How Much Is an Acre of Land in Texas in 2022?

How Much Is an Acre of Land in Texas in 2022?

How Much Is an Acre of Land in Texas? 🤔 Well… it depends! Doesn't it always?

Texas covers over 265,000 square miles and is second only to Alaska in land area. Texas is the second most populated state and the second largest economy in the country, just behind California; it's the 8th largest economy in the world.

Its two largest cities, Dallas-Fort Worth and Greater Houston, are 4th and 5th largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) in the US, rapidly gaining ground on Chicago.

And Texas is broken down into ten ecoregions from the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico to the rocky 8,749 feet Guadalupe Peak of Far West Texas.

It's safe to stay that there are many options in Texas for a land buyer, but as with all real estate… location, location, location!

Rural Land Regions in Texas

Rural Land Regions in
Texas A&M – Texas Land Market Regions

Texas A&M University's Texas Real Estate Research Center divides the State of Texas into seven real restate regions:

  1. Panhandle and South Plains
  2. Far West Texas
  3. West Texas
  4. Northeast Texas
  5. Gulf Coast-Brazos Bottom
  6. South Texas
  7. Austin-Waco-Hill Country

With such a large, regionally diverse state, this division can be arbitrary at the extremes. Still, it's a helpful framework for evaluating trends and analyzing the 254 counties in Texas on a regional basis.

Rural Land Prices for Texas

Rural land prices in Texas are significantly lower than urban land prices. And given the sheer size of the state and clusters of densely populated, major metropolitan areas, such as Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, land prices vary wildly by city and county.

It's simply a case of supply and demand. Scarcity drives prices far more than the utility.

In our modern economy, most people work in major cities and must live reasonably close to their employer or place of work. This encourages higher city population densities and increases urban and suburban land prices. Prices start falling off as the commuting distances increase and infrastructure availability decreases.

“Work from Home” (WFH) may moderate this trend. However, most people still want or need the conveniences and infrastructure of the typical modern American city, including public schools, big-box retailers, entertainment venues, restaurants, and high-speed internet.

Looking at 2021 transaction data, Texas A&M's Texas Real Estate Research Center estimated the price of rural land per acre by region as follows:

  1. Panhandle and South Plains – $1228 per acre
  2. Far West Texas – $1608 per acre
  3. West Texas – $1852 per acre
  4. Northeast Texas – $6201 per acre
  5. Gulf Coast-Brazos Bottom – $7724 per acre
  6. South Texas – $4430 per acre
  7. Austin-Waco-Hill Country – $5174 per acre

Using this regional data alone, the Gulf Coast-Brazos Bottom region, which includes Greater Houston, is over six times more expensive than the Panhandle and South Plains region, which includes Amarillo and Lubbock. In reality, you'd be hard pressed to find one acre of land in Houston for less than $100,000 per acre; the most valuable land in Houston sells for more than $1,000,000 per acre.

Where Is the Cheapest Land in Texas?

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Salt Lake Vista in Culberson County, Texas

Far West Texas provides the most affordable land in Texas. Larger than the state of South Carolina, this sparsely populated area possesses the most varied, distinctive, and spectacular scenery in Texas, including the Chihuahuan Desert Ecoregion, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Big Bend National Park, and Big Bend Ranch State Park.

It may be cheap land, but you'll be in rich company. Jeff Bezos's spaceport, Launch Space One, is located on his 165,000-acre Corn Ranch near Van Horn, Texas. Bill Gates, Dan Hughes, Malone Mitchell, and Brad Kelley, among other billionaires, all have large land holdings in the area too. Plus, there's a cadre of legendary Texas cattle ranching families, including the Reynolds and the Lydas.

Cheap land abounds in Far West Texas due to its arid climate, relative lack of infrastructure, and distance from major metropolitan areas. For example, it's over 500 miles from Dallas to Marfa. Nonetheless, the area is perfect for cattle ranching, hunting, and outdoor pursuits.

After backing out a few larger cities in the area, like El Paso and Odessa, land can be purchased for less than $1,000 per acre in most of Far West Texas.

How Much Is an Acre of Land in Texas?

