What Does an Acre of Land Cost in Virginia in 2026?

Land prices in Virginia can feel like a moving target—because they are. One acre might be an affordable slice of rural pasture, while another acre (just a few hours away) sits under intense development pressure and commands a premium. The key is separating statewide averages from hyper-local reality and matching price to what you can legally and practically do with the property.

Quick Answer: What Is One Acre Worth in Virginia?

For agricultural land, statewide averages give a helpful starting point. Recent estimates put Virginia’s statewide average agricultural land value at approximately $5,850 per acre, according to Mossy Oak Properties. In transaction terms, Virginia agricultural land sold in 2023 averaged $5,464 per acre, per Mossy Oak Properties.

Different datasets also report slightly different benchmarks for the same year. A NASS survey estimated the average agricultural land value in Virginia at $5,300 per acre in 2023, according to Mossy Oak Properties. Treat these numbers as guideposts—your parcel’s price depends on its region, zoning, access, utilities, and buildability.

Virginia Land Prices by Region: Why Location Changes Everything

Virginia is a “many-markets” state. Land value shifts dramatically with proximity to jobs, infrastructure, and high-demand housing corridors.

Northern Virginia (NoVA): High Demand, Limited Supply

NoVA can produce some of the highest per-acre land prices in the Commonwealth. In Fairfax County, the median price per acre reached $728,417, according to Mossy Oak Properties. Loudoun County shows average land values around $110,782 per acre, per Mossy Oak Properties.

Housing-market strength helps explain the pressure on land near major employment centers. Northern Virginia’s 2025 year-to-date median home price is $664,000, according to Virginia Realtors. When home prices stay elevated, buildable lots and development-ready acreage often become even more competitive.

Central Virginia: Strong Growth, Mixed Price Bands

Central Virginia often balances opportunity with relative affordability, especially outside the hottest pockets near major highways and employment nodes. The Central District saw an average of $6,283 per acre for agricultural land in 2023, according to Mossy Oak Properties.

Housing demand also plays a role here. Richmond’s 2025 year-to-date median home price is $389,975, up 5.1% from 2024, according to Virginia Realtors. Rising home prices can increase interest in buildable land, small subdivisions, and infill opportunities where zoning allows.

Coastal Virginia and Waterfront Areas: Premiums for Access and Views

On the coast, value often hinges on water access, flood risk, insurance costs, and whether the parcel is suitable for building. Waterfront property can command major premiums, while inland parcels may be priced more like typical rural or suburban tracts—especially when utilities and road access vary from one lot to the next.

Western and Rural Virginia: More Acreage for the Money (With Tradeoffs)

Many western and rural counties still offer comparatively lower prices per acre. However, “cheaper” can come with constraints—steep topography, limited road frontage, well/septic uncertainty, or zoning that restricts subdivision and development.

Land Use and Zoning: What You Can Do Drives What It’s Worth

Two parcels with the same acreage can have very different values based on permitted use.

• Residential land generally rises in value when it’s buildable, has clear access, and sits near jobs and amenities.
• Commercial/industrial land can outprice farmland quickly when it’s located on major corridors and aligns with local planning.
• Agricultural land usually trades at lower per-acre prices than development land, but soil quality, drainage, water access, and long-term transition potential can add significant value.

Key Factors That Change Per-Acre Value (Even Within the Same County)

Buyers and appraisers typically focus on property fundamentals that affect cost, feasibility, and future upside:

• Access and frontage: Paved road access and highway proximity often increase demand.
• Utilities: Public water/sewer (or realistic well/septic options) can dramatically change buildability.
• Topography and drainage: Flat, usable land generally costs more than steep, rocky, or flood-prone ground.
• Natural features: Timber value, water features, and strong soils can support higher pricing for recreation, farming, or long-term holding.
• Legal constraints: Easements, deed restrictions, and conservation limitations can narrow how a property may be used.

