What an Acre of Land Is Worth in North Carolina Right Now (2026)

North Carolina spans more than 53,000 square miles of beaches, barrier islands, coastal plains, Piedmont cities, and Blue Ridge mountain terrain. That variety makes “price per acre” a moving target—because land value depends less on statewide averages and far more on what you can legally build, what it costs to make the site usable, and how intense buyer demand is in that specific micro-location.

Today’s market also rewards specificity. Inventory conditions, population shifts, and local zoning changes can swing per-acre pricing dramatically from one county to the next. For context on broader housing demand, the average North Carolina home value is $336,465, down 0.8% over the past year, according to the Zillow Home Values Index.

What Actually Determines Land Value Per Acre in North Carolina

Zoning and Land-Use Rules Set the Ceiling on Value

Zoning determines what’s allowed—residential density, commercial uses, agricultural activity, minimum lot sizes, setbacks, and more. When a parcel gets rezoned (for example, from low-density rural to higher-density residential), its “highest and best use” can change overnight, and buyers often price that future upside in immediately.

Utilities, Road Frontage, and Access Control Your Build Costs

Land with nearby power, public water/sewer, high-quality road access, and favorable driveway permitting typically commands a premium because it reduces both risk and upfront development spend. By contrast, parcels that require well/septic, long utility runs, engineered access, or new road construction usually trade at a discount—because buyers must budget those improvements before they can unlock the land’s potential.

Environmental and Physical Constraints Can Reduce Usable Acreage

Wetlands, floodplains, steep slopes, heavy timber, soil limitations for septic, and prior contamination can limit where you can build and how much of the tract is truly usable. Even when a site is buildable, mitigation (surveys, permits, grading, remediation, stormwater controls) can meaningfully reduce what a buyer is willing to pay per acre.

Income Potential Supports Baseline Pricing

For farmland or timberland, value often ties to earning capacity (yields, lease rates, timber value, and commodity pricing). For residential or commercial land, buyers underwrite value based on projected end-product pricing (home sales, rent, absorption pace) minus development and entitlement costs. That underwriting creates a hard “math-based” ceiling—especially when borrowing costs or construction pricing changes.

Current Per-Acre Price Ranges (And Why They Vary So Much)

North Carolina land prices can differ by tens of thousands of dollars per acre depending on proximity to job centers, coastal demand, and build readiness. In high-demand metro counties, residential land can reach levels that are uncommon in rural markets. For example, in Wake County, residential land commonly sells for $75,000 to $200,000+ per acre, according to The Coley Group.

At the other end of the spectrum, affordability improves as you move farther from major urban cores. In rural North Carolina counties farther from urban centers, raw residential land costs between $3,000 and $15,000 per acre, according to The Coley Group.

Mountain Region: Wide Range Based on Views, Access, and Terrain

Western counties can swing from relatively affordable, remote wooded acreage to premium sites near resort towns, lakes, or established second-home communities. Views, road quality, slope, and the cost of grading and utilities often matter as much as the county name. A “cheap per acre” deal can become expensive fast if the build pad is difficult or access is limited.

Piedmont and the Triangle/Charlotte Orbit: Demand, Density, and Entitlements Drive Premiums

The Piedmont’s strongest pricing usually tracks job growth, school districts, and commute patterns. In and around major metros, per-acre value is frequently a function of allowable density and the speed of approvals. Market balance also matters: in the Triangle area, active listings increased by over 24% from 2024, according to Robuck Homes (DoorifyMLS data). Even with more listings, well-located land that can be entitled efficiently can still command top-of-market pricing because builders and investors pay for certainty.

Inventory context helps with negotiating leverage as well. In the greater Triangle area, months’ supply of inventory is around 4 months, according to Robuck Homes (DoorifyMLS data).

Coastal Region: Lifestyle Demand and Scarcity Create the Highest High-End Prices

Along the coast, proximity to beaches, water views, flood risk, and availability of buildable lots can cause sharp price differences across short distances. Coastal growth trends are a major tailwind: Brunswick County and surrounding coastal counties grew between 9% and 25% between 2020 and 2024, according to Robuck Homes.

