Texas land prices per acre by region
Four-quarter moving median price per acre for large rural tracts, second quarter 2026. The typical tract size is included because it strongly affects price per acre.
Swipe sideways to see every column.
| Region | Median price per acre (change from last year) | Typical tract sold |
|---|---|---|
| Gulf Coast–Brazos Bottom (Houston area, Brazos Valley) | $11,369 (+3.05%) | 139 acres |
| Northeast Texas (Tyler, Longview, Texarkana) | $8,604 (−5.96%) | 119 acres |
| Austin–Waco–Hill Country | $8,040 (+8.63%, record high) | 199 acres |
| South Texas | $6,225 (+0.99%) | 308 acres |
| West Texas (Abilene, San Angelo, Permian Basin) | $3,008 (+14.29%, record high) | 409 acres |
| Panhandle–South Plains | $1,719 (−7.53%) | 403 acres |
| Far West Texas (small, skewed sample) | $1,139 (+73.89%) | 12,501 acres |
| Texas statewide | $5,218 (+3.27%) | Weighted composite |
How much is an acre of land in Texas right now?
The best public benchmark is the Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center (TRERC), which tracks a sample of verified rural land sales every quarter. Its second-quarter 2026 report put the statewide median at $5,218 per acre, essentially flat against the prior quarter and 3.27% higher than a year earlier. The five-year annualized growth rate has cooled to 8.17%, down from the double-digit pace of 2021 and 2022.
Volume tells the other half of the story. Total acres sold fell 12.57% year over year, and dollar volume fell 9.72%, even as the number of sales rose 4.34%. In plain terms, prices held while buyers bought smaller pieces. Sellers anchored to the 2022 peak may find that a well-priced tract still sells, while an overpriced one sits.
TRERC medians describe large rural tracts across a mix of uses. They are an indicator of past market conditions, not a value for any specific farm, ranch, or lot. Texas is also a non-disclosure state, so county records do not show sale prices, and that makes good comparable sales harder to find than in most states.
Sources: Texas Real Estate Research Center, Texas Rural Land Markets, Second Quarter 2026
Why do Texas land prices vary so much by region?
Location near people and jobs is the biggest driver. The Gulf Coast–Brazos Bottom and Austin–Waco–Hill Country regions sit between Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and College Station, where buyers want weekend places, homesites, and long-term holds. That demand pushes prices well above land valued mainly for grazing or crops.
Farther west, land still trades closer to its agricultural or ranching value, which is why the Panhandle and Far West Texas show the lowest medians. West Texas is the exception worth watching: prices there rose 14.29% to a record $3,008 per acre, driven largely by energy and AI-related infrastructure interest rather than cattle or cotton.
Regions are TRERC land market areas, not metro areas or county lines. Check the region map before you match your county to a row in the table, especially near a boundary.
Sources: Texas Real Estate Research Center, Texas Rural Land Markets, Second Quarter 2026 · Texas Real Estate Research Center, rural land region map and data
Why do small tracts sell for more per acre?
Far more buyers can afford 15 acres than 500, so small tracts attract more competition. Fixed features such as a road, a well, a barn, or a pond are also spread over fewer acres. TRERC has reported that small-tract prices ran roughly double large-tract prices statewide, and the gap has widened in dollar terms since 2021.
At the end of 2025, TRERC put small-tract prices at $17,529 per acre in the Austin–Waco–Hill Country region, $14,900 in South Texas, $9,460 in the Panhandle, and $8,330 in West Texas. Those figures sit far above the large-tract medians for the same regions. TRERC defines small tracts as roughly 10 to 35 acres in Northeast Texas and up to 160 acres in other regions, and up to 499 acres in Far West Texas.
This is also why a single statewide average can mislead. If more small tracts sell in a quarter, the median price per acre can rise even when values are flat. Always compare your land with sales of a similar size.
- Under 10 acres: homesite and lot pricing; regional rural medians rarely apply.
- 10 to about 50 acres: small-tract market, usually well above the regional median per acre.
- Around the regional typical size: the median is a reasonable first benchmark.
- Several hundred acres and up: expect a lower price per acre and fewer qualified buyers.
Sources: Texas Real Estate Research Center, Texas Small Rural Land · Texas Real Estate Research Center, The Shifting Dynamics of Small and Large Land Tracts
What features raise or lower the price of an acre?
