By Erik Peterson, founder of Landopia. Real talk: I’m not a row-crop farmer and I don’t run cattle. I sell rural land, mostly out West and down South, so I won’t pretend I’ve planted corn in Iowa. What I do know is how to size up a piece of ground, what makes it worth the money, and how to buy it without getting soaked. I pulled this state rundown together from the ag numbers and a lot of years talking to folks about buying rural land, and I’ll tell you straight which of these states we actually sell in.
- What Makes a State Worth Buying Farmland In
- The Ten States at a Glance
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Iowa
- Texas
- Missouri
- Kentucky
- Nebraska
- Montana
- Arkansas
- Minnesota
- How to Pick the Right State for You
- Common Questions
Maybe you want to raise a few head of cattle, put in row crops, or just park some money in dirt that grows more valuable while it grows food. Whatever the plan, the state you buy in shapes almost everything: what you’ll pay per acre, how long your growing season runs, whether water’s a fight, and what help you can get as a newcomer.
Here’s what it comes down to. Cheap land and rich soil rarely sit in the same spot, cold country hands you low prices but short seasons, and the famous farm states charge a premium for that black dirt. There’s no single best answer, only the best fit for your crop, your budget, and the winters you’re willing to work through.
Row-crop investor, first-time farmer, family that wants a few animals and a big garden, retiree done paying city prices for a tomato? This one’s for you. I’ll run through ten states worth a look, the honest upside and the catch on each, and how to figure out which one fits.
What Makes a State Worth Buying Farmland In
A handful of things move the needle, and it pays to weigh them together instead of one at a time. Land price per acre sets your entry cost and the size of your loan. Soil quality decides your yields, the difference between fighting your dirt and working with it. Climate and growing-season length cap what you can grow and how many plantings you get in a year. Water access, meaning whether you can irrigate and who holds the rights, can make or break a dry-country parcel. And state programs, property taxes, and the local farm community decide how much help or friction you hit getting started.
Acreage matters too, but probably less than you’d think, so before you chase the biggest parcel you can afford, get clear on how much land you actually need for a small farm. Nail the fundamentals first, then talk size.
The Ten States at a Glance
| State | Land cost | Growing season | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | Among the lowest in the country | Short, hard winters | Wheat, corn, soybeans |
| South Dakota | Low | Short | Beef cattle, corn, soybeans |
| Iowa | High, premium soil | Moderate | The corn and soybean powerhouse |
| Texas | Low to moderate, big supply | Long | Cattle and a bit of everything |
| Missouri | Low | Moderate to long | Row crops, cattle, dairy |
| Kentucky | Affordable | Moderate | Family farms, livestock, horses |
| Nebraska | Moderate | Moderate | High crop yields, cattle |
| Montana | Among the lowest, lots of rangeland | Short | Wheat, cattle, wide-open country |
| Arkansas | Low | Long and warm | Rice, poultry, row crops |
| Minnesota | Moderate | Short to moderate | Corn, soybeans, dairy |
North Dakota
North Dakota lands near the top of most lists for one plain reason: some of the lowest per-acre prices anywhere, on ground that grows wheat, corn, and soybeans well. Add a low population, room to spread out, solid roads for hauling grain, and state programs aimed at family operations and first-time farmers, and it’s a real on-ramp for someone starting out.
The catch is the weather. Winters are long and hard, the growing season is short, and you’ll plan your whole year around both. If you can work with a tight calendar, the price of entry is tough to beat.
South Dakota
Its neighbor to the south tells a similar story: affordable land and a strong ag economy built on beef cattle, corn, and soybeans. The roads and distribution are good, and there’s a healthy market for locally grown food that gives small family farms somewhere to sell.
You’ll deal with the same frigid winters as North Dakota, and parts of the state lean dry enough that you’ll need to think hard about irrigation and who actually holds the water rights before you count on a crop. For a buyer who’s serious about farm income and doesn’t mind the cold, it’s a lot of value for the money.
Iowa
If soil is what you’re after, Iowa is the gold standard. It’s often called the country’s farming capital, and the deep, dark dirt backs it up with some of the most consistent corn and soybean yields in the nation. You’re also buying into a deep bench of experienced farmers and co-ops, which is worth a lot when you’re learning.
Two things temper it. Property taxes run higher than in a lot of farm states, and all that quality means Iowa ground is expensive, so it’s worth running a soil test and the numbers carefully before you pay top dollar. You’re paying a premium, but you’re paying it for the best soil in the game.
Texas
Texas gives you room and range, from beef cattle to row crops to specialty acreage, with a big supply of land that keeps prices reasonable for a lot of the state. The growing season is long, so a short summer isn’t your worry, and there are strong federal programs for farmers plus real money in leasing acreage for wind and solar, which can offset your operating costs.
The trade-off is heat. Summers run long and brutal, and water planning is part of the deal across much of the state. Texas is also one of the two states on this list we actually sell in, so if you want owner-financed land in Texas, that door’s open.
Missouri
Missouri is underrated. Per-acre prices are low, and the ag scene is varied, from corn and beans to cattle and dairy, so you’re not locked into one thing. Federal programs help new farmers get going, and rural stretches have gotten more livable as services have improved.
The climate opens up a lot of crop options, though water quality in some regions is worth checking before you commit. For a buyer who wants flexibility without a big price tag, Missouri deserves a longer look than it usually gets.
Kentucky
Kentucky is horse country, sure, but it’s also a genuinely good farm state built on family-owned operations and quality local products. Farmland stays affordable, the income potential is real, and there’s a well-established community of farms to plug into.
