Best Stardew Valley Farm Maps

Unlike aesthetic choices, one decision at the start of each Stardew Valley playthrough is irreversible and can significantly impact gameplay: the farm map selection. Over time, Stardew Valley fans have come to understand that there isn’t necessarily a “best” way to approach the game, and thus probably no single “best” farm layout. Nonetheless, gameplay tests and stats have identified certain farm maps as superior to others.

The following tier list ranks all eight farm layouts (Standard, Beach, Wilderness, Riverland, Meadowlands, Hill-Top, Forest, and Four Corners) to determine the ultimate farm map.

Here are the criteria used to rank Stardew Valley’s map layouts:

• Tillable Tiles: Layouts with more tillable tiles are ranked higher.
• Starter Items: Maps with more popular starting perks are given a higher rank.
• Build-Friendliness: Layouts that allow for easier building and construction rank better, while restrictive ones fall lower.
• Aesthetic: Maps with more visually appealing designs receive a higher ranking.

Updated on April 7, 2025, by Mohsen Baqery: Stardew Valley continues to thrive as a timeless favorite in the gaming world. Each year, countless players dive back into Pelican Town for new adventures while fresh faces join the farming community. Considering the game’s ongoing popularity and the importance of map selection for both beginners and seasoned players, this guide now includes a detailed section on ranking criteria. It has also been reviewed for accuracy and updated with practical insights into specific layouts.

8

The Hill-Top Farm

The Quarry Is All the Player Gets

• Pros: Comes with a free Quarry
• Cons: Has an overly asymmetric layout

The Hill-Top Farm in Stardew Valley is often less favored for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the Quarry, its standout feature, offers minimal practical benefits. Secondly, the farm’s asymmetric layout can make navigating and building difficult.

The Hill-Top Farm features elevated areas and a river that runs through the entire map. These topographies can limit the player’s ability to till and farm large spaces, which is one of its main drawbacks.

The only perk of this farm is that the southwest hilltop will spawn different types of stones, ore nodes, and Geode

nodes, depending on the player’s Mining skill level. Although it seems convenient to have a mini quarry on the farm, it isn’t that profitable in the long run as the items take a couple of days to regenerate. (Players can earn more money by selling wine and cheese than by mining.)

7

The Beach Farm

Aesthetically Pleasing But Impossible to Automate

• Pros: Looks unique and has extra challenging topography
• Cons: Limits the usage of Sprinklers

The Beach Farm has a significant drawback: It doesn’t support Sprinklers. The vast map is primarily made up of sand instead of dirt and is surrounded mainly by the ocean. While players can till the sand to grow crops, they must manually water plants, as sprinklers do not work in sandy areas.

The Beach Farm offers a satisfying challenge for veteran players looking for an extra layer of difficulty. However, beginners may find it difficult to thrive on this sandy terrain.

The standout feature of the Beach Farm map is its stunning aesthetics. Few other layouts in Stardew Valley rival the beautiful scenery of this farm, making it a unique and special choice.

There is a small area on the Beach where players can place a few Sprinklers. However, this space is initially occupied and requires clearing before it can be used.

6

The Wilderness Farm

Even without Monsters, This Map Is Not Farm-Friendly

• Pros: Challenging and combat-incentivizing
• Cons: Limiting nighttime farm activities

Maps like The Wilderness add to Stardew Valley’s replayability because some players might want to try out new things—maybe build a farm raided by monsters at night. And that’s precisely what The Wilderness Farm offers.

Battling monsters on the farm has advantages: players can rapidly improve their Combat Skills. However, there’s always the risk of being overwhelmed by a swarm of unwelcome creatures before completing the day’s chores.

Besides the random, Minecraft-esque monster attacks, the Wilderness map is not as farm-friendly as some other options. While it features a reasonable number of tillable tiles, the large lakes take up a considerable portion of the map.

Players can disable monster spawns for the Wilderness map by going to the Advanced Options menu.

5

The Riverland Farm

Perfect for Fishing, Not So Good for Farming

• Pros: Easy and accessible fishing on the farm
• Cons: Lacking enough tillable tiles for farming

For those who value aesthetics over practicality, the Riverland Farm is a top choice. It often competes with the Beach Farm for the title of the most beautiful layout in Stardew Valley.

One of the best aspects of the Riverland map is starting with a free Fish Smoker, making it a great choice for Pelican Town’s fishing enthusiasts. Additionally, a large portion of the map is covered by rivers, allowing players to fish right from their farms.

However, the extensive waterways on the Riverland Farm leave limited space for farming and building. This can be quite challenging, requiring players to get creative with their crops and livestock.

4

The Meadowlands Farm

A Stockbreeder’s Dream Land

• Pros: Innovative and new
• Cons: Might limit the player’s income

The Meadowlands Farm was added in Stardew Valley’s Update 1.6 in hopes of encouraging farmers to raise animals. It already comes with a Coop and two baby Chickens

, saving you the trouble of building one from scratch. As such, this farm map is perfect for anyone who wants to become a rancher and raise chickens, cows, and pigs in the optimal environment.

The Meadowlands Farm even comes with several ponds and a river for those who enjoy fishing. Since it is designed as an animal-focused farm, there are two types of grass for animals to graze on: Blue Grass and regular green grass. However, this also means that there are fewer tillable tiles, meaning that farmers will have a hard time growing crops on this farm.

3

The Forest Farm

Beginner-Friendly and Resource-Rich

• Pros: Beginner-friendly and forgiving
• Cons: Not ideal for crop mass-production

Newcomers to Pelican Town can greatly benefit from the Forest Farm map. This layout trades some farmable land for areas where seasonal forage items and Mixed Seeds

spawn naturally. Additionally, the western clearings produce eight Hardwood Stumps daily, which helps players upgrade their fences and equipment more quickly. Hardwood Stumps are among the rarest items in the game, so having them appear frequently on the farm provides a significant advantage.

However, the Forest Farm’s benefits come with a trade-off. The ponds and grass patches reduce the farming space, making it less suitable for players focused on growing crops and producing Artisan Goods.

2

The Standard Farm

A Go-To Choice for Mass-Production

• Pros: Highest number of tillable tiles
• Cons: Doesn’t incentivize creativity

Initially, Stardew Valley featured only one map: The Standard Farm. As updates were introduced, more farm layouts were added, but this original map survived the test of time.

Veterans favor the Standard Farm for its extensive tillable tiles. With 3,427 tiles available for planting crops, it boasts the highest number among all maps. Additionally, its nostalgic value reminds players of the early days of Stardew Valley.

This map also has the most straightforward layout in the game, making it ideal for first-time players who are learning the ropes. The Standard Farm offers plenty of farmable land and a few ponds, allowing for flexible structure placement.

It’s the best choice for creating expansive crop farms or accommodating multiple barns and coops without restrictions. While it may seem basic and lacks unique features, the Standard Farm’s simplicity and versatility make it a solid option for new and experienced players.

1

The Four Corners Farm

A Perfectly Balanced Map

• Pros: Symmetric, easy to organize
• Cons: Smaller than the Standard Map

Given its versatility, aesthetics, and symmetrical layout, The Four Corners Farm is considered the best map in Stardew Valley. It offers ample space for multiple farmers and allows solo players to efficiently organize their crops while engaging in other activities, such as fishing, foraging, and stockbreeding, from the convenience of their farms.

The Four Corners Farm was added in Stardew Valley’s 1.4 update in hopes of encouraging multiplayer game sessions. As the name suggests, the map is split into four distinct quadrants. Each open area features the fantastic perks of other layouts, namely the Standard, Forest, Hill-Top, and Riverland farms.