Legal access comes first. A tract with paved or county road frontage has a normal buyer pool; land reachable only by an easement sells at a discount, and land with no legal access may barely sell at all until access is fixed. Road frontage on a map is not proof of legal access; the deed and title records decide it.
After access, buyers look at water and utilities, how much of the land is in a FEMA flood zone, and how much of it they can actually use: open pasture versus steep, rocky, or thick brush. Minerals, deed restrictions, and existing leases matter as well, and so do agricultural or wildlife valuation and the rollback tax that could follow a change in use.
- Tends to raise value: paved frontage, power and water on site, open usable ground, trees and live water, proximity to a growing town.
- Tends to lower value: easement-only access, no utilities nearby, large floodplain share, severed minerals, restrictive deed terms, unresolved title.
Sources: FEMA Flood Map Service Center · Texas Comptroller, agricultural and wildlife special appraisal
How do you estimate the price per acre for your own land?
Start with the regional median, then move toward sales that look like your land. Our free Texas land value estimator does the first pass for you: it uses the regional medians above, adjusts for acreage, access, utilities, flood exposure, and usable ground, and shows each step so you can see how the range was built.
For a real number, you need closed sales of similar tracts near yours, usually from the last 12 to 24 months. Because Texas does not disclose sale prices in public records, those comparables usually come from a local agent with MLS access, an appraiser, or a buyer who tracks the market. Ask for the size, date, access, and condition of each sale, not only the price.
Then subtract what it will take to sell: commissions or marketing, title and closing costs, a survey if the contract requires one, and any taxes or liens that must be paid at closing. The price per acre on a listing is not what lands in your account.
Are Texas land prices going up or down in 2026?
Mostly holding steady. TRERC described the second quarter as a plateau: the statewide median stayed near $5,218 and two regions, Northeast Texas and the Panhandle, posted year-over-year declines. The Austin–Waco–Hill Country and West Texas regions set record highs, and South Texas led in sales growth, up 26.18%.
Interest rates and the steep run-up since 2020 are the main brakes on the market. TRERC has also pointed to price stickiness: many sellers still expect 2022 prices, so average tracts take longer to sell while the best ones move quickly. We update this guide each quarter when TRERC publishes new figures.
Sources: Texas Real Estate Research Center, Texas Rural Land Markets, Second Quarter 2026 · Texas Real Estate Research Center, The Shifting Dynamics of Small and Large Land Tracts
Frequently asked questions
What is the average price per acre of land in Texas?
The statewide median was about $5,218 per acre in the second quarter of 2026, according to the Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center. It covers large rural tracts, so small tracts usually sell for more per acre.
Where is land cheapest in Texas?
Far West Texas and the Panhandle–South Plains had the lowest regional medians, at $1,139 and $1,719 per acre in Q2 2026. Very large tract sizes and limited demand keep prices down in both areas.
Where is land most expensive in Texas?
The Gulf Coast–Brazos Bottom region had the highest median at $11,369 per acre, followed by Northeast Texas and the Austin–Waco–Hill Country region. Small tracts near growing cities can sell for much more.
How much is 10 acres of land worth in Texas?
It depends heavily on location, access, and utilities. Small tracts often sell for well above the regional median, sometimes $15,000 per acre or more near growing metros. Compare recent sales of similar 5- to 20-acre tracts nearby.
Is the county appraisal value the same as market value?
Not necessarily. Appraisal districts value land for property tax, and land with agricultural or wildlife valuation is taxed on productivity, not market value. Use the appraisal record to confirm parcel facts, not as a sale price.
How often do Texas land prices get updated?
The Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center publishes rural land market reports quarterly. We refresh this guide and our land value estimator when each new report comes out.
Sources and further reading
- Texas Real Estate Research Center, Texas Rural Land Markets, Second Quarter 2026
- Texas Real Estate Research Center, Texas Small Rural Land
- Texas Real Estate Research Center, rural land region map and data
- Texas Real Estate Research Center, The Shifting Dynamics of Small and Large Land Tracts
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center
- Texas Comptroller, agricultural and wildlife special appraisal
General information only. Local rules and individual title or tax facts require a qualified professional.