What One Acre of Florida Land Typically Costs in 2026

One acre of land in Florida can be worth anywhere from a few thousand dollars to well into seven figures—and the spread is widening as growth, infrastructure, and housing-market conditions reshape demand. Florida remains a magnet for new residents, and the state’s development pipeline continues to pressure land supply, especially near job centers, major roads, and buildable parcels with utilities.

At the same time, today’s buyers face a more dynamic market than in prior years: inventory has loosened in many areas, more sellers are cutting prices, and borrowing costs are expected to settle into a new (but still elevated) normal. Understanding how these forces intersect is the fastest way to estimate what one acre is worth in a specific Florida county—and what could change that value over the next 12–36 months.

Florida land values in 2026: the macro trends shaping one-acre pricing

Population growth keeps demand elevated

Florida’s long-term demand story is still driven by in-migration. Net migration is expected to add 50,000–100,000 residents annually, which supports ongoing need for housing, roads, services, and commercial space, according to the JR H Engineering 2026 Florida Real Estate Development Report.

Infrastructure spending increases the value of “well-located” acres

Large public and private projects can change land values quickly by improving access and expanding utility capacity. $90 billion in infrastructure spending is helping drive demand for land development across the state, according to the JR H Engineering 2026 Florida Real Estate Development Report. In practical terms, parcels near expansions to highways, interchanges, and growth corridors often see higher buyer interest and stronger per-acre pricing.

Mortgage-rate expectations influence land and finished-home demand

Land prices don’t move in isolation—end buyers of finished homes influence what builders can pay for lots and raw acreage. Mortgage rates are expected to stabilize in the high 5% to low 6% range for 2026, according to the JR H Engineering 2026 Florida Real Estate Development Report.

Florida Realtors commentary also shows rates trending lower versus 2025 peaks: mortgage rates began easing to about 6.2% more recently from near 6.8% earlier in 2025, according to Florida Realtors: Florida Housing Enters 2026 on Firmer Ground. Looking ahead, Florida Realtors forecasts cited in a January 2026 update point to mortgage rates declining to 6.0% for much of 2026, per the Southwest Florida Real Estate Market Update January 2026.

Inventory and price reductions create negotiation opportunities

Land buyers should also watch housing inventory because it affects builder absorption rates, resale demand, and overall sentiment. Statewide inventory has risen to approximately 6.5 months of supply, and nearly 44% of listings are seeing price reductions, according to the Zachos Real Estate Florida Real Estate 2026 Report.

Other Florida Realtors projections indicate inventory may be settling into a more balanced range in 2026, with inventory stabilizing around 4.9–5.3 months supply, according to the Southwest Florida Real Estate Market Update January 2026. Either way, compared to the ultra-tight conditions of prior years, today’s market more often rewards disciplined offers, strong due diligence, and patience.

Affordability pressure supports long-term land scarcity

Land remains expensive relative to incomes in many parts of Florida. At nearly $700,000 per acre, it would take the average Floridian saving 30% of their salary 41.95 years to afford an acre of land, according to the Business Observer FL Study: Florida among most expensive states to buy property. That affordability gap helps explain why buildable land—especially near employment centers and coastlines—continues to command premiums.

Regional value influencers on a Florida land acre

Florida’s geography spans coastal barriers, flood-prone lowlands, interior lakes, pine forests, and dense metro corridors. That diversity creates wide one-acre valuation ranges. As a general rule, land becomes more valuable as it becomes more usable (dry, buildable, permitted) and more connected (roads, utilities, nearby demand).

Northern Florida / Panhandle – Often the lowest price per acre due to more rural characteristics and larger tracts. Proximity to growing nodes (city cores, universities, military bases, and improved highway access) can push pricing to the upper end of local ranges.

Central Florida – Wide variance. Parcels near Orlando and Tampa can price dramatically higher than exurban or rural acreage, especially where zoning and utilities support near-term residential or mixed-use development.

South Florida – Coastal metro counties frequently command the highest one-acre prices due to extreme scarcity, regulatory constraints, and competing highest-and-best uses. Interior agricultural land can trade at lower per-acre figures but may offer long-term optionality where future density expands.

