Summary
- Fallout 4 introduced settlement building, allowing players to create personalized, imaginative settlements in 37 different locations.
- Some settlements, like Kingsport Lighthouse and Bunker Hill, offer unique and endgame-worthy bases for players to retire and build.
- Players can unlock settlements like Echo Lake Lumber and Egret Tours Marina, offering visually stunning locations with plenty of build space.
Fallout 4 was released in 2015, bringing with it a fresh innovation in the Fallout franchise - settlement building. This mechanic went one step further than simply owning a hideout or renting a room by enabling a player to truly manipulate the environment, creating a personalized, imaginative settlement. It doesn't end with just one settlement, though - Fallout 4 contains no fewer than 37 settlements, from the relatively understated buildings to the simply enormous, open spaces.
Fallout 4: 10 Worst Settlements
Fallout 4 introduced player settlements to the series, bringing new ways to interact with the world. But some locations are a mistake.
For years, players have worked to construct the most inventive builds possible. With the added assistance of creativity-focused mods, some fantastic settlements have emerged from the Fallout 4 community since 2015. However, while there are dozens of possible settlements to claim in Fallout 4, not all of them are worth it, and only a few among them can be considered "endgame bases." These are the locations where players can retire, build their final settlement, and finally hang up the Pip-Boy.
Updated on July 27, 2024, by Benjamin Joe: Fallout 4 was Bethesda's first Fallout game with settlement-building mechanics. Players can create bustling towns filled with people from all over the Commonwealth. There are lots of settlements that the player can unlock while exploring post-war Boston. From Sanctuary Hills to Echo Lake Lumber, there are lots of fantastic places to build cool creative settlements with the tools and talent made available to them through the Sole Survivor's exploration of the wasteland across Fallout 4 and its various DLCs.
17 Finch Farm
More Than Meets The Eye
- A Low-Level Area
- Build On Top Of A Freeway
Finch Farm is one of the locations that the player will likely come across early on during their playthrough. While it doesn't look like much at first glance, this area has the potential to be turned into a bustling town.
Above the outpost is a large freeway. It's possible to build on top of the road, making it the perfect place to build a settlement. The road above is long and flat, making it an easy place to build on. Also, it offers fantastic views of the surrounding areas.
16 Nuka-World Red Rocket
A Fun Place To Build in Nuka-World
- Nuka-World's Only Settlement
- Plenty of Build Space
If a player follows the story chronologically, the Nuka-World Red Rocket will be the last settlement they unlock. It's the only settlement found in Nuka-World, the final DLC released in the Fallout 4 lifecycle, which coincidentally serves as something of an endgame expansion. It pushes the player into a hostile theme park environment, overrun by raiders and all manner of mutated creatures.
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Bizarrely, in the considerably vast and diverse map of Nuka-World, there is just one settlement - the Nuka-World Red Rocket. While it's not the most beautiful setting for an endgame build, it's an iconic brand in the Fallout universe, and it offers a relatively large, open build space.
15 Graygarden
Great For Harvesting Food
- Inhabited By Robots
- Plenty Of Food
Graygarden is one of Fallout 4's strangest settlements. It is run by a handful of helpful robots. The robots that call this place home may be a little odd, but they are surprisingly friendly. The area itself is located on a hillside. This helps to make spotting attackers pretty easy.
As for the build area, while there isn't a lot of free land to build on, players can incorporate the road above into their build. Also, one of the robots, Supervisor Brown, will purchase Mufruit from the player for 2 Caps each. While it's not much, since Mutfruit is easy to farm, players can make a decent chunk of change by simply harvesting the nearby Mutfruit.
14 Kingsport Lighthouse
A Cool Place To Build
- Great Vantage Point
- Picturesque Location
Kingsport Lighthouse was originally occupied by the Children of Atom, who are hilariously 'powering' the lighthouse by entrapping a Glowing One at the top of it. It's a unique location that boasts a large build area, but it's a great endgame settlement for the sheer diversity of what's on offer. Firstly, there's a large, central building, alongside which is a towering, complete lighthouse. At the back of the property is a mostly undamaged pier, which houses further, smaller buildings.
