What Does an Acre of Tennessee Land Cost in 2026?

Tennessee land values still look like a patchwork quilt—shaped by mountains, rivers, interstates, and fast-growing metros. One acre in the right part of Nashville can cost more than dozens of rural acres combined. To price land accurately today, you need current benchmarks and a clear view of what drives demand in each region and land type.

Quick answer: what is an acre worth in Tennessee right now?

If you want a statewide, apples-to-apples starting point, farm real estate data offers a reliable baseline. In 2024, Tennessee farm real estate reached $5,710 per acre, up 10.7% from 2023, according to USDA 2024 Land Values Summary via Mossy Oak Properties. In that same dataset, Tennessee cropland values reached $5,610 per acre (a 10.9% increase from 2023) and pastureland averaged $5,360 per acre in 2024, per USDA 2024 Land Values Summary via Mossy Oak Properties.

By 2025, values continued climbing: Tennessee farm real estate values increased 7.7%, and Tennessee cropland values increased 7.8%, according to the USDA Land Values 2025 Summary Report via American Farm Bureau Federation.

Those figures describe agricultural value. If you’re looking at “all parcels,” listing data can read higher because it often includes smaller, buildable, or premium tracts. In 2025, the median listed price across Tennessee parcels is $11,778 per acre, according to The Land and Legacy Group.

What makes land valuable in Tennessee?

1) Location and access

Proximity to Nashville, Knoxville, Memphis, Chattanooga, and major corridors like I-40, I-65, and I-24 can push prices up quickly. Easy access to jobs, schools, healthcare, and retail typically adds value—especially for residential and commercial uses.

2) Land characteristics (topography, views, and usability)

Flat, build-ready ground often commands a premium because it lowers construction and site-work costs. Meanwhile, view tracts in East Tennessee can attract lifestyle and short-term rental buyers, raising price-per-acre even when the land is steep.

3) Zoning, restrictions, and future potential

Zoning and land-use rules determine what you can build—residential density, commercial uses, subdivision potential, and setbacks. Two identical acres can have very different values if one allows higher-intensity use.

4) Utilities and infrastructure already in place

Road frontage, power, water, sewer/septic feasibility, and broadband availability can materially change what buyers will pay. “Raw” land often sells for less because development costs and timelines are longer and less certain.

5) Local economic momentum

Population growth, job expansion, and new industrial projects tend to increase competition for land. Even rural counties can heat up when commuting patterns change or employers expand nearby.

Regional pricing snapshots: Middle, East, and West Tennessee

Tennessee is not one land market—it’s many. Here are clear, current examples of how residential pricing can vary by region and metro area.

Middle Tennessee (Nashville and surrounding counties)

Residential land in Davidson County (Nashville) ranges from $175,000 to $300,000 per acre, according to Mossy Oak Properties. In practice, final pricing often depends on zoning, teardown value, and whether the parcel supports multiple units.

East Tennessee (Knoxville and the Smokies gateway)

Residential land in Knox County (Knoxville) ranges from $40,000 to $100,000 per acre, per Mossy Oak Properties. Mountain and view properties can deviate from county norms based on slope, access, and buildability.

West Tennessee (Memphis and surrounding counties)

Residential land in Shelby County (Memphis) averages $25,000 to $60,000 per acre, according to Mossy Oak Properties. Neighborhood boundaries, school zones, and development activity often explain the biggest price differences.

Land type matters: farmland, residential, commercial, and recreational

Farmland (cropland and pasture)

Agricultural pricing is often more data-driven than other land categories. In 2024, Tennessee cropland values reached $5,610 per acre and pastureland averaged $5,360 per acre, based on the USDA 2024 Land Values Summary via Mossy Oak Properties. In 2025, Tennessee cropland values increased 7.8%, per the USDA Land Values 2025 Summary Report via American Farm Bureau Federation.

Residential land

Residential acreage values can swing dramatically because buyers pay for schools, commute time, neighborhood quality, and the ability to build quickly. As examples, Davidson County ranges from $175,000 to $300,000 per acre, Knox County ranges from $40,000 to $100,000 per acre, and Shelby County averages $25,000 to $60,000 per acre, all according to Mossy Oak Properties.

