How much is an acre of land worth?

The short version

There is no single price for an acre. The best public benchmark is the USDA’s annual land value survey, which reports average values for farm real estate, cropland and pasture by state. Raw land for sale is often priced well away from those averages: small parcels, road frontage, power, water and nearness to a town push prices up; poor access, steep or wet ground and title problems push them down. Use the USDA figure as a sanity check, then compare recent sales of similar parcels nearby.

Pasture value per acre by state

Pasture is the closest USDA category to typical undeveloped rural land. Ranked highest to lowest, the median state in this 2026 table is about $3,300 an acre. Nationally, USDA’s July 2026 report puts the U.S. average at $2,000 an acre for pasture, $6,020 for cropland and $4,500 for all farm real estate, up 3.4% from 2025.

State	Pasture, $ per acre (2026)
Rhode Island	$17,500
New Jersey	$15,600
Massachusetts	$15,400
Connecticut	$13,000
Maryland	$8,300
New Hampshire	$8,120
Delaware	$7,800
Florida	$7,650
North Carolina	$6,380
Tennessee	$5,910
Virginia	$5,430
Georgia	$5,100
South Carolina	$4,500
Pennsylvania	$4,350
Illinois	$4,300
Ohio	$4,250
California	$4,250
Kentucky	$4,050
Iowa	$3,800
Louisiana	$3,600
Alabama	$3,500
Arkansas	$3,500
Wisconsin	$3,500
Mississippi	$3,310
Michigan	$3,200
Vermont	$2,920
Indiana	$2,850
Missouri	$2,850
Maine	$2,700
Idaho	$2,500
Texas	$2,420
Kansas	$2,400
Minnesota	$2,400
West Virginia	$2,400
Oklahoma	$2,200
New York	$2,040
Utah	$2,000
Nebraska	$1,590
South Dakota	$1,400
Colorado	$1,200
North Dakota	$1,200
Oregon	$1,120
Arizona	$980
Washington	$980
Montana	$940
Nevada	$870
Wyoming	$770
New Mexico	$650

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Land Values survey, pasture value per acre (2026 Land Values report, released July 2026), refreshed with scripts/fetch-nass.py. These are survey averages of agricultural land reported by farmers, not values for any particular parcel.

What moves the price of a particular parcel

• Size: small parcels usually cost more per acre than large ones.
• Legal access: a deeded road or recorded easement; landlocked land sells at a steep discount.
• Utilities and water: power at the property line, a good well area, and soil that will take a septic system (see perc tests).
• Terrain and hazards: slope, wetlands and flood zones limit where you can build.
• Location and zoning: nearness to towns and what the zoning lets you build.
• What comes with it: timber, mineral rights (see mineral rights), water rights.

Getting a real number

• Look up recent sales of similar parcels in the same county (county records, land listing sites’ sold data, a local land agent).
• For a loan you will usually need an appraisal by a licensed appraiser. For land, comparable recent sales are normally the preferred method.
• Check the county assessor’s value, keeping in mind it may lag the market or reflect an agricultural tax valuation.

Quick answers

How much is an acre of land worth?

It varies enormously by state and parcel. The USDA’s 2026 survey puts average pasture value from under $1,000 an acre in some Western states to $17,500 in Rhode Island. Recent nearby sales are the best guide for a specific parcel.

How do I find out what my land is worth?

Compare recent sales of similar parcels in the same county, check the county assessor’s value, and for a loan or legal purpose get an appraisal from a licensed appraiser.

Why is raw land priced higher than the USDA average?

USDA values are averages for working farmland and pasture. Small parcels, road frontage, utilities, views and nearness to towns all raise the price per acre.

Is the USDA land value the same as an appraisal?

No. It is a state average from a survey. An appraisal values a specific parcel using comparable sales.

General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Land rules differ by state and county; confirm with the county health or planning department, a real estate attorney or a licensed professional before you buy.