About the Surveys

The National Agricultural Statistics 

Service (NASS) conducts the June 

Area Survey to collect data on crop 

acreage, land use, grain stocks, farms, 

rents, and the value of land and 

sales. In the Cash Rents Survey, NASS 

collects data on rental rates producers 

pay for various kinds of agricultural 

land.

Access the Data 

Access land value and cash rents data 

through the Quick Stats 2.0 database 

(http://quickstats.nass.usda.gov).

• In Program, select “Survey” 

• In Sector, select “Economics”

For land value data:

• In Group, select “Farms & Land & 

Assets”

• In Commodity, select “Ag Land”

• Select your data item, geographic 

level, and year 

For cash rents data:

• In Group, select “Expenses”

• In Commodity, select “Rent”

• Select your data item, geographic 

level, and year 

To access cash rents county data 

from previous surveys, go to bit.ly/

CashRentsCounties.

For more on current and historic land 

values, see bit.ly/AgLandValues.

2015 AGRICULTURAL LAND

Land Values and Cash Rents

The National Agricultural Statistics Service estimated 2015 agricultural land 

values and rental rates paid by producers for use of agricultural land from 

data collected in the June Area Survey during the first two weeks of June, 

when NASS enumerators interviewed producers on approximately 11,000 

land segments in all states except Alaska and Hawaii. The survey collected 

data for irrigated cropland, non-irrigated cropland, and pastureland. 

Agricultural Land Values

In 2015, the average value of U.S. cropland (including both irrigated and 

nonirrigated land) was $4,130 per acre, an increase of $30 per acre, or 0.7 

percent, since 2014. The 2015 value is double the $2,060 per acre average 

value in 2005. (Fig. 1)

Fig. 1. U.S. Cropland: Value and Rent Paid, 2005–2015

($ per acre)

Land Value Cash Rent

Rent

$0

$20

$40

$60

$80

$100

$120

$140

$160

Land Value

$0 

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

$3,500

$4,000

$4,500

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Source: USDA NASS.

NASS Highlights

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service www.nass.usda.gov

October 2015 • No. 2015-3
Fig. 2. Cropland Value Per Acre, 2015, by State

<$2,000

$2,001−$4,000

$4,001−$6,000

$6,001−$8,000

$8,000+

Source: USDA NASS.

Note: The percent change for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont is a combined 

rate for these New England states to avoid disclosing data about individual operations.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

www.nass.usda.gov

At the state level, the value of cropland in 2015 ranged 

from $997 per acre in Montana to $10,690 per acre in 

California and $13,500 per acre in New Jersey. (Fig. 2)

In much of the country, the change in cropland value 

(increase or decrease) between 2014 and 2015 was less 

than 5 percent. In seven states, cropland increased more 

than 5 percent in value, including three (Texas, South 

Dakota, and Oklahoma) in which the increase was just 

under 10 percent.

Pastureland also increased in value for the United States. 

The average value in 2015 was $1,330 per acre, an 

increase of 2.3 percent since 2014, when the average per 

Questions?

Contact Customer Service toll free at (800) 727-9540 or 

email nass@nass.usda.gov.

acre value in the United States was $1,300. The value of 

pastureland in 2015 ranged from $340 per acre in New 

Mexico to $13,500 in New Jersey.

Rent Paid for Agricultural Land

Nationally, producers paid an average of $144 per acre 

to rent cropland in 2015 (including both irrigated and 

non-irrigated land). This is a 2.1 percent increase since 

2014, and nearly double the $78 rental rate paid per acre 

in 2005. (Fig. 1) 

For irrigated cropland, producers paid an average of $209 

per acre, a 0.5 percent increase over the $208 per acre 

they paid in 2014. For pastureland, rental rates increased 

from $12 per acres in 2014 to $14 per acre in 2015. 

Among states, the rental cost per acre in 2015 ranged 

from $33 in Montana to $329 in California for all cropland; 

from $67 in Oklahoma to $425 in California for irrigated 

cropland; from $26 in Montana to $250 in Iowa for nonirrigated cropland; and from $5 in Colorado to $50 in 

Iowa for pastureland.

Top States. . .

. . . in Cropland Value

($s per acre)

. . . in Rent Paid for Cropland

($s per acre)

New Jersey 13,500 California 329 

California 10,690 Iowa 250 

Arizona 8,320 Illinois 228 

Iowa 8,200 Arizona 215 

Delaware 7,950 Washington 208 

Illinois 7,650 Nebraska 206 

New England 7,090 Indiana 197 

Indiana 7,000 Minnesota 181 

Florida 6,560 Idaho 158

Maryland 6,470 Ohio 150