Southern Iowa Farm Land for Sale - 257 Properties (2024)

FAQs

What is the average price per acre of farmland in Iowa? ›

Iowa's farm real estate value, a measurement of the value of all land and buildings on farms, averaged $9,930 per acre in 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Land Values 2023 Summary. This was up 6 percent, $530 per acre higher than last year's value.

Other notable statistics from Iowa include: Iowa had a total of 29.98 million acres of land in farms in 2022, a decrease of about 600,000 acres. The average size of an Iowa farm is now 345 acres, compared to 355 acres in 2017. No-till and reduced tillage practices were used on 78% of cropland acres.

According to a 2022 Federal Reserve survey, quality Iowa farmland values witnessed record highs increasing over 30% in 5 years to almost $14,000 per acre on average statewide as investors seek income producing assets.

Even with climbing interest rates and falling agricultural income, Iowa farmland values still rise in 2023. However, the growth rate slowed. The 2023 ISU survey showed increases of 17% in 2022 and 29% in 2021. Iowa farmers who are considering selling their land might want to act soon.

Average four-crop gross income per acre = approximately $790 per acre.

Buying timberland in Iowa

Find timber land for sale in Iowa including wooded tracts of timber for sale, sustainable forest investments, and productive logging operations. There are 33 available properties to buy in Iowa listed at $881,749 on average, with each acre priced at $7,436.

Investment firms linked to Bill and Melinda Gates own more than 552 acres of Iowa farmland, according to a 2021 profile in The Land Report (https://landreport.com/…). That's just a sliver of the 242,000 acres of farmland the Gateses or their subsidiaries own across the country, O'Keefe reported.

A small farm can range from a half-acre with a few laying hens and a small veggie garden, to 40 acres with cattle, dairy cows, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, and acres of field crops and veggies.

The truth is you can be self-sustaining on a 1-acre property but it takes work, education, dedication, and time. So, if you have an oversized lot or small acreage and want to be as sustainable as possible, here are some ideas and suggestions on how to get started creating a self-sufficient homestead.

Two-thirds of Iowa farmland is owned by people 65 years or above and 37% of farmland is owned by people aged 75 and above. In contrast, only 29% percent of Iowa farmland was owned by people 65 years or above in 1982. Forty-six percent of farmland is owned by women, and 13% is owned by female landowners over 80 of age.

Why is Iowa land so expensive? ›

Other frequently mentioned factors included cash on hand and high credit availability, strong yields, a good farm economy, and strong demand. The most frequently mentioned negative factor affecting land values was interest rate hikes.

Hedge against inflation. As inflation climbs, many investments can plummet in value. Farmland, on the other hand, has seen its value increase during inflationary periods, making it an effective hedge against rising prices. This cushion can be particularly valuable to those with an ultra-high net worth.

Here are some interesting facts about farming in Iowa:

26,256,347: Acres devoted to cropland in Iowa. 1,294,425: Acres of pastureland in Iowa. 88,637: Number of farms in Iowa. 345 acres: Average farm size.

The 2023 Iowa State University Land Value Survey reported a 3.7% increase to $11,835 per acre for average Iowa farmland values from November 2022 to November 2023. This represents a modest increase from last year, and the $11,835 per acre nominal land value is the highest-ever recorded by the survey.

Farmland produces returns both with rent yields and appreciation in the farmland's value. So these investments can work somewhat like dividend stocks, with gains from income and capital gains. This combination of appreciation and rent yields has led to consistently strong performance.

Iowa also has the highest state average for General CRP of $139/acre. The distribution of General CRP rental rates is fairly even and a majority of counties are within +/- 10 dollars of the average.

In May, USDA's Commodity Costs and Returns re-confirmed that input costs for all major crops were indeed at a record in 2022, ranging from $431 per acre for wheat, $621 per acre for soybeans, $876 per acre for cotton, $911 per acre for corn, and at or above $1,200 per acre for both rice and peanuts.

The value of U.S. farmland averaged $4,080 per acre, an increase of 7.4 percent over 2022 values, or 3.9 percent when adjusted for inflation.