It's one of the best base canvases for a settlement, especially considering most of the buildings are undamaged. For players that want a unique retirement home, there's the option to build at the very top of the lighthouse, upon which the player can survey the wide, open world of the Commonwealth Wasteland.
13 Croup Manor
A Waterside Retreat
- Easy To Defend
- Great For Farming Water
Croup Manor is tucked away from most of the dangers of the Commonwealth. Located on a stretch of land on the eastern side of the map, this location is right on the water's edge, which helps to keep enemies away. While the manor itself is in pretty bad shape, the land around the manor is great for building a settlement that can house lots of settlers.
Since the settlement is surrounded on two sides by water, it is pretty easy to defend. A couple of well-armed settlers placed on guard posts should be enough to ward off any attackers.
12 Bunker Hill
An Interesting Late-Game Settlement
- A Well-Fortified Settlement
- Home To An Iconic Landmark
Bunker Hill is home to several notable NPCs. It's the place where traveling traders get some much-needed rest. It's surrounded by walls which help to keep attackers at bay, and it has a market in the main building where players can sell their wares.
While it can be a difficult place to build due to the many existing structures, a skilled builder can do quite a lot with Bunker Hill. The giant Bunker Hill Monument can be incorporated into the players' build to create a unique living space for all who choose to call Bunker Hill their home.
11 Echo Lake Lumber
A Far Harbor Town With A Cannibal Resident
- A Cool Yet Creepy Aesthetic
- A Somewhat Secluded Area
Echo Lake Lumber is one of four settlements that the player can obtain in Far Harbor. Like most of the locations in Far Harbor, Echo Lake Lumber gives players an unsettling feeling when roaming around this area. While the area is quite large, there are lots of pre-existing structures that can get in the way. But, if the player is an experienced builder, then these buildings shouldn't be much of an issue.
There are some interesting stories tied to this location. Players can also decide the fate of the settlers, as there's a creepy guy called Malcolm who has a taste for human flesh.
10 Egret Tours Marina
A Peaceful Spot For Those Who Want To Be On The River
- Perfect For Farming Water
- A Visually Stunning Area
Egret Tours Marina is probably the most visually inviting settlement that players can obtain. There are several pre-existing buildings that are in pretty good shape considering how long they have been left to rot. The marina itself is a great place to place a handful of Industrial Water Purifiers to make some extra caps.
There's quite a lot that can be done with this settlement to make it more welcoming to visitors. As far as Fallout 4 goes, players will be hard-pushed to find a more visually pleasing location.
9 Sunshine Tidings Co-Op
A Big Place With A Lot To Offer
- Filled With Mostly Complete Cabins
- Plenty Of Build Space
Located on the western side of the map, Sunshine Tidings Co-op is a nice farming settlement with lots of open space and sturdy cabins to build in. Before the war, this place was just a regular run of the mill farm. But now, with a little elbow grease and a few materials, this area can be turned into a countryside escape where settlers can go to feel safe.
There's a big barn in the center and a handful of buildings that circle the exterior perimeter of the building area. These buildings provide natural cover and shelter from potential threats. With a bit of creativity, this seemingly regular farm can be turned into a central hub for settlers and traders alike.
8 Longfellow's Cabin
A Home From Home
- An Isolated Location
- Plenty of Build Space
Found nestled in the fog-ridden island in Far Harbor, Longfellow's Cabin is a brilliant endgame settlement for one key reason: it's already an endgame settlement for someone else. When the player meets Longfellow, they're introduced to a surly yet helpful individual who has been leathered and wizened by decades in the wasteland. He decided to house himself away from the core settlements in Far Harbor, opting to get a little peace and quiet.
As a result of this move, Longfellow's Cabin is in an undisturbed area of the map, set in an area full of trees and perched atop a small cliff that boasts clear-ish views of the map. It's one of four settlements introduced in Far Harbor, and it makes a perfect location to build that ideal retirement property.