How Much An Acre Of Land Costs In Each State

map of how much an acre of land costs in each state

Cost Of An Acre In Each State Research Summary

The state with the cheapest land in the U.S. is Arizona, where one acre costs an average of $4,200.

The state with the most expensive land in the U.S. is Rhode Island, where one acre costs a whopping $350,400.

The average acreage of property in the U.S. is 10,871 square feet, or a quarter of an acre.

Homeownership is a cornerstone of the American Dream.

However, since 2020, the United States had a supply shortage of 3.8 million homes making home ownership simply out of reach for many.

This home shortage, combined with fluctuating interest rates and workers having more flexibility in housing location, has led to a boom in homebuilding. In fact, new home construction is at the highest levels since 2006.

However, just like home prices vary by state, so too does the price of land. We analyzed the data to find the states with the most (and least) affordable land by acre.

The results? Some states have land costly enough to buy a simple starter in other parts of the country.

10 Most Expensive States To Buy Land

Land prices in the Northeast are the most expensive. Tiny, densely packed Rhode Island will set buyers back the most at a sky-high $350,400. Where should buyers look for more affordable land?

10 Cheapest States To Buy Land

They should go west (but not too far west.) In fact, the overlap between states with more cows than people and states with the cheapest land is strong. These states could tempt some newly remote workers to head west and start saying “ya’ll.” Of course, before they start packing up the Tesla they might want to make sure their new home has speedy fast internet for that job that pays for it.

HOW WE DETERMINED THIS

This one was fairly simple. To find out how much an acre of land costs in each state, we reviewed the estimated average land value for each state from an June 2023. This includes residential and commercial properties.

Don’t Get Too Excited

While the low sticker price may have you ready to build your own McMansion, don’t get too excited just yet.

For one thing, these are average prices. So the price for that sweet plot of land a reasonable commute from your work, with easy access to all the places you want to go may run you a lot more.

For another, while land may be cheap, odds are good you aren’t envisioning a tent and you’ll want to put a house on that land– Which comes with a lot of expensive needs like plumbing, electricity, and walls.

And even if the land is affordable, the rest of the house may or may not be in your budget. Or the land you can afford may not have the broadband access you need for your remote job.

Average Cost Per Acre

Rank	State	Avg. Cost Per Acre
1	Rhode Island	$350,400
2	Massachusetts	$333,200
3	Connecticut	$282,900
4	New Jersey	$242,900
5	Hawaii	$202,400
6	Utah	$195,900
7	Delaware	$175,600
8	New Hampshire	$165,100
9	Maryland	$106,200
10	Washington	$80,400
11	South Dakota	$77,400
12	Ohio	$69,600
13	Idaho	$62,500
14	Vermont	$62,300
15	Alaska	$62,200
16	Nevada	$59,900
17	Wyoming	$54,000
18	Iowa	$51,100
19	Nebraska	$49,800
20	Minnesota	$47,400
21	North Dakota	$46,100
22	Maine	$45,400
23	West Virginia	$44,800
24	Indiana	$43,800
25	Pennsylvania	$42,500
26	Florida	$34,900
27	Georgia	$30,000
28	Texas	$29,800
29	Illinois	$29,300
30	Montana	$28,900
31	Kansas	$26,900
32	Louisiana	$26,800
33	Wisconsin	$25,200
34	Virginia	$23,900
35	Tennessee	$22,700
36	South Carolina	$22,100
37	Kentucky	$21,400
38	North Carolina	$20,300
39	California	$20,000
40	Oklahoma	$19,600
41	Michigan	$18,300
42	Alabama	$18,100
43	Oregon	$16,200
44	Missouri	$14,100
45	New York	$12,000
46	Arkansas	$11,600
47	Colorado	$11,600
48	Mississippi	$10,800
49	New Mexico	$6,000
50	Arizona	$4,200

Author

Kathy Morris

Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.

Recent Job Searches

Explore All Jobs