Farm Land Values for Missouri Counties

Ronald Plain and Joyce White
Department of Agricultural Economics

USDA information available

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA/NASS) collects information on the market value of agricultural land and buildings through two different procedures — the Census of Agriculture conducted every four to five years and an annual survey. The results are made available through published reports and on the Web.

The table in this guide contains state and county values for Missouri land and buildings from the U.S. Census of Agriculture for each year it has been conducted since 1964. The print version of this guide contains information dating back to 1959. The Census of Agriculture data is gathered through a complex sampling procedure that has varied through the years. In general, these values have been obtained by mail using a special version of the standard U.S. census form for farms that meet certain criteria.

USDA/NASS’s annual survey uses a different sampling method and does not provide county-level data. This annual survey is conducted by personally contacting every farm operator within selected segments in each state. Surveyors also contact selected Realtors and others who have direct knowledge of land sales in the state. The statisticians responsible for this survey compare their data with the census data to see that the figures maintain a uniform historic relationship. Annual land values for Missouri and surrounding states can be found in MU Extension publication G404, Farm Land Values.

Survey dates are important

Values given for the same year may not be the same in both the census and annual reports. The census figures represent values within the designated year. The annual survey provides values as of Jan. 1 of the designated year. Thus, when land prices are trending higher, the Jan. 1 value tends to be lower than the census value for that year. When prices are trending lower, the Jan. 1 value tends to be higher than the census value for the same year.

Table 1
Market value of farm land and buildings for Missouri counties, average per acre.

