Which farm to choose in Stardew Valley - Guide

This guide will show you which farm you should choose when starting the game, showing what benefits and disadvantages each one has.

Standard Farm

This farm has plenty of space, and lots of space to cultivation, being good for crops and animals.
Associated Skill: Farming

Riverland Farm

The majority of this map is water. Fishing is viable on this farm:[1]
70% of the time, players will catch town river fish, i.e., fish that are found in Pelican Town.
30% of the time, players will catch forest fish, i.e., fish that are found in Cindersap Forest
Associated Skill: Fishing

Forest Farm

The farm border is made of trees and foliage, just like in the Secret Woods.
Many bushes can be found on this map, including berry bushes.
The western clearings spawn 8 renewable Large Stumps (Hardwood), seasonal forage items, and unique Weeds that always drops Mixed Seeds. The possible forage items are:
Spring: Dandelion, Leek, Morel, and Wild Horseradish (25% chance each)
Summer: Common Mushroom, Grape, Spice Berry, and Sweet Pea (25% chance each)
Fall: Chanterelle, Common Mushroom, Purple Mushroom, and Red Mushroom (25% chance each)
When fishing:[1]
5% of the time (modified by daily Luck), players will catch Woodskip. The exact formula is 0.05 + Daily Luck. This means that if the daily luck is at or below -0.05, there is no chance of catching a Woodskip. With maximum luck (0.125, only possible with the Special Charm), each cast has a 17.5% chance to hook a Woodskip.
45% of the rest of the time, players will catch pond and river fish, i.e., fish that are found in Cindersap Forest.
Otherwise, players will only catch trash.
Additional ponds and grass areas decrease the overall farming area.
The number of tillable tiles on this map is 1413, with 1490 non-tillable but build-able tiles.
Associed Skill: Foraging

Hill-top Farm

The southwest hilltop spawns Stones, Ore nodes, and Geode nodes depending on the player's Mining level. If farm quarry is cleared, it will usually regenerate 7-13 items every 4th day which appears to be the optimal day to clear the farm quarry. The mining area may sometimes be blocked by a Large Stump, Large Log, or a Boulder, making it impossible to enter until the player has the correct tool.
Additional cliffs and a stream decrease the overall farming area.
When fishing:[1]
50% of the time, players will catch forest river fish, i.e., fish that are found in the Cindersap Forest river.
50% of the time, players will only catch trash.
Associeted Skill: Mining

Wilderness Farm

Monsters spawn at night (scales with the player's Combat level).
This map can spawn more Wilderness Golems than other farms if they have spawning monster enabled.
When fishing:[1]
35% of the time, players will catch lake fish, i.e., fish that are found in The Mountain lake.
65% of the time, players will only catch trash.
Additional cliffs and ponds decrease the overall farming area.
Associeted Skill: Combat

Four Corners Farm

The farming area is split by cliffs into four distinct areas, each reminiscent of some of the other Farm Maps.
Top left: Forest Farm. This quadrant has a small grassy area containing a Large Stump, and weeds here can transform into the same unique ones that always drop mixed seeds as on the Forest Farm.
Top right: Standard Farm. This quadrant has the most farming space.
Bottom left: This quadrant has a pond. Players have a 50% chance of catching forest pond fish, i.e., fish that are found in the Cindersap Forest pond.[1]
Bottom right: Hilltop Farm. This quadrant contains a small quarry that spawns Rocks and Ore and Geode nodes depending on the player's Mining level.
Additional cliffs and ponds decrease the overall farming area
This map is best if you're playing Multiplayer

Beach Farm

Good foraging and fishing, and a lot of open space. Sometimes, supply crates wash up on shore.
Both forest and beach foragables may spawn.
Sprinklers don't work in the sandy soil.
Intended for "seasoned players", not as a first farm.
The number of tillable tiles on this map is 2700, with 1928 non-tillable but build-able tiles.
There is a patch of 202 tiles (10x20 plus 2) where sprinklers can be placed.
When fishing:[1]
15% of the time, players will catch Seaweed.
5.1% of the time, players will catch one of Oyster, Coral, Mussel or Cockle. Chances for each item are equal.
52.73% of the time, players will catch ocean fish, i.e., fish that are found in The Beach.
27.17% of the time, players will catch trash.
Associeted Skill: Foraging and Fishing

Which to choose?

If you are a beginner choose the Stardard Farm, but if you want something different choose another farm.
The most annoying skill to level up is combat, but it's pretty bad monsters on your farm.
The Hill-top Farm has little room to build. And Forest Farm has hardwood, which is quite time consuming and boring to get. (to collect hardwood you need a copper axe)

[Morbidly A Beast]

I usually choose 4 corners because it's nice for organization in solo and like it says in the in-game description it's ideal for multiplayer too

[Kamai-tachi!]

I'm a sucker for the forest farm. The aesthetics are really pleasing to me, you can level foraging a bit quicker and use the food early game to make the mines a bit less difficult. Plus, the hardwood helps later for Robin's quest, where you need to gather 100, and it's handy when you just need a few pieces and don't want to travel to the secret woods. Not to mention that in late game, when you don't need the hardwood, they make cozy alcoves for any farm animals!

[Jolyne KuHoe]

I literally picked the beach farm for my first run oopsie

[Jamo]

epic

[I'm Hard]

[SackonDiezNuts]

thanks man!

[starry<3]

You don't need a steel axe, while I get you might be saying that you need a steel axe for the secret woods, but you can just use the chair skip. I have copper axe on one of my farms, and I can collect hardwood from hardwood stumps. Yet of course I can't from the logs. (Like the one in front of the secret woods.) Otherwise, this is super helpful! Thanks!

[))~TransBean~((]

I will always choose Beach Farm from now on. :D