What’s an Acre of Land Worth in Illinois in 2026?

Illinois land can look like one market on a map, but it behaves like many different markets in real life. With more than 26 million acres of farmland and rural space across the Prairie State, per-acre values can swing widely based on location, soil productivity, zoning, access to infrastructure, and local development pressure. To estimate what one acre is worth in Illinois, you need county-level context plus property-specific details—not a one-size-fits-all statewide number.

Illinois Per-Acre Land Values: The 2025 Baseline (and Why It’s Not the Whole Story)

For a current statewide benchmark, Illinois farm real estate averaged $8,930 per acre in 2025, up 2.6% from an adjusted $8,700 per acre in 2024, according to University of Illinois farmdoc daily. Over the long run, that same dataset shows values have climbed 22% over the past decade, rising from $7,300 per acre in 2016 to $8,930 per acre in 2025 (University of Illinois farmdoc daily).

Momentum has been steady as well. Illinois farm real estate values have increased for five consecutive years since 2020, averaging a 4.7% annual increase, with the biggest jump of 10.5% in 2022 (University of Illinois farmdoc daily). And Illinois isn’t rising in isolation—at $8,930 per acre, Illinois ranks third in the Corn Belt in 2025, behind Iowa ($9,790) and Ohio ($9,350) (University of Illinois farmdoc daily).

These statewide averages help you orient, but they don’t price your acre. Local demand, productivity, and permitted use can push the “right” number far above—or below—the state baseline.

Why One Acre Can Be Worth $2,500—or $20,000+—in the Same State

Per-acre pricing in Illinois spreads across a wide spectrum because land is valued for different end uses: row-crop income, development potential, recreational demand, long-term appreciation, and increasingly, energy and infrastructure opportunities. The market also pays differently for quality—high-productivity cropland, highway-frontage parcels, build-ready tracts, and land with improvements typically command premiums.

That variability shows up clearly in recent regional reporting. In Region 7, farmland sales in 2024 ranged from $7,950 to $20,000 per acre, averaging $13,302 per acre across approximately 23 good productivity tracts, according to University of Illinois Extension.

County-level indexes reinforce how sharp the differences can be. In Q1 2025, Moultrie County reached $15,851.13 per acre, the highest among tracked Illinois counties (Growers Edge Farmland Value Index). In the same quarter, Morgan County posted $15,546.77 per acre and Douglas County hit $15,276.08 per acre (Growers Edge Farmland Value Index).

Regional Pricing Patterns Across Illinois (What Buyers Typically See)

Use these regional buckets to frame expectations, then validate your estimate with recent comparable sales and local professional input.

Chicago Metro & Collar Counties

Cook and the surrounding collar counties (DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will) typically sit at the top of the pricing range because development pressure, infrastructure density, and buyer competition are persistent. Parcels that can transition to residential, commercial, or mixed-use development often trade at a premium, especially near expressways, utilities, and fast-growing suburbs.

Typical per-acre pricing range: $12,000–$17,000+ (often higher for development-ready sites)

Central & North Central Illinois

This region is heavily driven by cropland productivity and steady buyer demand from operators expanding acreage. High-quality soils can produce standout pricing that far exceeds statewide averages. For example, central Illinois cropland with a high productivity index (140 PI) sold for $18,300 per acre and $17,200 per acre in 2024–2025, according to Compeer Financial.

Non-tillable land can also surprise when recreational demand is strong. In 2024–2025, recreational tracts in central Illinois sold for $10,600 per acre, an unusually strong outcome for non-tillable land in that region (Compeer Financial).

Typical per-acre pricing range: $5,500–$9,000 (with premiums for high-PI tillable ground and strong access)

Western & Northwestern Illinois

Here, value tends to track crop and livestock economics, soil quality, drainage, and field efficiency more than metro spillover. Larger, contiguous tracts often attract competitive bidding because they improve operational scale. Pricing can still jump sharply when the tract is “operator-ready” (good soils, good shape, good access).

Typical per-acre pricing range: $7,500–$12,000 (higher for strong soils and turnkey field conditions)

Southern & Southwestern Illinois

Southern Illinois values are often anchored by recreational use (hunting, trail riding), timber potential, and smaller-scale agriculture. Topography, wetlands, and limited infrastructure can cap development potential, which commonly keeps per-acre prices below central and northern Illinois. Exceptions occur near lakes, tourism hubs, or unique tracts adjacent to protected lands.

