Free State Project

Intentional community
Trust-minimized

A movement founded in 2001 to concentrate libertarians in New Hampshire. Roughly 6,000 have moved — well short of the 20,000 pledge target — yet enough to elect dozens of state legislators and shape policy, including some of the most bitcoin-friendly laws in the US. Decentralized by nature: there is no headquarters to visit, just towns where free staters cluster.

Trust shape

A service or vendor is in the loop, but its behavior is verifiable and leaving is cheap.

Facts

  • Website: www.fsp.org
  • Founded: 2001
  • Scale: around 6,000 movers to date
  • Last updated: 2026-06-12

Frequently asked questions

What is the Free State Project?
A movement founded in 2001 to concentrate libertarians in one US state — New Hampshire — to maximize their political and cultural influence (source: https://www.fsp.org). It has helped elect dozens of state legislators and pass some of the most bitcoin-friendly laws in the country. There is no shared property or central campus, just towns where movers cluster.
How do I join the Free State Project?
You sign the pledge and move to New Hampshire — that's it. There is no headquarters, no gatekeeper, no application to clear (source: https://www.fsp.org). You relocate to one of the towns where free staters already cluster and plug into the local community. The honest catch: you're moving your whole life on the strength of a movement, not a guarantee.
How many people have moved for the Free State Project?
Roughly 6,000 to date (source: https://www.fsp.org) — well short of the original 20,000-person pledge target. That's the honest scorecard: it never hit its headline goal. But 6,000 concentrated in one small state has been enough to produce measurable policy impact, which is the part most movements never reach.
Is the Free State Project an intentional community or a commune?
Neither in the commune sense — there's no shared property, no single site, no compound to visit. It's decentralized by design: a geographic concentration of like-minded people spread across ordinary New Hampshire towns (source: https://www.fsp.org). You keep your own home, your own money, your own life. The community is the density of neighbors, not a shared bank account.
What has the Free State Project actually achieved?
Dozens of free staters elected to the New Hampshire legislature, plus real influence on state policy — including some of the most bitcoin-friendly laws in the US (source: https://www.fsp.org). The honest flip side: it fell short of its 20,000-mover goal, so its reach is concentrated in one small state rather than national. Real wins, bounded scope.

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