How the Housing Market Connects to Land Prices in Virginia

Even if you’re shopping for raw land, housing trends matter because they influence demand for lots, subdivisions, and development land. Statewide, the median sales price for a Virginia home was $412,000 in 2024, according to Virginia Housing Alliance / Virginia Realtors.

More recently, the median sales price for all homes in Virginia was $446,144 in June 2025, up 3.4% from last year, according to Home Builders Association of Virginia / Virginia REALTORS. When home prices rise, buildable land often becomes more valuable—especially near high-demand metros.

Buying Land in Virginia: A Practical Checklist

1. Define your use case: Investment, future build, recreation, farming, or near-term development.
2. Study the micro-market: Compare recent sales, not just countywide averages.
3. Verify zoning and restrictions: Confirm allowed uses, minimum lot sizes, and subdivision rules before you commit.
4. Confirm utilities and access: Don’t assume well/septic approval, road access, or power availability.
5. Plan financing early: Land loans can be harder to obtain than traditional mortgages.
6. Use due diligence tools: Surveys, soil evaluations, title review, and any environmental checks should match your intended use.

Selling Land in Virginia: Why It’s Different Than Selling a House

Raw land typically attracts fewer buyers than move-in-ready homes, and many buyers need extra time for feasibility checks and financing. Marketing also requires more education: you’re selling potential, not a finished product.

To improve results, sellers often win by pricing realistically, documenting access and utilities, clarifying zoning, and highlighting the best use cases (recreation, timber, farming, building, or future development).

Investing in Virginia Land: Opportunities and Risks

Land can be a strong long-term asset when you match the property to the right strategy:

• Buy-and-hold near expanding metros and infrastructure improvements.
• Development upside where zoning and utilities support subdivision or new construction.
• Agricultural and timber value for cash-flow potential and long-term appreciation.
• Recreational demand for hunting, camping, and privacy-driven use.

At the same time, land can carry ongoing costs (taxes, maintenance) and hidden constraints (easements, wetlands, access issues). Successful investors treat due diligence as non-negotiable.

Final Thoughts

One acre of land in Virginia can be worth a few thousand dollars in a rural area or hundreds of thousands of dollars in high-demand counties—because value depends on location, legal use, and real-world buildability. Start with credible statewide benchmarks like the agricultural averages, then narrow your estimate using regional data, local sales comps, and property-specific feasibility.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the average price per acre in Virginia?

For agricultural land, statewide averages commonly fall in the mid-$5,000s per acre. Recent data places Virginia’s statewide average agricultural land value at about $5,850 per acre and 2023 agricultural sales at $5,464 per acre, according to Mossy Oak Properties. A NASS survey also estimated $5,300 per acre in 2023, per Mossy Oak Properties.

Why are land prices so high in Northern Virginia?

Strong job access, limited buildable supply, and high housing demand push values up. Fairfax County reached a median $728,417 per acre and Loudoun County averaged around $110,782 per acre, according to Mossy Oak Properties. Northern Virginia’s 2025 year-to-date median home price is $664,000, per Virginia Realtors.

How does the housing market affect land value?

Higher home prices often increase competition for buildable lots and development-ready acreage. Virginia’s median home price was $412,000 in 2024, according to Virginia Housing Alliance / Virginia Realtors. The statewide median for all homes reached $446,144 in June 2025, up 3.4% year over year, per Home Builders Association of Virginia / Virginia REALTORS.

Is Central Virginia getting more expensive?

Many areas are seeing upward pressure. The Central District averaged $6,283 per acre for agricultural land in 2023, according to Mossy Oak Properties. Richmond’s 2025 year-to-date median home price is $389,975, up 5.1% from 2024, according to Virginia Realtors.

What should I verify before buying land in Virginia?

Confirm zoning, access, utilities, and feasibility. Review easements and deed restrictions, and consider surveys and soil/septic evaluations based on your intended use. Land can be a great purchase—but only when the details support your plan.