Similar to our post “How Much Is 40 Acres of Land Worth in Texas,” using filtering tools and data provided by PRYCD, we queried 1.0-acre to 1.5-acre undeveloped properties in all 254 counties in Texas, which resulted in 468,244 properties.

PRYCD's proprietary pricing algorithm determined the “Market Price/Acre.” To be clear, with some counties, particularly rural, sparsely-populated ones, the modeled price is inaccurate or non-existent due to a low number of 1) owner records and/or 2) market comps. This is a limitation in the data.

Being a non-disclosure state, it's difficult to determine pricing, volumes, and velocity accurately.

There's simply not enough data in this study, particularly on the comp side, to calculate a market price without further research and local market knowledge.

Nonetheless, this data can identify some trends and give a land buyer a basic lay of the land, as they say, to determine specific counties and regions of interest and opportunity.

Once an area of interest is identified, then the real work begins. Good luck! 🙏

Texas CountyOwner RecordsTotal CompsMarket Price/Acre
Glasscock County, TX53- $431,510
Hidalgo County, TX 9,764 297 $244,405
Hays County, TX 2,617 56 $243,382
Travis County, TX 6,445 199 $241,786
Gray County, TX6791 $233,936
Collin County, TX 4,037 232 $218,221
Lamb County, TX6431 $214,710
King County, TX159- $213,052
Fort Bend County, TX 5,244 203 $212,079
Kendall County, TX97551 $211,914
Deaf Smith County, TX219- $203,669
Blanco County, TX54042 $199,825
Chambers County, TX 3,297 46 $195,387
Zapata County, TX6904 $191,768
Harris County, TX 16,054 737 $190,929
Starr County, TX 4,658 44 $189,393
Dallas County, TX 8,530 365 $186,819
Tarrant County, TX 9,005 387 $184,995
Bell County, TX 5,217 165 $183,729
Williamson County, TX 4,465 103 $178,150
Cameron County, TX 7,342 167 $170,220
Galveston County, TX 4,867 270 $168,018
Denton County, TX 5,955 199 $163,339
Ellis County, TX 2,361 181 $162,474
Brazos County, TX 1,794 129 $159,150
Bexar County, TX 11,720 353 $157,193
Moore County, TX2904 $151,653
Guadalupe County, TX 4,311 64 $149,791
Bastrop County, TX 3,423 88 $147,699
Kimble County, TX5902 $145,131
Gillespie County, TX 1,416 38 $142,525
Nueces County, TX 2,948 118 $141,616
Llano County, TX 1,480 217 $138,476
Rockwall County, TX 1,066 118 $137,493
Webb County, TX95916 $134,422
Comal County, TX 8,114 688 $134,323
Montgomery County, TX 13,459 764 $129,270
Presidio County, TX 1,389 8 $128,856
Karnes County, TX7993 $127,396
Austin County, TX 1,062 88 $126,680
Crane County, TX4991 $119,643
Kaufman County, TX 3,647 158 $118,557
Oldham County, TX61- $113,061
Cooke County, TX 1,831 41 $109,556
La Salle County, TX9711 $109,098
Schleicher County, TX184- $109,051
Martin County, TX54031 $106,505
Caldwell County, TX99251 $106,480
Medina County, TX 2,918 79 $105,511
Hood County, TX 1,831 251 $105,407
Grayson County, TX 2,381 329 $104,749
Jack County, TX59024 $104,297
Walker County, TX 2,159 168 $103,226
Johnson County, TX 8,109 359 $102,432
Aransas County, TX 1,414 114 $102,016
Mason County, TX82410 $101,869
Armstrong County, TX1344 $101,821
Burnet County, TX 2,034 192 $100,592
McLennan County, TX 3,030 83 $100,365
Refugio County, TX5478 $99,790
Parker County, TX 7,994 177 $98,510