If you’re drawn to raising animals and a bit of everything, the mix of livestock, tobacco history, and diversified small farms fits, and it’s classic country for building a working homestead with animals and gardens. It’s a state where the farm community itself is part of what you’re buying.
Nebraska
Nebraska is farming to the bone, with strong crop yields and farm income and a low population across much of the state that leaves plenty of room to start. Distribution is efficient, so getting your product to market isn’t a fight, and the allied trades, the equipment dealers, vets, and co-ops you lean on, are all right there.
The knock is the same as its neighbors: weather swings and a season you have to respect. For a buyer who wants to be in the heart of American row-crop country, it’s hard to argue with.
Montana
Montana is where affordable land meets wide-open country. Cropland and rangeland prices stay low, there’s a healthy mix of small farms and big operations, and if the green-acres, elbow-room lifestyle is the point, few places deliver it like this.
Just go in clear-eyed: the season is short, the country is big and sometimes remote, and a lot of that cheap acreage is rangeland better suited to grazing than row crops. Match the ground to the plan and Montana is a lot of land for the money.
Arkansas
Arkansas quietly checks a lot of boxes. Per-acre prices sit well below the national average, the weather is warm with a long season, the soil is productive, and federal programs back up new farmers. Rice, poultry, and row crops all do well, and agriculture is a genuine pillar of the state’s economy.
It’s also the other state on this list we sell in, and the Ozarks in particular are full of affordable small-farm and homestead ground, so it’s worth reading up on buying land in the Ozarks and browsing owner-financed land in Arkansas. For a new farmer who doesn’t want a big start-up bill, it’s one of the best values here.
Minnesota
Minnesota pairs modern agriculture with an old farming tradition. There’s plenty of fertile ground, a workable climate, and steady farm communities, with corn, soybeans, and a strong dairy and cattle sector leading the way.
Winters are real and the season runs short in the north, so plan around it. But the balance of reasonable land prices and an active, growing ag economy makes it a solid pick for someone who wants tradition and productivity in the same place.
How to Pick the Right State for You
Start with what you’re actually doing. If you’re farming for a living, weight soil and season heaviest, because a great price on ground that won’t yield is no bargain. If you’re buying land mostly as an investment and to grow something on the side, lean toward affordability and appreciation, since land has long been a steady way to build wealth and hedge against inflation. And if you want the small-farm or homestead life, a few animals, a big garden, room to breathe, then price, water, and how remote you’re willing to go matter more than raw crop economics.
Then do the homework the listicles skip. Pull a soil test, check the water rights, learn the property-tax bill, and understand the season for your specific crop in your specific county. Two counties in the same state can farm completely differently. The best state on paper still comes down to the right parcel on the ground.
Ready to Buy Rural Land?
Most of the states on this list are farm-belt country we don’t sell in, and I’d rather tell you that than pretend otherwise. Two of them, Texas and Arkansas, are ours, and both are strong picks for affordable small-farm and homestead ground. We also carry owner-financed rural land in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oregon. Most parcels start around $100 down with a payment near a streaming bundle, and if you’re weighing how to pay for it, here’s how owner financing compares to a bank loan. When something looks right, our Land Specialists will walk you through it.
Common Questions
What is the cheapest state to buy farmland?
North Dakota and Montana carry some of the lowest per-acre farmland prices in the country, and Arkansas and Missouri are affordable too. The catch up north is short seasons and hard winters, so cheap land and easy farming don’t always come together.
What state has the best soil for farming?
Iowa is the usual answer, with some of the deepest, most productive dirt in the nation, which is why its corn and soybean yields stay so consistent. You pay for it, though, since that soil makes Iowa ground expensive.
What are the best states to buy farmland for beginners?
North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, and Arkansas all pair low land prices with programs aimed at new farmers, which makes them friendlier on-ramps. The right one depends on what you want to grow and the climate you can work in.
Is farmland a good investment?
It has been a steady one. Farmland tends to hold value, can produce income while you own it, and has historically been a reasonable hedge against inflation. Like any land, the return depends on buying the right piece at the right price.
How much land do I need to start a farm?
Less than most people assume for a small operation, and a lot for commercial row crops. Start from your goal, a market garden, a few animals, or a full crop operation, and size the land to that rather than buying acreage first.
What should I check before buying farmland?
Soil quality (get a test), water and water rights, the growing season for your crop, road access, property taxes, and any zoning or ag rules. These decide whether the land actually farms the way the listing suggests.
Can I improve poor soil, or do I need great soil from the start?
You can improve soil over time with the right practices, but starting with decent ground saves you years and money. A soil test tells you what you’re working with before you buy, not after.
What’s the best state to farm year-round?
The warm-season states give you the longest window, so Texas and Arkansas, along with much of the South, let you grow across more of the calendar. Cold northern states have a hard stop each winter.
Which of these states does Landopia sell in?
Two of them, Texas and Arkansas. Both are good country for affordable small-farm and homestead land, and we finance them in-house. We also sell rural land in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oregon.
Can I buy farmland with owner financing?
Yes, in the states we serve. Owner financing lets you start with a small amount down and a monthly payment instead of a bank loan, and you take title once the land is paid off. It’s a common way to get onto rural ground without a big upfront check.
Is it better to buy in a cold state or a warm one?
It’s a trade. Cold states like the Dakotas and Montana offer cheaper land but short seasons and tough winters, while warm states like Texas and Arkansas give you longer growing windows, sometimes at higher demand. Match it to the crop and the life you want.
Good farm ground has a way of outlasting the person who bought it, feeding one family and then the next. Pick the state that fits your crop, your budget, and the winters you can stand, and let the dirt do the rest.