Worst Settlement Locations In Fallout 4

Key Takeaways

• The Settlement feature in Fallout 4 allows players to build shelters for survivors with collected junk but some locations are not ideal due to limitations.
• Jamaica Plain offers loot but is tricky to build in and defend, making it challenging for novice builders.
• Greentop Nursery is a small settlement suitable for growing food only, lacking in other necessary resources for survival.

The Fallout series from Bethesda has always challenged players to try and survive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Much of this survival involves defeating dangerous enemies, finding useful weapons, or saving other survivors. The wasteland in this series has always been a fun place to explore, but the development team made things far more interesting by adding the settlement feature in Fallout 4.

The settlement feature allows players to find certain locations in the game and build a safe sanctuary for other survivors with the junk they have collected. These settlements must provide food, shelter, water, and power for their inhabitants, and they can even be attacked by enemies. Of course, every settlement in the game is different, and players will find running and building in one is far more enjoyable than others. Some locations make for fantastic settlements, but unfortunately, there are also not-so-good settlement locations. Some settlement locations on this list are solid but come with huge drawbacks; some are mediocre or boring, and some are just downright bad.

Updated November 7, 2024 by Benjamin Joe: Fallout 4, despite being almost a decade old, is still proving to be a very popular game. There is always a steady influx of new players exploring the ruins of post-war Boston and conquering all of the available settlements. While the original list contained most of the worst settlements in the game, there were a couple of places that didn’t get mentioned. So, this update aims to rectify that.

Fallout 4’s build mechanics are fun and surprisingly complex. That said, players need a decent amount of build space to create a livable settlement that can support both the player and the settlers. Settlements that don’t have enough natural resources or build space aren’t great for turning into a community.

1 Jamaica Plain

Better Suited For More Complex Builds

Jamaica Plain is a very interesting place with a lot of history and some great loot. However, the settlement itself isn’t great for inexperienced builders. There are already some rather large and semi-broken buildings in the area, making building new structures rather tricky. Also, during enemy attacks, the enemies tend to spawn from all over the place, making defending the area difficult. The plus side to this area is that it’s perfect for placing some artillery.

Because there aren’t many settlements in this region, it’s difficult to get artillery coverage from the Minutemen. This settlement creates a nice little protection blanket over an area that usually wouldn’t be able to provide the player much support. As for building, players will need to incorporate the existing buildings into their designs. Some veteran players enjoy the challenge of building in Jamaica Plain, but the same can’t always be said for novice players.

2 Coastal Cottage

A Really Messy Location

Coastal Cottage doesn’t have a lot going for it. While it does have a cool semi-underground area that can be built in, space is somewhat limited. Also, there are a couple of destroyed buildings that make building here rather difficult. The only real options for this place are to either turn it into a farming settlement or to build high off the ground and away from the structures below.

Experienced players can patch up some of the buildings to make them usable. That said, without the use of mods, there isn’t really a lot that players can do about the mess. The area is situated right on the coastline, which offers great views. But aside from that, this area isn’t worth investing a lot of time in. If the player could completely clear all the debris, then this location would be ideal, but unfortunately, players are left with a permanent unmovable mess.

3 Covenant

A Creepy Place With Not Much Room To Expand

When players first stumble across Covenant, it is obvious that something weird is going on in the town. The Sole Survivor must answer a questionnaire to enter this settlement, and everyone inside is overly friendly. To be able to use this town as a new settlement, players must uncover the conspiracy within Covenant and complete its quest by wiping out all the current residents. It’s a surprisingly detailed side quest that allows the player to make a fairly meaningful decision towards the end.

The settlement is mostly a set of ready-built houses, which means that building in this area mainly involves placing furniture. Plus, these houses can make wiring up power in the settlement a real pain. What’s worse is the fact that there is little green space in the center to plant enough food for all the settlers who will come flocking. It can be a great place for those who aren’t a big fan of building from scratch. But for those keen builders, Covenant probably isn’t the best place to call home.

4 The Castle

A Big Settlement For The Minutemen

The Castle becomes the main settlement for the Minutemen faction during one of the main quests in Fallout 4. Clearing this location isn’t easy. This quest requires the player to successfully wipe out a Mirelurk Queen and its eggs to progress. It’s a big fight that the player needs to be well prepared for. At first glance, The Castle looks like an ideal settlement for someone looking to provide shelter for other survivors. There is plenty of space in the center to plant crops or build generators, but much of this structure has already been built.