Typical per-acre pricing range: $2,500–$5,000

Key Factors That Determine What One Acre Is Worth

Two acres can sit in the same county and still appraise very differently. When you estimate value—whether you’re buying, selling, or investing—focus on the drivers that change demand and income potential.

1) Development Potential and Zoning

Zoning, allowable density, subdivision feasibility, utility access, and nearby growth plans can lift values dramatically—especially near expanding towns, highway interchanges, and employment centers. Even small zoning changes can shift an acre from “future maybe” to “buildable now,” which the market prices quickly.

2) Income Potential (Crops, Timber, Leases)

Verified yield history and strong soils raise the ceiling for tillable ground. Timber maturity, hunting leases, and existing rental structures can also increase what buyers will pay because income supports financing and improves projected returns.

Energy leasing is another major income driver in certain parts of the state. Wind energy lease payments for new turbine installations in central Illinois range from $30,000–$40,000 annually per turbine, compared to historical rates of $8,000–$9,000 per year, according to Compeer Financial. When those leases are realistic and transferable, they can materially change how buyers underwrite an acreage purchase.

3) Access, Frontage, and Utilities

Road frontage, legal ingress/egress, and proximity to utilities (electric, water, sewer, broadband) routinely separate “cheap acres” from “liquid acres” that attract more bidders. Highway frontage also creates visibility value for commercial uses and can support higher pricing even when the rest of the tract is similar to neighboring land.

4) Improvements and Turnkey Use

Homes, barns, machine sheds, fencing, drainage, ponds, and established internal roads add tangible value because they reduce a buyer’s time and capital outlay after closing. A tract with a usable building site and functional improvements can sell for a major premium over raw land, even at the same acreage size.

How to Estimate a Realistic Per-Acre Price for Your Illinois Property

• Start with local comparables (recent, nearby sales with similar soils and use).
• Adjust for productivity and income (PI rating, yield history, timber value, lease revenue).
• Confirm legal and physical access (frontage, easements, and whether any portion is landlocked).
• Account for constraints (wetlands, floodplain, setbacks, zoning limits, and easements).
• Use professional valuation when stakes are high (appraiser, ag lender, or land-specialist broker).

Statewide indicators like the $8,930 per-acre 2025 average (University of Illinois farmdoc daily) provide a useful anchor, but the most accurate estimate comes from matching your parcel to the buyers who will compete for it—and the income or use they can realistically unlock.

Final Thoughts

Illinois land values remain resilient, backed by multi-year appreciation trends and strong demand for high-quality acres. Still, “what one acre is worth” changes quickly as you move from Chicago’s development orbit to central Illinois’ elite cropland to the recreational and timber-driven markets in the south. Use statewide benchmarks for orientation, but rely on local sales evidence, productivity metrics, and income potential to price land responsibly—and to negotiate with confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What’s the average value per acre of farm real estate in Illinois right now?

Illinois farm real estate averaged $8,930 per acre in 2025, up from an adjusted $8,700 per acre in 2024, according to University of Illinois farmdoc daily.

Have Illinois farmland values been rising long-term?

Yes. Illinois farm real estate values increased 22% from 2016 to 2025, rising from $7,300 to $8,930 per acre (University of Illinois farmdoc daily).

How high can top-quality central Illinois cropland sell for?

Central Illinois cropland with a 140 productivity index (PI) recorded sales of $18,300 per acre and $17,200 per acre in 2024–2025 (Compeer Financial).

Is recreational land in Illinois holding value?

In central Illinois, recreational tracts sold for $10,600 per acre in 2024–2025, an unusually strong result for non-tillable land in the region (Compeer Financial).

Can wind leases affect what an acre is worth?

Yes. Wind energy lease payments for new turbine installations in central Illinois range from $30,000–$40,000 annually per turbine, compared with historical rates of $8,000–$9,000 per year (Compeer Financial). That income potential can materially impact land pricing where development is feasible.

How wide is the range of Illinois farmland sale prices in a single region?

In Region 7, 2024 farmland sales ranged from $7,950 to $20,000 per acre and averaged $13,302 per acre across about 23 good productivity tracts (University of Illinois Extension).

Which counties have recently posted some of the highest values?

In Q1 2025, Moultrie County reached $15,851.13 per acre, while Morgan County was $15,546.77 and Douglas County was $15,276.08 (Growers Edge Farmland Value Index).

How does Illinois compare to other Corn Belt states?

In 2025, Illinois ranked third in the Corn Belt for farm real estate value at $8,930 per acre, behind Iowa ($9,790) and Ohio ($9,350) (University of Illinois farmdoc daily).