSprings and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Colorado Springs guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Las Vegas
NV · Mountain WestNODE 044
MTN
Las Vegas
NV · Mountain West
MTN
Start in r/vegas and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Las Vegas guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Albuquerque
NM · Mountain WestNODE 045
MTN
Albuquerque
NM · Mountain West
MTN
Start in r/Albuquerque and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Albuquerque guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Salt Lake City
UT · Mountain WestNODE 046
MTN
Salt Lake City
UT · Mountain West
MTN
Start in r/SaltLakeCity and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Salt Lake City guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Boise
ID · Mountain WestNODE 047
MTN
Boise
ID · Mountain West
MTN
Start in r/Boise and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Boise guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Los Angeles
CA · Pacific WestNODE 048
PAC
Los Angeles
CA · Pacific West
PAC
Start in r/LosAngeles and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Los Angeles guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
San Diego
CA · Pacific WestNODE 049
PAC
San Diego
CA · Pacific West
PAC
Start in r/sandiego and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your San Diego guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
San Jose
CA · Pacific WestNODE 050
PAC
San Jose
CA · Pacific West
PAC
Start in r/SanJose and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your San Jose guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
San Francisco
CA · Pacific WestNODE 051
PAC
San Francisco
CA · Pacific West
PAC
Start in r/sanfrancisco and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your San Francisco guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Fresno
CA · Pacific WestNODE 052
PAC
Fresno
CA · Pacific West
PAC
Start in r/fresno and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Fresno guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Sacramento
CA · Pacific WestNODE 053
PAC
Sacramento
CA · Pacific West
PAC
Start in r/Sacramento and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Sacramento guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Long Beach
CA · Pacific WestNODE 054
PAC
Long Beach
CA · Pacific West
PAC
Start in r/longbeach and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Long Beach guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Oakland
CA · Pacific WestNODE 055
PAC
Oakland
CA · Pacific West
PAC
Start in r/oakland and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Oakland guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Bakersfield
CA · Pacific WestNODE 056
PAC
Bakersfield
CA · Pacific West
PAC
Start in r/Bakersfield and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Bakersfield guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Seattle
WA · Pacific WestNODE 057
PAC
Seattle
WA · Pacific West
PAC
Start in r/Seattle and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Seattle guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Portland
OR · Pacific WestNODE 058
PAC
Portland
OR · Pacific West
PAC
Start in r/Portland and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Portland guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
Spokane
WA · Pacific WestNODE 059
PAC
Spokane
WA · Pacific West
PAC
Start in r/Spokane and search it for prepping, homestead, or off grid — local threads and recurring groups usually surface there first.
No sign-in needed
May ask you to sign in
Editor's note: replace this with a link to your Spokane guide once written — verified local groups, meetups, and land/water notes for the area.
04
Read a community before you join it
Online groups range from genuinely useful to gatekept, scammy, or extreme. A few minutes of reading usually tells you which.
CHECK 01
Is it alive?
Look at the last few posts. Real questions answered this week beat 40,000 members and silence since 2021.
CHECK 02
Skills or fear?
The good ones trade knowledge — canning, water, solar, gardens, first aid. Walk away from groups that mostly sell dread.
CHECK 03
Who's welcome?
Healthy communities welcome beginners and disagreement. Watch for gatekeeping, purity tests, or hostility to outsiders.
CHECK 04
Meet in daylight
Going from online to in-person? Meet in public first, tell someone where you'll be, and let trust build slowly.