Build 42 reshapes Project Zomboid, raising the stakes while adding more base variety in Knox Country than before. With tons of new houses, establishments, and structures added to the map, it can be confusing to select the right headquarters. Here, we’ll talk about the best base locations in Project Zomboid Build 42, so you can determine the most strategically viable places for your next rest and resource hub.

Best Base Locations in Project Zomboid (Build 42)

First, it’s important to mention that the following options touted as the best base locations in Project Zomboid Build 42 don’t discriminate. Some places have high fencing while others prioritize self-sustenance. Nonetheless, these features don’t guarantee your survival in Knox Country, as true endurance lies in your adaptability, awareness, and willingness to abandon the “perfect” base when the horde comes knocking.

Best Base Locations in Riverside

Many survivors like to spawn in Riverside, as it’s the quintessential survivor’s retreat. For starters, it offers the lowest zombie density of any major town in Project Zomboid. So, it makes itself the premier location for beginners and those seeking a peaceful, long-term existence in this zombie-infested world.

Best Base Location in Riverside #1: Riverside Gated Suburbs

Located east of Riverside, this gated residential community is the gold standard for early- to mid-game security. Promoting itself as a self-contained neighborhood, this area features homes with high fences, ideal for beginner-friendly defenses. Various homes also possess automobiles ripe for the picking.

Best Base Location in Riverside #2: C.G.E. Corp

For the industrious zombie-apocalypse survivor, C.G.E. Corp has large, empty room to keep all your resources and crafting operations. The place also has few zombies, if there are any. However, it lacks living equipment, which might not be ideal for newly-spawned survivors.

Best Base Location in Riverside #3: The Isolated Gas Station

Situated at the far northwest of Riverside, this lonely gas station is a high-risk, high-reward outpost. Although players can take advantage of infinite fuel, zombies typically surround the area as if there’s no tomorrow. Those who wish to leave the “R&R” of Riverside for an exciting lifestyle without leaving town, this place is a good option.

Best Base Locations in West Point

Unlike Riverside, West Point is for the hardened survivor. While the undead come in seemingly infinite hordes in this region, it also boasts one of the highest loot ceilings of the original towns. Here, you should find many items to perpetually survive the zombie apocalypse, including guns, food, and clothing. However, this town isn’t for the faint of heart, as it’s typically reserved for those who thrive on constant action.

Best Base Location in West Point #1: The Three Mansions

Survivors in multiplayer Project Zomboid players can thrive in the three mansions on the river’s edge of West Point. These massive houses combine luxury with tactical brilliance, as the nearby body of water provides a secure flank and a reliable food source. Additionally, hordes are fairly thin in these parts, seeing that it’s still quite far from the main city.

Best Base Location in West Point #2: American Tire

Mechanics in Project Zomboid rejoice! American Tire in West Point is the prime location for this occupation. Its main draw is the massive collection of automotive parts and tools, making it the perfect place to maintain your vehicle fleet. Also, the building has a few windows and a straightforward layout, making it ideal for quickly spotting stray zombies.

Best Base Location in West Point #3: The GigaMart

The GigaMart is an enormous supermarket, but players can transform it into a fortress. Its sheer size and massive stockpile of food and other supplies allow survivors to live here for days on end. However, its central location and large footprint mean it sits in the heart of undead territory. Although securing it is a monumental task, a group of experienced players might be able to convert this commercial establishment into a cozy, fully-stocked abode.

Best Base Locations in Rosewood

Players seeking a balanced and relatively safe post-apocalypse experience can choose Rosewood as their starting town. It has a low zombie population and is home to one of the best pre-built early-game base locations in Project Zomboid – the Fire Station.

Best Base Location in Rosewood #1: Rosewood Fire Department

An iconic building is arguably one of the best bases to start from in Project Zomboid. It’s a large, two-story structure complete with an attached garage, kitchen, and several bedrooms. The surrounding high fences and its location on the edge of town provide excellent security. Finally, the nearby Police Station makes acquiring a weapon an early priority.

Best Base Location in Rosewood #2: The Secluded House

Solo players looking for the ultimate loner experience can make their way to this house situated outside of Rosewood. Travel to coordinates 8330x11740, which requires you to go through a dirt road access. Eventually, you’ll reach an overgrowth with limited vehicle access, but also virtually no undead in the immediate area. Take this place for your own, especially if you’re a player who’s ready to live off the land.