Kerr County, TX 1,726 136 $97,146
Franklin County, TX 1,298 42 $96,479
Lampasas County, TX 1,188 74 $94,551
Fayette County, TX81340 $93,642
Lubbock County, TX 3,014 39 $91,543
Lynn County, TX2382 $90,471
Hunt County, TX 2,164 259 $90,288
Colorado County, TX72737 $88,436
Victoria County, TX 2,053 36 $87,567
Smith County, TX 6,770 402 $87,305
Liberty County, TX 9,631 482 $86,832
Bosque County, TX 1,619 61 $86,094
Mitchell County, TX51415 $86,074
Taylor County, TX 1,807 75 $84,758
Montague County, TX 1,293 49 $83,693
Wise County, TX 2,045 160 $82,695
Waller County, TX 2,085 159 $82,455
Jefferson County, TX 3,916 147 $80,900
Hamilton County, TX92434 $80,298
Brazoria County, TX 9,314 622 $80,063
Washington County, TX503113 $79,999
Hardin County, TX 3,320 49 $79,850
Wichita County, TX87852 $79,687
Dimmit County, TX 1,073 1 $79,637
Young County, TX49721 $78,785
Coryell County, TX85996 $77,109
Somervell County, TX36846 $76,555
Tom Green County, TX 1,818 80 $75,651
Maverick County, TX99255 $75,320
Fannin County, TX 1,098 97 $74,786
Angelina County, TX 3,725 67 $74,157
San Augustine County, TX 1,091 25 $72,794
Uvalde County, TX 1,324 110 $72,645
Ward County, TX 1,085 3 $72,178
Real County, TX73091 $71,891
Wilson County, TX 1,664 103 $71,304
Matagorda County, TX 3,463 205 $70,986
Hopkins County, TX76942 $70,864
Sterling County, TX6616 $70,643
Midland County, TX 3,217 105 $70,501
San Patricio County, TX 1,791 90 $70,145
Bandera County, TX 4,110 287 $69,946
Gonzales County, TX 1,418 30 $69,374
Callahan County, TX6919 $69,087
Kleberg County, TX80615 $68,899
Howard County, TX 1,150 8 $68,870
Falls County, TX 1,253 13 $67,715
Jackson County, TX 1,303 44 $67,001
Robertson County, TX89845 $66,915
Atascosa County, TX 2,089 100 $66,218
Frio County, TX 1,231 23 $65,246
Van Zandt County, TX 2,183 127 $65,181
Lavaca County, TX77846 $64,823
Rains County, TX45981 $64,134
Burleson County, TX 2,320 160 $63,910
Milam County, TX 1,039 18 $63,371
Grimes County, TX 2,429 117 $63,321
Erath County, TX 1,025 81 $62,903
Eastland County, TX 1,593 50 $62,740
Goliad County, TX9519 $62,736
San Jacinto County, TX 2,006 178 $62,489
Orange County, TX 2,413 128 $62,405
Hill County, TX 2,444 232 $62,096
Wharton County, TX 1,648 65 $61,391
Titus County, TX 1,530 64 $61,140
Gaines County, TX 1,051 23 $61,023
McMullen County, TX1653 $60,977
Andrews County, TX33464 $60,840
McCulloch County, TX9599 $60,681
Randall County, TX 2,769 189 $59,261
Calhoun County, TX 1,889 140 $58,311
Navarro County, TX 2,648 408 $57,714
Castro County, TX359- $57,363
Lee County, TX87029 $57,076
San Saba County, TX 1,309 15 $56,800
Polk County, TX 7,344 265 $56,265
Brooks County, TX3215 $56,102
Morris County, TX 1,010 20 $55,701
Brown County, TX 2,316 201 $53,989
Willacy County, TX7147 $53,763
Gregg County, TX 2,349 99 $53,656
Pecos County, TX6047 $53,569
Henderson County, TX 4,329 437 $53,299
Trinity County, TX 2,924 61 $53,141
Palo Pinto County, TX 2,414 344 $52,417
Bee County, TX 1,317 23 $51,905
Upshur County, TX 1,780 140 $51,835
Camp County, TX 1,410 135 $51,607
Lamar County, TX 1,731 93 $50,883
Nolan County, TX5984 $50,809
Jasper County, TX 2,190 181 $50,659
Jim Wells County, TX 2,425 65 $50,324
Dickens County, TX241- $48,443
Zavala County, TX372- $48,180
Donley County, TX5507 $47,607