Commercial and industrial land

Commercial sites can command top-of-market pricing when they sit near highways, growing suburbs, logistics hubs, or expanding employment centers. Entitlements, traffic counts, utilities, and visibility frequently drive value more than acreage alone.

Forested and recreational land

Buyers often value recreational land for hunting, privacy, timber potential, or proximity to lakes and public land. In rural Tennessee, forested and recreational land ranges from $4,500 to $10,000 per acre, according to Mossy Oak Properties. Access, deeded easements, and improvements (trails, cabins, water features) can move pricing outside that band.

Trends shaping Tennessee land values in 2024–2025

• Steady agricultural appreciation: Tennessee farm real estate reached $5,710 per acre in 2024 and then increased another 7.7% in 2025, based on USDA 2024 Land Values Summary via Mossy Oak Properties and the USDA Land Values 2025 Summary Report via American Farm Bureau Federation.
• Residential demand stays uneven—but strong near jobs: County-level ranges (like Davidson, Knox, and Shelby) show how sharply pricing changes with metro growth and buildability, per Mossy Oak Properties.
• Listings can price higher than farm benchmarks: The median listed price across Tennessee parcels is $11,778 per acre in 2025, according to The Land and Legacy Group, reflecting that many listings are smaller, build-ready, or otherwise premium compared to broad USDA averages.

How professionals estimate an acre’s value (and why it’s hard)

Land pricing gets tricky because every parcel has unique constraints and potential. Professionals typically triangulate value using:

• Comparable sales: Recent nearby land sales with similar zoning, access, and utilities.
• Income potential: Farm rent, timber value, or development returns (where applicable).
• Highest-and-best-use analysis: What the land can legally and realistically become, not just what it is today.
• Appraisals and surveys: Especially useful when easements, access issues, or unusual terrain complicate pricing.

Selling land in Tennessee: what to expect

Land typically takes longer to sell than a home because the buyer pool is smaller and due diligence is heavier. To improve outcomes, sellers usually benefit from clear access documentation, current survey information, upfront disclosure of easements, and realistic pricing that matches zoning and buildability.

Alternatives to a traditional land listing

• Direct land buyers: Can offer speed and certainty, often in exchange for a lower price than a fully marketed sale.
• Auctions: Can create competition when a parcel is attractive and marketing is strong, but outcomes vary.
• Owner financing: Can expand the buyer pool and support a higher price, but it adds risk and requires solid paperwork.

Final thoughts

One acre in Tennessee can be worth “farm money,” “recreational money,” or “metro residential money”—and those are entirely different markets. Use current benchmarks like Tennessee farm real estate at $5,710 per acre in 2024 (USDA 2024 Land Values Summary via Mossy Oak Properties) and the broader 2025 median listing figure of $11,778 per acre (The Land and Legacy Group), then adjust for your parcel’s location, zoning, access, and utilities.

If you want the most accurate number, anchor your expectations in real comparables and verify what the land can actually support. In Tennessee, the value isn’t just the dirt—it’s the use case the dirt can deliver.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What’s the average price of an acre of land in Tennessee?

It depends on land type and location. For agricultural benchmarks, Tennessee farm real estate reached $5,710 per acre in 2024, according to USDA 2024 Land Values Summary via Mossy Oak Properties. For a broader view of active listings, the median listed price across Tennessee parcels is $11,778 per acre in 2025, per The Land and Legacy Group.

How much is residential land per acre in Tennessee metros like Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville?

Recent county-level ranges show major differences: Davidson County (Nashville) ranges from $175,000 to $300,000 per acre, Shelby County (Memphis) averages $25,000 to $60,000 per acre, and Knox County (Knoxville) ranges from $40,000 to $100,000 per acre, according to Mossy Oak Properties.

What does recreational or forested land cost in rural Tennessee?

Rural Tennessee forested and recreational land ranges from $4,500 to $10,000 per acre, according to Mossy Oak Properties. Access, terrain, and improvements can push pricing above or below that range.

Are Tennessee farmland values still rising?

Yes. Tennessee farm real estate rose to $5,710 per acre in 2024, per USDA 2024 Land Values Summary via Mossy Oak Properties, and then increased 7.7% in 2025, according to the USDA Land Values 2025 Summary Report via American Farm Bureau Federation.