Farms and Farmland

ACH22-3/March 2024

Highlights Farms and farmland continued to decline as average farm size increased

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

Farms and Land

In 2022, the United States had just over 

1.9 million farms, down 6.9% from 2017. 

These farms accounted for 880.1 million 

acres of land in farms, or 39% of all U.S. 

land. This was a decline of 20.1 million 

acres (2.2%) from the 2017 level. 

During the same time, the average farm 

size increased 5.0%, from 441 acres in 

2017 to 463 acres in 2022. 

Between 2017 and 2022, almost all of 

the size classes decreased in number of 

farms. Only the largest class (5,000 acres 

or larger) increased in number of farms.

Farm Counts by Size (thousands)

2017 2022

1 - 49 acres 856 802

50 - 179 acres 565 531

180 - 499 acres 315 288

500 - 999 acres 133 120

1,000 - 4,999 acres 147 133

5,000+ acres 26 27

In the five years between 2017, when the last Census of Agriculture was 

conducted, and 2022, the number of farms in the United States and the 

amount of land in farms continued to decline and average farm size 

continued to increase. The amount and direction of change varied by state 

and by county, but farmland continued to be most heavily concentrated in the 

center of the country.

Slightly less than two 

out of five acres of land 

in the United States 

were farmland, but 

the distribution of that 

land varied. In many 

counties from North 

Dakota down through 

Texas, more than 70% 

of land was used for 

agriculture.

1,900,487 

farms

880.1 million

acres

463 acres 

average farm size 

What is a “Farm”?

Since 1974, the Census of Agriculture 

has defined a farm as any place from 

which $1,000 or more of agricultural 

products were produced and sold, or 

normally would have been sold, during 

the census year.

Farmland as Percent of Land Area by County, 2022

< 10

10 - 29

30 - 49

50 - 69

70 - 89

90 +

U.S. = 39

 Between 2002 and 

2022, the number of U.S. 

farms declined 11% and 

the amount of farmland 

declined 6.2%.

No. of farms (millions)

2.13 2.20 2.11 2.04

1.90

938 922 915

900

880

Land in farms (million acres)

2002 2007 2012 2017 2022

Farms and Farmland, 2017 and 2022

2017 2022 % change

Number of farms 2,042,220 1,900,487 -6.9

Land in farms (acres) 900,217,576 880,100,848 -2.2

Average farm size (acres) 441 463 +5.0

Twenty-year Trends, 2002–2022

2022
About the Census

The Census of Agriculture, conducted once 

every five years, is a complete count of U.S. 

farms and ranches and the people who 

operate them. Results from the 2022 and 

earlier censuses are available at national, 

state, and county levels. 

See the searchable database Quick Stats, 

downloadable PDF reports, maps, and a 

variety of topic-specific products.

www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

Source: USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture.

U.S. Farms by Location

Counties with high concentrations 

of farms were in eastern Texas, north 

through the central part of the nation, 

as well as counties on the Pacific 

coast. With nearly 231,000 farms, 

Texas had more than twice as many 

farms as the next state.

Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri had 

the largest declines in farm numbers 

from 2017 to 2022, while New Mexico, 

Arizona, Wyoming, and Arkansas had 

the largest percentage declines.

Top States No. of farms 

Texas 230,662

Missouri 87,887

Iowa 86,911

Ohio 76,009

Illinois 71,123

Oklahoma 70,378

Kentucky 69,425

Minnesota 65,531

California 63,134

Tennessee 63,105

Number of Farms, 2022

< 250

250 - 499

500 - 749

750 - 999

1,000 - 1,499

1,500 +

U.S. = 1,900,487

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Farms and Land by Size of Farm

% of total farms

% of total farmland

42

2 5,000acresor more

31

7 1,000to4,999acres

9

6 500to999acres

10

15 180to499acres

6

28 50to179acres

2

42 1to49acres

In 2022, the largest 

2% of U.S. farms 

(5,000 or more acres) 

controlled 42% of all 

farmland. Conversely, 

42% of farms had less 

than 50 acres and 

controlled 2% of all 

farmland.

In 2002, the largest 

farms controlled 35% 

of all farmland.

% of 

farmland

% of 

farms

Oilseeds and grains 32 18

Specialty crops

(fruits, vegetables, nursery) 3 10

Other crops 14 23

Cattle and dairy 41 30

Hogs and pigs 1 1

Poultry and eggs 1 4

Sheep and goats 1 4

Other animals 7 10

Farm Specializationa

Approximately three fourths of farmland was 

used by farms specializing in two commodity 

categories: oilseed and grain production 

(32%) and cattle and dairy production (41%).

Land Use

Approximately nine out of 10 acres of agricultural 

land in 2022 were either permanent pasture or 

cropland. Woodland accounted for 8% of farmland, 

and the remaining 4% included land in farmsteads, 

buildings, livestock facilities, etc. Midwestern states 

had large amounts of cropland; most permanent 

pasture was in the western states.

acres

(mil)

% of

total

Permanent pasture 393 45

Cropland 382 43

 Harvested 301 34

Woodland 72 8

Other 33 4

Total 880 100

a Refers to the North American Industry Classification System 

(NAICS). More than half of a farm’s sales come from the 

commodity.

568,972

% of 

farms

% of 

farmland

Average size

acres dollars

Full owners 72 35 230 144,502

Part owners 22 56 1,155 688,285

Tenants 6 9 655 461,354

Land Ownership

A farm may be operated by full owners (own all the land they farm), part owners (rent some 

farmland but own some as well), or tenants (rent all the land they farm). In 2022, farms 

operated by part owners accounted for just under one fourth of all farms but 56% of all 

farmland. These farms were larger than others in both acres operated and agriculture sales.

39

The percent of U.S. 

farmland rented 

from others. 

The number of farms specializing in 

cattle and dairy production in 2022.