Hockley County, TX45440 $46,928
Harrison County, TX 1,281 104 $46,507
Wood County, TX 3,720 196 $46,260
Potter County, TX 1,701 43 $45,455
Limestone County, TX901110 $45,121
Irion County, TX1871 $44,156
Delta County, TX2646 $43,211
Clay County, TX5512 $43,132
Scurry County, TX33911 $42,951
Ector County, TX 5,399 243 $42,826
Houston County, TX 1,346 89 $42,764
Sabine County, TX 1,649 135 $42,689
Garza County, TX35538 $42,126
Tyler County, TX 1,351 47 $41,851
Madison County, TX40333 $41,581
Leon County, TX 1,252 99 $41,461
Nacogdoches County, TX 1,450 54 $40,895
Coleman County, TX34613 $40,602
Collingsworth County, TX185- $40,531
El Paso County, TX 22,088 694 $40,392
Mills County, TX28310 $40,251
DeWitt County, TX91419 $39,936
Freestone County, TX 2,101 132 $39,324
Panola County, TX 1,297 14 $38,877
Hale County, TX55437 $38,226
Throckmorton County, TX195- $37,378
Live Oak County, TX 1,472 52 $37,280
Kent County, TX324- $35,771
Concho County, TX64839 $35,623
Anderson County, TX 1,766 72 $35,597
Baylor County, TX245- $35,316
Terry County, TX3071 $35,077
Cherokee County, TX 3,306 92 $33,748
Brewster County, TX 1,390 16 $33,699
Comanche County, TX84429 $33,391
Jones County, TX75910 $32,310
Bailey County, TX330- $32,099
Stephens County, TX41425 $31,930
Shelby County, TX 1,076 23 $31,401
Marion County, TX88735 $31,305
Rusk County, TX 1,923 77 $31,168
Duval County, TX 1,465 2 $30,974
Stonewall County, TX335- $30,436
Newton County, TX 1,245 9 $27,667
Coke County, TX4501 $27,167
Crockett County, TX211- $25,806
Childress County, TX1033 $25,405
Bowie County, TX 3,350 55 $25,160
Jeff Davis County, TX1554 $24,940
Edwards County, TX1422 $23,622
Val Verde County, TX 1,284 33 $22,428
Kinney County, TX2161 $20,912
Runnels County, TX4351 $20,886
Wilbarger County, TX377- $20,169
Hall County, TX382- $19,514
Wheeler County, TX2973 $17,583
Archer County, TX2141 $17,078
Foard County, TX379- $16,147
Cass County, TX 1,597 58 $14,815
Haskell County, TX39313 $14,611
Terrell County, TX1432 $14,356
Reagan County, TX693 $13,771
Sutton County, TX5634 $11,660
Red River County, TX7299 $11,357
Motley County, TX158- $10,552
Menard County, TX346- $5,806
Shackelford County, TX3301 $4,846
Hudspeth County, TX 5,302 5 $3,217
Cochran County, TX 1,135 18$23
Jim Hogg County, TX1912$-
Cottle County, TX247-$-
Hardeman County, TX4181$-
Dallam County, TX158-$-
Dawson County, TX3593$-
Hansford County, TX2261$-
Hartley County, TX75-$-
Carson County, TX2102$-
Floyd County, TX291-$-
Hemphill County, TX134-$-
Briscoe County, TX82-$-
Crosby County, TX248-$-
Borden County, TX124-$-
Culberson County, TX361-$-
Fisher County, TX4632$-
Hutchinson County, TX9926$-
Sherman County, TX1061$-
Lipscomb County, TX97-$-
Roberts County, TX76-$-
Yoakum County, TX1522$-
Swisher County, TX2401$-
Ochiltree County, TX78-$-
Parmer County, TX208-$-
Winkler County, TX2142$-
Loving County, TX13-$-
Reeves County, TX 1,360 -$-
Kenedy County, TX16-$-
Knox County, TX4082$-
Upton County, TX78010$-

Notes: This data was obtained from PRYCD. The number of “Owner Records” is based on DataTree's proprietary parcel database. “Total Comps” reflects Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, Lands of America, and LandFlip comps identified by PRYCD. “Market Price/Acre” is PRYCD's proprietary pricing algorithm.