Best Base Location in Rosewood #3: Fossoil

Located on the town’s northern outskirts, this isolated gas station presents a compromise between urban access and rural safety. It offers an immediate benefit of an unlimited fuel supply. However, unlike gas stations located at the heart of major cities, this establishment has fewer zombies.

Best Base Locations in Muldraugh

Muldraugh presents the classic Project Zomboid experience. It offers medium to high difficulty with an excellent variety of loot. It’s also at the heart of Knox Country with a bit of everything, including industrial warehouses, medical facilities, and a gun store.

Best Base Location in Muldraugh #1: The MASS-GENFAC Warehouse

As a fortress of industry, the MASS-GENFAC Warehouse is a massive, multi-story establishment. Being a storage facility, players can find dozens of resources to complete various tasks, ranging from basic crafting to end-game farming. Additionally, its central location makes it fairly easy to access the rest of the town’s resources.

Best Base Location in Muldraugh #2: Cortman Medical

If you decide to spawn in Muldraugh, Cortman Medical is an excellent early-game medical base. As the establishment's name implies, it’s packed with medical supplies crucial for survival. While the building is relatively small, it’s also easy to fortify.

Best Base Location in Muldraugh #3: McCoy Logging Warehouses

While the tire shop in West Point is for mechanics, the McCoy Logging Warehouses are great for carpenters. Inside, you’ll find planks to fuel your construction dreams. It also holds the tools needed for construction, so you don’t have to run into town to collect them. However, this location is quite far from other key resources, so players will need vehicles for easy access.

Best Base Locations in Louisville

Are you ready for Project Zomboid's endgame? If so, then Louisville is the prime destination for your next base. Here, you’ll be in the largest and most dangerous city in Knox Country. Zombies seemingly appear out of nowhere, but the rewards of staying alive in this undead-infested region are the highest in the game.

Best Base Location in Louisville #1: The Fenced Mansions

Travel to coordinates 14150x2610 to reach a cluster of luxury homes in Louisville. Each home in this community can become a highly defensible base. The residences have high fences, offering excellent privacy and security. Also, the mansions are fairly close to the city center, making them ideal for quick supply runs.

Best Base Location in Louisville #2: The Mounted Police Training Center

Located on the greener edge of the city, the Mounted Police Training Center is a riding school with a massive, enclosed footprint, perfect for Project Zomboid co-op play. It provides space for vehicles, livestock, and large-scale farming. It’s also an excellent staging ground for raids into the more densely packed city blocks.

Best Base Location in Louisville #3: U-Store It

You can never have too many items in Project Zomboid, and the U-Store It Louisville branch is a dream come true for the loot hoarder. It offers dozens of secure, separated storage units that can be claimed and organized. Although navigating its labyrinthine environment can be a nightmare for solo players, the same can be said for zombies. If you find yourself getting surrounded, simply head inside one of the storage units and then climb out the window.

Best Base Locations in Brandenburg

One of the largest new towns introduced in Project Zomboid Build 42, Brandenburg offers a high-pressure urban challenge for those who consider themselves true survivors. Treat this location as a compact version of West Point, with a zombie population comparable to Louisville's. Despite its apparent dangers, it offers a wealth of critical points of interest (POIs), including a police station, a school, and a massive hardware store.

Best Base Location in Brandenburg #1: Brandenburg Fire Department

Brandenburg is also home to a large and cozy firehouse. Like the fire station in Rosewood, this sturdy establishment comes with a garage, kitchen, and living quarters. The amenities inside require minimal effort to transform it into a secure home. Also, its location near the town center offers great access to looting.

Best Base Location in Brandenburg #2: Brandenburg Community Center

Get ready to level up your fitness levels upon claiming the Brandeburg Community Center as your base. Travel to coordinates 1869x5961 to reach this location and enjoy its fitness-focused amenities, including a gym and swimming pool. It also has multiple storage areas for all your loot. However, it holds no essential items at the beginning, making it an empty husk until stocked.

Best Base Location in Brandenburg #3: Golden Sunset Nursing Home

A building that once housed the elderly, the Golden Sunset Nursing Home in Brandenburg has various amenities fit for surviving teams. Inside, take advantage of several bedrooms, two medical storage rooms, and two lounges. It also has a gym and a cafeteria stocked with food to help kick-start this nursing home’s transformation into an actual base.

Best Base Locations in Ekron

With a once-living population of less than 200, Knox Country post-zombie apocalypse survivors that aren’t looking forward to the daily dealings with the walking dead can call Ekron their home. Arguably, its most standout location for survivors is the AMZ Steelworks, which is an invaluable asset to Project Zomboid Build 42’s expanded crafting system.

