Average Cost of an Acre of Land in California (2026)
The average value of farmland in California is about $13,700 per acre based on the latest USDA data, roughly 215% above the national average of $4,350. California has the most expensive farm real estate in the country by a wide margin, and its cropland is in a class of its own, driven by high-value permanent crops and water.
Average agricultural land values from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Land Values 2025 Summary (August 2025). Building lots and developed parcels sell for more; always check recent local sales.
Price your own parcel
What affects land prices in California
- Water rights. Reliable irrigation is the single biggest driver of value in the Central Valley.
- Crop type. Land suited to almonds, vines, and other permanent crops commands the highest prices.
- Coastal vs inland. Coastal and metro-adjacent parcels are far pricier than interior rangeland.
- Regulation and zoning. Permitting and land-use rules add cost and limit supply.
How California compares
At about $13,700 an acre, California sits 215% above the US average of $4,350. Cropland here averages $17,940 an acre and pasture $4,080, against national figures of $5,830 and $1,920. These are working-farmland averages: a buildable lot near a city runs well above them, and raw, remote acreage well below.
Where an acre runs cheap and where it runs high in California
California has the most expensive farm real estate in the country by a wide margin, but the range within the state is enormous. Dry rangeland in the interior and the high desert sells for relatively little, while irrigated Central Valley ground planted to almonds, pistachios, or vines costs some of the highest farmland prices anywhere. Coastal and metro-adjacent parcels run higher still. Water access, more than acreage, sets the price.
Cropland, pasture, and why California stands apart
California farm real estate averages about $13,700 an acre, but cropland is the headline at roughly $17,940, far above the national $5,830. Pasture, by contrast, runs near $4,080. The gap is about water and permanent crops: ground with reliable irrigation and high-value tree or vine crops is worth multiples of dry grazing land.
Which way California prices are moving
California farmland rose about 2.2 percent in the latest USDA figures, slower than the national pace, partly because prices are already so high and water uncertainty weighs on some districts. Reliable-water ground holds value best, while land dependent on stressed groundwater basins faces more pressure.
What the average buys you
At $13,700 an acre, 5 acres of California farmland runs about $68,500 before closing, and the best irrigated cropland costs far more. Raw interior rangeland costs much less. Put a real local listing price into the calculator above, because no single state average means much across a state this varied.
Before you buy land in California
Water rights are the first thing to check, not an afterthought. Confirm the water source, the district, and any groundwater restrictions, since they drive both value and what you can grow. Zoning, permitting, and Williamson Act contracts also shape what the land is worth, so verify them and compare against recent local sales before you commit.
Common questions
On average, about $13,700 per acre for farmland in the latest USDA figures. That's the agricultural average; a buildable lot near a city costs more and remote acreage less. Enter a local listing price in the calculator above to price your own parcel.
Yes. California farmland rose 2.2% in the latest USDA report, slower than the national average of 4.3%.
No. The USDA figure is average agricultural land value. Residential and commercial building lots sell well above it. Treat the average as a floor for rural acreage and compare against recent local sales before you buy.
43,560 square feet. Use the square feet to acres tool to convert any lot size, in either direction.
These are planning estimates based on USDA agricultural land values, not an appraisal. Land prices vary widely by county, parcel, access, and use. Confirm with recent local sales or a licensed appraiser before buying or selling.