According to the 2017 ISU Land Values Survey, the average value for all qualities of Iowa farmland in 2017 rose slightly to $7,326/acre. This 2% increase follows three years of decline. High, medium and low quality land grades all saw slight increases and averaged $8,933, $6,849, and $4,689, respectively.

Decatur County had the lowest average farmland value in 2017 at $3,480/acre, and several other counties in southern Iowa such as Appanoose, Wayne, and Lucas also saw average values below $4,000/acre. Scott County had the highest average farmland value in 2017 at $10,497/acre. Sioux and O’Brien counties also had an average farmland value over $10,000/acre in 2017. Allamakee County and Clayton County had the largest percent increase from 2016 to 2017 at 4.7%, and the largest percent decline was in Page County at -0.4%.

Click on your county in the interactive map below to see how land values have changed from 1950 to 2017.

Michelle Mensing is a Research Analyst with Decision Innovation Solutions (DIS). DIS is an Iowa-Based economic research firm which provides regular farm economics research and analysis to the Iowa Farm Bureau staff and members.