Key factors that determine what one acre is worth in Florida

1) Development demand and absorption

When an area consistently adds residents, it needs housing, schools, retail, healthcare, and infrastructure. That demand pulls land into the development pipeline and typically increases competition for parcels that can be entitled and built efficiently.

2) Scarcity of buildable land

In many Florida markets, the limiting factor is not total acreage—it’s buildable acreage. Wetlands, conservation easements, floodplain constraints, and regulatory setbacks reduce effective supply. As those constraints tighten near metro areas, remaining buildable parcels often rise in value.

3) Infrastructure and access

Road frontage, proximity to interstates, and nearby public investment can lift one-acre values by lowering development friction. With $90 billion in infrastructure spending underway, corridors tied to new or improved transportation and utilities may see faster repricing, according to the JR H Engineering 2026 Florida Real Estate Development Report.

4) Zoning, entitlements, and timeline to build

Zoning determines what can be built; entitlements determine how soon. A parcel that already supports commercial, multifamily, or mixed-use can be worth substantially more than similar acreage restricted to agricultural or very low-density residential—because it shortens the time and uncertainty between purchase and project start.

5) Utilities and site readiness

Access to power, water, sewer/septic suitability, and stormwater solutions can meaningfully change land value. If a buyer must extend utilities or solve major drainage issues, they typically discount the land price to offset those costs and risks.

6) Topography, flood risk, and environmental constraints

Flat, dry, easily cleared land usually sells at a premium. Wetlands, protected species habitat, high water tables, and flood zones can reduce usable area, increase engineering expense, and delay permits—all of which can compress what buyers will pay per acre.

Estimating one-acre price ranges by Florida county (market snapshot)

County pricing varies sharply based on coastal proximity, job density, zoning patterns, and how much buildable inventory remains. The ranges below reflect broad, directional pricing patterns commonly seen in active markets; exact value depends on zoning, utilities, and site constraints.

• Miami-Dade – High premiums in the eastern and coastal-influenced submarkets; inland pricing can be materially lower where use restrictions or distance to core demand increases.
• Broward – Coastal sites often command higher prices; interior parcels typically price lower depending on entitlement complexity and remaining buildable supply.
• Palm Beach – Barrier island and coastal-influenced parcels can trade at steep premiums; mainland pricing depends heavily on zoning, utilities, and proximity to employment nodes.
• Hillsborough (Tampa) – Strong variance between metro-adjacent parcels and fringe acreage; access and utilities frequently drive the spread.
• Orange (Orlando) – High-demand submarkets near major employment and growth nodes can price far above exurban acreage; zoning and concurrency considerations matter.
• Duval (Jacksonville) – Coastal proximity and neighborhood-level growth patterns influence pricing; inland acreage varies widely based on utilities and development path.
• Lee (Fort Myers/Cape Coral) – Barrier island and water-influenced markets tend to command premiums; inland acreage values depend on drainage, permitting, and access.

How to estimate the value of your specific one-acre parcel

To price a specific acre, combine market context with property-level facts. Use these checkpoints to create a realistic valuation range before you negotiate.

Step 1: Pinpoint the micro-location

Measure distance to highways, interchanges, employment centers, hospitals, schools, and retail. In many counties, a one-acre parcel a few minutes closer to an interchange—or with better visibility and access—can command a meaningfully higher price than a similar parcel deeper off the corridor.

Step 2: Confirm zoning and future land-use plans

Verify current zoning, allowable density/FAR, setbacks, and any overlay districts. Then check the comprehensive plan and future land-use map. Land that aligns with planned growth (and has a feasible entitlement path) typically draws more buyers and better offers.

Step 3: Audit utilities and site constraints

Identify available utilities (electric, water, sewer, gas, broadband), along with stormwater requirements, soil conditions, and flood zone status. Buildability and timeline often matter as much as location.