Best Base Location in Ekron #1: AMZ Steelworks

As mentioned earlier, this steel mill skyrocketed in value with the release of Project Zomboid Build 42 and its metalworking overhaul. Here, you’ll find most of the tools and stations needed to forge metal items. Use these resources at your disposal to create late-game metal-based weapons and armor. The establishment also has small living quarters and is surrounded by low-population forest and farms.

Best Base Location in Ekron #2: Ekron Fire Department

Yet another fire department in Project Zomboid, which makes it one of the best bases in Build 42, is this location. This particular firehouse is a two-story building complete with a garage, medical room, and multiple storage rooms. However, unlike other fire departments in Knox Country, this one doesn’t have proper fencing, which means zombies can approach the area from all directions.

Best Base Location in Ekron #3: Home Sweet Gnome

A gnome factory situated in the heart of Ekron, Home Sweet Gnome, contains various tools for crafting different items. Its second floor only holds a single office, which may not be much for veteran survivors. Nonetheless, it’s a good beginner-friendly base, especially for those looking to stock up on raw materials and gnomes.

Best Base Locations in Irvington

Irvington is another of Project Zomboid Build 42’s substantial new towns, designed for those who find Rosewood too quiet but aren’t ready for the chaos of West Point. This region serves as a middle-ground for players who want a greater challenge than beginner-friendly areas but aren’t confident enough to tackle late-game locations.

Best Base Location in Irvington #1: Irvington Fire Department

Located between the Irvington Town Hall and a Car Fix-ation, this firehouse stands as one of the most secure and functional bases in this town. It provides a robust structure, a garage, and a large yet easily defendable area. However, like the fire department in Ekron, this establishment lacks a perimeter fence, putting unprepared players at risk of being surrounded by sneaky zombies.

Best Base Location in Irvington #2: GigaMart

Known to be a popular pick to loot various supplies, the GigaMart in Irvington is a great pick for your next base. Claiming it means immediate access to a huge supply of resources, particularly non-perishable food. If you don’t want to transform this establishment into a glorified headquarters, it’s still a prime location for a fairly large group of survivors in a Project Zomboid server as a secondary base, if they need to retreat.

Best Base Location in Irvington #3: Irvington Public Pool

Although it lacks comfortable amenities, the Irvington Public Pool offers survivors an endless supply of tainted water. This resource becomes incredibly useful when the water supply shuts off. Nonetheless, those who wish to transform this establishment into a fully functional base will need to devote significant time, effort, and resources.

Best Base Locations in Dark Wallow Lake

Arguably, one of the most impressive additions in Build 42 is Dark Wallow Lake. Located southeast of Rosewood, this region is ideal for the survivalist who doesn’t mind living off the land. As its name implies, it has a large lake that provides endless fishing, while the surrounding forests are rich with game and forageable goods.

Best Base Location in Dark Wallow Lake #1: The Dark Wallow Lake Guest House

Despite being almost devoid of establishments, the Dark Wallow Lake Guest House is this area’s crown jewel. Secured with high fences, this compound presents zombie-apocalypse survival teams with an immense space and utmost safety. It’s the ideal place for players who want a luxurious yet safe space with plenty of room to grow.

Best Base Location in Dark Wallow Lake #2: Camp Arthur

For those who prefer a more compact setup, the Camp Arthur offers several smaller cabins and outbuildings. This location is more manageable for a solo player or a small group to secure and maintain than the Dark Wallow Lake Guest House. Nonetheless, it provides a cozy, rustic atmosphere away from the dangers of the cities.

Best Base Locations in Echo Creek

Echo Creek is the smallest of the new towns in Project Zomboid Build 42 and is best treated as a quiet pit stop or a jumping-off point for exploring the larger western towns, such as Irvington or Ekron. Its low population makes it a safe place for beginners or an excellent location for an agricultural outpost. However, its limited loot means some players may likely outgrow it quickly.

Best Base Location in Echo Creek #1: Ovo Farms

Although the area has fewer resources than most towns in Knox Country, Ovo Farms presents itself as a breeding ground for self-sufficiency. It offers a large, open area for farming and is perfect for raising livestock. It’s also far from town, ensuring safety but requiring a vehicle for any major looting runs.

Best Base Location in Echo Creek #2: The Caban Center for Wildlife Rehabilitation

Those who wish to partake in animal husbandry in a seemingly desolate world can call the Caban Center for Wildlife Rehabilitation their next base. It’s an ideal location for raising livestock, offering facilities and space for large animal husbandry operations.