Yes, affordable land still exists in the US: here's how to find it

The average cost of one acre of farmland is $4,200 in the US presently. That number can fluctuate significantly based on a variety of factors I am going to cover in this article.

One of the biggest impediments into starting a farm for the average American today is the cost of farmland. Land is one of the most reliable investments a person can make, which is why its value holds steady and gradually increases with time. That’s a good thing from an investment point of view… but not necessarily a great thing when land prices exploded in value following the pandemic.

Between 2021 and 2022, farmland values increased by a staggering 11.7%, followed by a 6.7% bump between 2022 and 2023. Though signs are showing the market may finally stabilize in 2025, with a smaller increase of 5% between 2023 and 2024, the cost of land, on average, is unaffordable to many people who want to get in on the biggest wealth transfer of our lifetimes.

$24 trillion dollars worth of farmland is now changing hands as over 50% of farmers retire between now and 2035, which is why I believe despite the present rates for farmland, it’s still possible for you to take part in this land exchange.

Not knowing it at the time, back in 2023, I bought land during the very beginning stages of this wealth transfer, which gave me experience and insight into the process that may help anyone out there hoping to do the same. There is no one right way to reach the finish line in this case, but there are absolutely ways to filter for affordable land deals that might not be as obvious to a first-time land buyer.

So without further ado, here’s how to find affordable in the US.