Coastal market inventory has also been shifting. In the greater Wilmington area, active listings increased by approximately 14% over 2024 as 2025 ended, according to Robuck Homes (Cape Fear Realtors data). At the same time, in the greater Wilmington area, months’ supply of inventory rose to nearly 5 months, according to Robuck Homes (Cape Fear Realtors data). That combination can create more room for due diligence and price discipline—especially on parcels with high site-work costs or heightened flood/insurance considerations.

Why Investors Still Target North Carolina Land (Even in a Changing Market)

North Carolina remains attractive because it combines economic growth corridors with year-round lifestyle demand. Investors and builders often focus on three practical themes:

• Migration and household formation: Coastal and metro-adjacent counties can see sustained demand when population growth remains strong.
• Buildability and speed to market: Parcels with clear zoning, utility access, and fewer environmental constraints can outperform “cheaper” land that carries heavy entitlement or site-work risk.
• Long-term land resilience: Many buyers view well-located land as a scarcity asset—particularly near employment hubs, universities, and destination coastlines.

Looking ahead, rural land may not move in dramatic spikes everywhere, but it can remain steady. For many rural land categories, prices will hold steady or increase modestly (in the range of ~0% to +3% nationally) in 2026, according to UCLandForSale. In practice, that means your biggest “return lever” may come from buying right (site costs, access, zoning) rather than assuming broad-based appreciation will do the work.

Practical Steps to Estimate What One Acre Is Worth (Before You Make an Offer)

1. Start with recent comparable land sales (last 6–24 months) in the same school district, utility situation, and zoning category.
2. Confirm zoning and overlay constraints (buffers, watershed rules, flood maps, minimum lot sizes, and any conditional-use requirements).
3. Price site-work early (driveway/access, clearing, grading, septic or sewer extension, well or water tap, power, stormwater).
4. Value the usable acres—not just the gross acres if wetlands, steep slopes, or easements restrict building.
5. Match the land to your intended exit (custom build, subdivision, long-term hold, hunting/recreation, farm lease, timber).

Final Thoughts

One acre in North Carolina can be worth a few thousand dollars in a rural county or well into six figures in premium metro and coastal locations. The difference usually comes down to zoning, infrastructure, environmental constraints, and the buyer pool competing for that specific use case. If you anchor your pricing to hyper-local comps and real build costs—and you track local inventory signals like those in the Triangle and Wilmington markets—you can estimate per-acre value with far more accuracy than any statewide average can provide.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do zoning classifications impact NC land values per acre?

Zoning sets what you can build, how dense you can build it, and what approvals you need. More flexible zoning or higher allowable density often increases per-acre value because it expands the land’s highest and best use.

Why does infrastructure access influence cost per acre so much?

Utilities and access determine feasibility and total development cost. Land that already has road frontage, power, and water/sewer nearby typically sells for more because buyers can move faster and spend less on upfront improvements.

When do environmental conditions reduce land value?

Floodplains, wetlands, steep slopes, septic limitations, and contamination can reduce usable acreage or add mitigation costs. Those constraints usually lower what buyers will pay per acre unless the purchase price accounts for the added risk and expense.

How is rural or farmland pricing estimated per acre?

Buyers often value rural land based on income potential (leases, yields, timber value), usability, and comparable sales—then adjust for access, utilities, and any restrictions that affect long-term use.

Where do $100K+ per acre prices happen in North Carolina?

They are most common in prime metro pockets and elite coastal locations where scarcity, views, and development demand converge. For example, Wake County residential land commonly sells for $75,000 to $200,000+ per acre, according to The Coley Group.

What does today’s inventory tell us about negotiating land deals?

Inventory trends can signal how much leverage buyers have. In the greater Triangle area, active listings increased by over 24% from 2024 and months’ supply is around 4 months, according to Robuck Homes (DoorifyMLS data). In the greater Wilmington area, active listings increased by approximately 14% over 2024 as 2025 ended and months’ supply rose to nearly 5 months, according to Robuck Homes (Cape Fear Realtors data). These shifts can create more breathing room for due diligence—especially on parcels with significant site-work needs.