The old castle ruins are great places to put furniture, but that’s as creative as players can be. The only other thing for players to do here is plug up the gaps in the walls to make it harder for enemies to attack. While it is possible to build in the castle’s central area, because of the radio tower in the middle, building can be a little tricky. Unfortunately, while the settlement-building ability is pretty detailed, it can also be quite buggy, especially when trying to place down items in very specific areas.

5 Boston Airport

The Brotherhood Of Steel’s Main Settlement With A Prydwen Covered Sky

Any player that sides with The Brotherhood of Steel faction in Fallout 4’s main questline will eventually be given access to their Boston Airport settlement. While having an airport to build on may seem exciting at first, it isn’t much to look at.

The Boston Airport does provide players with a good amount of scrap, as there are lots of cars in the place to delete. However, much of this airport is just one solid square of tarmac that players cannot use to grow crops or purify water. As a result, it isn’t a good idea to use Boston Airport as a main settlement. Fortunately, it does provide enough space and resources to build the teleporter into the institute for players who do not want this eyesore in any other settlement.

It can be a good place for those looking to create a somewhat lazy build, but avid builders may find this settlement a little bit boring.

6 Greentop Nursery

A Place To Grow Food… And That’s It

Food is an important part of survival in the wasteland. However, there are a lot more elements that settlers will need in a new settlement if they are hoping to last.

Greentop Nursery is a settlement that players will encounter when doing quests for Preston Garvey of the Minutemen. It is unlocked as a settlement once players solve the kidnapping quest for the people who live here, but the place is only comprised of a single house and a greenhouse. Therefore, this small space provides a great place for players to grow food, but it isn’t really good for anything else.

Its only real saving grace is that the area is void of tall buildings. So, if the player wants to build a tall structure, they won’t be impeded by existing items that can’t be removed.

7 Hangman’s Alley

Former Raider Base That Attracts Other Raiders

Hangman’s Alley is a raider settlement that players will find on their way to Diamond City. Players will need to clear out the raiders inside to be able to use this location as a place to build and attract settlers.

As its name suggests, Hangman’s Alley is a small alleyway that is narrow and tall. As a result, many players will struggle to build any worthwhile structures inside. It is best to build a lot of platforms between buildings here to store things rather than trying to build a functioning town. Plus, Hangman’s Alley is often attacked by nearby raiders, so players will need to put a lot of resources into defending this settlement.

It can be a fun area for players who enjoy a challenge, as it is technically possible to build some fairly complex structures in this small area. But, overall, this place doesn’t offer much to those wanting to build something large and lavish.

8 Red Rocket Diner

The Second Settlement That Players Will Find

Players will start Fallout 4 in a settlement called Sanctuary Hills. This ruined suburban town is where they will learn all about settlement building, and it is one of the best places to build in the game. However, the second settlement that players will come across in the main story is Red Rocket Diner.

This location is memorable for being the place where players first meet Dogmeat, but not much else. Red Rocket Diner is far too small a location to build a proper settlement, and the small, exposed restaurant always seems to attract attacks from raiders.

If players want to build here, then the best thing to do is work from the roof and build upwards. But even then, with Sanctuary Hills being just a stone’s throw away, most players will spend very little time working on this settlement.

9 Spectacle Island

A Mirelurk Infested Island

For many players, Spectacle Island is one of the best places to build a settlement in Fallout 4. This wide-open and secluded area is great for building a big town, and it is rarely attacked by enemies. Unfortunately, clearing out this settlement is a huge task.

Firstly, players need to build up a significant resistance to radiation damage to even get to the island. Secondly, Spectacle Island is infested with Mirelurks, and players must find a hidden switch to get rid of these creatures. Plus, the land they are left with is so big that it is difficult to build anything of value without using mods.

This settlement is great as a testing area due to its size. But, aside from that, it doesn’t offer that much to players. Also, it does have a couple of small central structures that can’t be removed, which makes building a little tricky.

10 The Mechanist’s Lair

A Single Building With Nothing To Offer

The Mechanist is the main villain in the Fallout 4 DLC, and they aim to build robots to try and bring some control to the wasteland. When players finally beat their robots and finish the entire questline, they will be given The Mechanist’s Lair as a settlement to build in.

At first, having a former robot-building factory seemed like a great gift. However, the novelty quickly wears off once players realize how boring this settlement is. The Mechanist’s Lair is just an empty building, one that cannot be used to grow food. Plus, settlers cannot be called to live here, which is one of the best aspects of building a settlement, so The Mechanist’s Lair is easily the worst settlement in Fallout 4 as it serves no purpose.

Many players were underwhelmed after completing the Mechanist questline. While the Mechanist’s armor was a cool addition to the game, the lair is fairly pointless.