Average Cost of an Acre of Land in Texas (2026)
The average value of farmland in Texas is about $2,970 per acre based on the latest USDA data, roughly 32% below the national average of $4,350. Texas has more land on the market than any other state, and that supply keeps its average among the lowest in the country. The catch is location: raw rural acreage in West Texas sells for a fraction of land in the Hill Country or within commuting distance of Austin, Dallas, or Houston.
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 Texas
- Distance to a major metro. Acreage near Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, or Houston can cost many times the rural average.
- Water and mineral rights. In drier West Texas, whether a parcel includes water, or oil and gas rights, swings the price hard.
- Ag and wildlife tax valuation. Land kept in agricultural or wildlife use is taxed far lower, which supports demand for working acreage.
- Road and utility access. Paved-road frontage and power at the lot line are worth well more than landlocked back acreage.
How Texas compares
At about $2,970 an acre, Texas sits 32% below the US average of $4,350. Cropland here averages $2,710 an acre and pasture $2,300, 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 Texas
Texas has more land for sale than any other state, and that supply keeps the average low. The spread inside the state is huge, though. Raw rangeland in far West Texas and the Panhandle sells for a fraction of the state average, sometimes a few hundred dollars an acre for dry, remote ground. Move toward the Hill Country or within an hour of Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, or Houston and the same acre can run ten times higher. The closer the water, the road, and the city, the bigger the number.
Cropland, pasture, and the Texas spread
Texas farm real estate averages about $2,970 an acre, with cropland near $2,710 and pasture around $2,300. The three numbers sit close together because so much of Texas is grazing and ranch land rather than high-yield row crop. That keeps the statewide average among the lowest in the country, even as specific regions climb fast.
Which way Texas prices are moving
Texas farmland rose about 6.1 percent in the latest USDA figures, ahead of the national pace. Steady in-migration, demand for recreational and hunting tracts, and metros expanding into former ranch land keep pushing prices up, especially anywhere within commuting distance of the big four cities.
What the average buys you
At $2,970 an acre, 20 acres of working Texas farmland runs about $59,400 before closing costs. A buildable lot near Austin or in the Hill Country can cost that much for a single acre. Put a real local listing price into the calculator above to price the parcel you're actually looking at, not the statewide average.
Before you buy land in Texas
Two things move Texas prices more than buyers expect: water and mineral rights, and the ag or wildlife tax valuation. A parcel with its own water and an ag exemption carries far lower holding costs than one without. Confirm what rights convey, check the road frontage and utility access, and compare against recent sales in that county before you sign.
Common questions
On average, about $2,970 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. Texas farmland rose 6.1% in the latest USDA report, faster 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.