Counties analyzed
2,689Counties had at least one published 2026 cash-rent value.
National research report · USDA data
2026 U.S. Farmland Cash Rent Report.
A county-level view of non-irrigated cropland, irrigated cropland, and pasture cash rents, with complete active history from 2019 through 2026. Official USDA statewide means and calculated medians of county means are always labeled separately.
Historical comparison
8 yearsComplete active history from 2019 through 2026.Land types
Non-irrigated cropland, irrigated cropland, and pastureAll three land types covered in this report.Executive summary
Six findings calculated from the active USDA release
Key takeaways from the 2026 U.S. Farmland Cash Rent Report.
- 2,689 counties had at least one published 2026 cash-rent value.
- Macon County, IL, had the highest published non-irrigated cropland county mean at $347 per acre.
- Napa County, CA, had the highest published irrigated cropland county mean at $4,000 per acre.
- Tillamook County, OR, had the highest published pasture county mean at $128 per acre.
- The largest comparable 2025–2026 dollar increase was $590 per acre for irrigated cropland in Ventura County, CA.
- The largest comparable 2025–2026 dollar decrease was $190 per acre for irrigated cropland in Los Angeles County, CA.
Changes include only counties with published values for the same land type in both 2025 and 2026.
2026 county cash rents
Choose a land type and inspect the published county mean. Suppressed and unavailable values stay blank.
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Trends over time
U.S. median county cash rents by land type
Median of published county means among counties reporting every year, 2019–2026. Source: USDA NASS Quick Stats; LandLeaseRates calculations.
- Non-irrigated cropland (1,540 counties)
- Irrigated cropland (278 counties)
- Pasture (1,051 counties)
Source: USDA NASS Quick Stats; LandLeaseRates calculations
Year-by-year medians, including every reporting county
The all-county median uses every county USDA published that year, so its county set changes from year to year. The chart uses only counties reporting in every year.
Non-irrigated cropland
| Year | Every-year median | All-county median | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $72 | $60 | 2,160 |
| 2020 | $72 | $60 | 2,260 |
| 2021 | $74 | $59 | 2,475 |
| 2022 | $77 | $61 | 2,374 |
| 2023 | $79 | $65 | 2,405 |
| 2024 | $82 | $66 | 2,242 |
| 2025 | $86 | $70 | 2,317 |
| 2026 | $86 | $69 | 2,359 |
Irrigated cropland
| Year | Every-year median | All-county median | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $150 | $154 | 647 |
| 2020 | $149 | $154 | 675 |
| 2021 | $152 | $155 | 713 |
| 2022 | $161 | $170 | 654 |
| 2023 | $166 | $171 | 701 |
| 2024 | $174 | $180 | 580 |
| 2025 | $183 | $192 | 622 |
| 2026 | $184 | $191 | 653 |
Pasture
| Year | Every-year median | All-county median | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $19 | $20 | 1,871 |
| 2020 | $19 | $20 | 1,951 |
| 2021 | $20 | $20 | 2,031 |
| 2022 | $20 | $21 | 1,895 |
| 2023 | $21 | $22 | 1,955 |
| 2024 | $21 | $21 | 1,692 |
| 2025 | $22 | $23 | 1,825 |
| 2026 | $23 | $25 | 1,853 |
Comparable observations
Largest 2025–2026 changes
Ranked by dollar change per acre; percent change is supplied as additional context.
Largest 2025–2026 increases
| # | County | State | Land type | $/acre | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ventura CountyCA · Irrigated cropland | CA | Irrigated cropland | +$590 | +21.5% |
| 2 | Stanislaus CountyCA · Irrigated cropland | CA | Irrigated cropland | +$119 | +36.0% |
| 3 | Pierce CountyWA · Irrigated cropland | WA | Irrigated cropland | +$107 | +29.8% |
| 4 | Tehama CountyCA · Irrigated cropland | CA | Irrigated cropland | +$99 | +57.2% |
| 5 | Skagit CountyWA · Irrigated cropland | WA | Irrigated cropland | +$95 | +28.8% |
Largest 2025–2026 decreases
| # | County | State | Land type | $/acre | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles CountyCA · Irrigated cropland | CA | Irrigated cropland | −$190 | −16.0% |
| 2 | Branch CountyMI · Irrigated cropland | MI | Irrigated cropland | −$115 | −37.7% |
| 3 | Santa Barbara CountyCA · Irrigated cropland | CA | Irrigated cropland | −$110 | −4.6% |
| 4 | Fulton CountyNY · Non-irrigated cropland | NY | Non-irrigated cropland | −$90 | −64.4% |
| 5 | San Luis Obispo CountyCA · Irrigated cropland | CA | Irrigated cropland | −$63 | −7.2% |
2026 rankings
Highest published rates by land type
County means and official USDA statewide means are ranked separately and never mixed.
Non-irrigated cropland
- Macon County, IL$347
- Moultrie County, IL$337
- Sioux County, IA$336
- Sangamon County, IL$334
- Christian County, IL$332
Official USDA statewide means
- Iowa$271
- Illinois$261
- Indiana$230
- Minnesota$205
- Hawaii$194
Irrigated cropland
- Napa County, CA$4,000
- Ventura County, CA$3,340
- Orange County, CA$2,360
- Santa Barbara County, CA$2,300
- Nevada County, CA$1,540
Official USDA statewide means
- California$470
- Hawaii$437
- Washington$430
- Massachusetts$297
- Idaho$287
Pasture
- Tillamook County, OR$128
- Fulton County, NY$127
- LaGrange County, IN$124
- Mifflin County, PA$103
- Wayne County, OH$96
Official USDA statewide means
- Iowa$69
- Maryland$63
- Indiana$61
- Illinois$53
- Pennsylvania$49