Step 4: Evaluate comparable sales—and adjust for today’s market

Use recent sales of similar zoning and similar constraints, not just nearby addresses. Then adjust for current negotiating conditions. With statewide inventory reported around 6.5 months of supply and nearly 44% of listings seeing price reductions, many submarkets now reward buyers who anchor offers in verified comps and documented site costs, per the Zachos Real Estate Florida Real Estate 2026 Report.

What Florida’s home-price baseline implies for land

Builders and developers back into land value from the economics of finished homes and rentals. Florida Realtors’ official forecast puts the statewide median home price at $410,000, according to the Southwest Florida Real Estate Market Update January 2026. When finished-home pricing holds up, buildable lots and entitled land typically maintain stronger demand—especially in submarkets with job growth, school demand, and infrastructure expansion.

Final takeaways

Florida’s one-acre land values continue to be shaped by growth, scarcity, and buildability—while today’s softer listing conditions in some areas create more room to negotiate. Net migration of 50,000–100,000 residents annually and $90 billion in infrastructure spending keep long-term demand for development land intact, according to the JR H Engineering 2026 Florida Real Estate Development Report.

Meanwhile, financing conditions look more stable than the volatility of 2025: mortgage rates are expected to land in the high 5% to low 6% range and may sit around 6.0% for much of 2026, as cited by the JR H Engineering 2026 Florida Real Estate Development Report and the Southwest Florida Real Estate Market Update January 2026. Rates have already eased to about 6.2% from near 6.8% earlier in 2025, per Florida Realtors: Florida Housing Enters 2026 on Firmer Ground.

To estimate what your acre is worth, prioritize what sophisticated buyers prioritize: zoning and entitlements, utilities, access, flood/environmental constraints, and comparable sales that reflect current market leverage—especially as inventory and price reductions remain elevated in many parts of the state.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What areas of Florida are seeing the fastest raw land appreciation, and why?

In many cycles, Central Florida growth corridors around Orlando and Tampa reprice quickly because jobs, infrastructure, and housing demand converge. Growth also follows major infrastructure commitments—especially where new access reduces commute times and unlocks previously “fringe” parcels. With $90 billion in infrastructure spending supporting development demand, land near expanding corridors can move first, according to the JR H Engineering 2026 Florida Real Estate Development Report.

Which factors most influence an acre of Florida land value?

Location sets the baseline, but value often hinges on what you can do with the land and how soon you can do it. Zoning/entitlements, utilities, flood and wetlands constraints, and road access usually create the biggest price differences between two one-acre parcels—even in the same county.

How do mortgage rates affect what an acre is worth?

Mortgage rates influence end-buyer affordability, which affects how much builders can pay for lots and development land. Rates are expected to stabilize in the high 5% to low 6% range for 2026, and Florida Realtors forecasts cited in January 2026 anticipate 6.0% for much of 2026, per the JR H Engineering 2026 Florida Real Estate Development Report and the Southwest Florida Real Estate Market Update January 2026. Rates have also eased to about 6.2% from near 6.8% earlier in 2025, according to Florida Realtors: Florida Housing Enters 2026 on Firmer Ground.

Does waterfront property really command a premium over inland acreage?

Yes. Waterfront parcels often trade at significant premiums due to scarcity, view value, and lifestyle demand. The exact multiplier depends on zoning, buildability, and whether the “waterfront” is true navigable access, a canal system, or a lake with restrictions.

Is buying wetlands or marsh acreage ever a good idea?

It can be, but it’s highly technical. Wetlands acreage may offer a lower entry price, but buyers often face longer timelines, mitigation costs, and permitting risk. Investors typically succeed when they underwrite conservatively and verify feasibility with qualified environmental and engineering professionals.

What market signals suggest land buyers may have more negotiating power?

Rising inventory and widespread price cuts can increase buyer leverage. Statewide inventory has risen to approximately 6.5 months of supply and nearly 44% of listings are seeing price reductions, according to the Zachos Real Estate Florida Real Estate 2026 Report. Other forecasts show inventory stabilizing around 4.9–5.3 months supply, per the Southwest Florida Real Estate Market Update January 2026. In either scenario, pricing your offer around verified constraints and comps matters more than ever.