County	1964	1969	1974	1978	1982	1987	1992	1997	2002	2007

Adair	$118	$168	$299	$511	$635	$418	$454	$650	$1,012	$1,862
Andrew	$184	$279	$498	$817	$958	$664	$775	$1,174	$1,838	$2,421
Atchison	$221	$315	$548	$1,004	$941	$680	$775	$1,119	$1,642	$2,452
Audrain	$211	$283	$500	$1,001	$1,066	$686	$802	$1,193	$1,601	$2,609
Barry	$116	$178	$377	$620	$879	$752	$829	$1,309	$1,678	$2,582
Barton	$128	$186	$360	$694	$824	$486	$625	$776	$1,000	$1,858
Bates	$136	$227	$384	$651	$694	$485	$611	$942	$1,199	$1,955
Benton	$91	$139	$264	$472	$680	$457	$568	$918	$1,115	$1,901
Bollinger	$90	$136	$281	$532	$672	$596	$626	$1,008	$1,292	$1,873
Boone	$171	$285	$509	$907	$958	$794	$1,036	$1,599	$2,544	$2,805
Buchanan	$216	$295	$499	$980	$1,009	$792	$887	$1,217	$1,790	$2,702
Butler	$195	$260	$498	$890	$991	$758	$929	$1,191	$1,499	$2,266
Caldwell	$142	$219	$393	$674	$804	$540	$581	$886	$1,369	$1,999
Callaway	$133	$194	$383	$762	$952	$624	$817	$1,217	$1,780	$2,548
Camden	$47	$91	$208	$487	$563	$474	$524	$782	$1,254	$1,858
Cape Girardeau	$180	$233	$410	$859	$1,100	$823	$1,046	$1,361	$1,891	$2,540
Carroll	$183	$262	$437	$795	$911	$648	$792	$967	$1,295	$2,114
Carter	$66	$87	$176	$419	$538	$463	$540	$790	$1,048	$1,630
Cass	$211	$357	$552	$931	$1,091	$903	$1,178	$1,517	$1,844	$2,839
Cedar	$95	$141	$289	$492	$685	$478	$568	$890	$1,146	$1,823
Chariton	$166	$257	$397	$786	$938	$585	$721	$996	$1,333	$1,969
Christian	$138	$220	$455	$686	$889	$882	$1,259	$1,760	$2,387	$2,785
Clark	$138	$201	$366	$747	$774	$554	$603	$813	$1,165	$1,971
Clay	$300	$487	$776	$1,287	$1,476	$1,050	$1,329	$1,825	$3,392	$2,850
Clinton	$185	$296	$561	$866	$950	$725	$796	$1,254	$1,541	$2,330
Cole	$121	$160	$346	$558	$822	$691	$862	$1,154	$1,974	$2,410
Cooper	$139	$206	$340	$669	$729	$525	$707	$941	$1,332	$2,226
Crawford	$80	$146	$298	$453	$538	$560	$674	$902	$1,247	$1,859
Dade	$106	$174	$321	$568	$684	$486	$600	$903	$1,277	$1,819
Dallas	$83	$151	$303	$522	$707	$625	$675	$1,152	$1,396	$2,223
Daviess	$147	$208	$388	$691	$861	$522	$597	$717	$1,176	$1,937
DeKalb	$161	$268	$449	$706	$879	$512	$573	$882	$1,139	$1,958
Dent	$55	$96	$224	$336	$464	$450	$526	$746	$991	$1,683
Douglas	$53	$100	$244	$445	$578	$537	$595	$781	$1,071	$1,845
Dunklin	$426	$422	$590	$1,112	$1,273	$960	$1,100	$1,486	$1,936	$2,472
Franklin	$147	$248	$482	$750	$1,070	$958	$1,182	$1,624	$2,431	$2,992
Gasconade	$82	$139	$260	$477	$590	$637	$756	$1,045	$1,586	$2,205
Gentry	$127	$196	$358	$657	$728	$522	$551	$776	$1,156	$1,869
Greene	$231	$322	$586	$939	$1,203	$1,298	$1,366	$2,206	$3,299	$3,277
Grundy	$134	$223	$404	$750	$1,042	$528	$657	$727	$1,024	$1,861
Harrison	$126	$162	$323	$575	$707	$435	$496	$635	$951	$1,837
Henry	$140	$224	$389	$707	$746	$553	$652	$831	$1,209	$1,803
Hickory	$73	$135	$264	$416	$543	$504	$514	$696	$1,082	$1,562
Holt	$239	$290	$543	$981	$1,109	$716	$919	$1,040	$1,491	$2,452
Howard	$145	$212	$365	$709	$754	$558	$723	$1,046	$1,334	$2,109
Howell	$68	$124	$272	$481	$664	$528	$623	$975	$1,372	$1,734
Iron	$68	$126	$275	$489	$582	$453	$585	$936	$1,332	$1,708
Jackson	$403	$551	$838	$1,251	$1,568	$1,396	$1,763	$2,122	$3,675	$3,266
Jasper	$171	$247	$441	$718	$861	$684	$821	$1,196	$1,494	$2,210
Jefferson	$169	$293	$570	$859	$1,176	$1,022	$1,441	$2,021	$2,635	$3,080
Johnson	$138	$235	$445	$768	$954	$736	$802	$1,112	$1,693	$2,227
Knox	$131	$193	$368	$744	$783	$483	$552	$796	$1,391	$1,897
Laclede	$78	$142	$301	$474	$637	$558	$710	$920	$1,377	$1,928
Lafayette	$217	$319	$620	$985	$1,081	$835	$992	$1,421	$1,831	$2,705
Lawrence	$146	$212	$440	$725	$906	$763	$873	$1,277	$1,777	$2,467
Lewis	$129	$204	$391	$775	$807	$496	$604	$879	$1,106	$2,131
Lincoln	$191	$294	$495	$916	$1,135	$962	$1,145	$1,654	$2,172	$3,135
Linn	$119	$189	$428	$699	$793	$455	$546	$684	$1,005	$1,826
Livingston	$152	$217	$404	$729	$892	$516	$793	$876	$1,285	$2,025
McDonald	$95	$193	$342	$696	$775	$757	$885	$1,256	$2,029	$2,370
Macon	$116	$158	$293	$602	$682	$466	$523	$676	$1,072	$1,792
Madison	$77	$115	$229	$437	$535	$455	$619	$707	$973	$1,710
Maries	$56	$87	$216	$368	$498	$418	$474	$735	$1,032	$1,704
Marion	$181	$249	$408	$753	$971	$606	$781	$1,025	$1,226	$2,231
Mercer	$91	$150	$292	$592	$614	$430	$550	$882	$5,358	$1,811
Miller	$76	$112	$241	$465	$561	$523	$623	$874	$1,479	$1,966
Mississippi	$361	$400	$526	$1,132	$1,380	$1,020	$1,267	$1,591	$1,855	$2,365
Moniteau	$112	$174	$321	$564	$727	$546	$689	$931	$1,380	$2,375
Monroe	$158	$220	$400	$844	$881	$567	$667	$901	$1,183	$2,264
Montgomery	$164	$260	$469	$749	$1,001	$699	$900	$1,174	$1,639	$2,850
Morgan	$91	$148	$304	$582	$644	$535	$570	$1,001	$1,553	$2,216
New Madrid	$435	$479	$566	$1,156	$1,384	$942	$1,148	$1,462	$1,837	$2,425
Newton	$147	$209	$438	$736	$989	$730	$969	$1,352	$1,760	$2,623
Nodaway	$163	$256	$442	$921	$868	$562	$689	$845	$1,195	$2,102
Oregon	$50	$102	$238	$385	$547	$413	$569	$816	$1,004	$1,706
Osage	$65	$104	$250	$402	$500	$480	$553	$919	$1,400	$1,938
Ozark	$45	$88	$211	$397	$508	$567	$529	$724	$1,366	$1,705
Pemiscot	$431	$481	$567	$1,064	$1,409	$937	$1,059	$1,383	$1,772	$2,161
Perry	$130	$208	$341	$773	$866	$705	$801	$1,083	$1,487	$2,175
Pettis	$165	$238	$408	$772	$832	$610	$754	$996	$1,388	$2,365
Phelps	$81	$136	$256	$396	$641	$546	$637	$867	$1,519	$2,065
Pike	$166	$221	$424	$911	$925	$626	$796	$1,184	$1,618	$2,368
Platte	$234	$441	$669	$1,191	$1,147	$902	$1,178	$1,874	$2,306	$2,843
Polk	$108	$182	$363	$588	$761	$640	$724	$1,221	$1,409	$2,165
Pulaski	$68	$101	$222	$338	$503	$462	$494	$731	$1,310	$1,862
Putnam	$87	$135	$248	$492	$544	$367	$404	$599	$866	$1,725
Ralls	$162	$255	$391	$813	$912	$634	$789	$1,061	$1,437	$2,373
Randolph	$149	$209	$355	$733	$897	$554	$604	$887	$1,174	$2,033
Ray	$181	$280	$465	$843	$1,006	$713	$886	$1,275	$1,490	$2,200
Reynolds	$55	$101	$204	$411	$502	$369	$714	$599	$1,048	$1,424
Ripley	$86	$129	$262	$495	$618	$568	$579	$795	$1,016	$1,729
St. Charles	$278	$462	$724	$1,193	$1,700	$1,542	$2,097	$2,664	$3,991	$3,271
St. Clair	$98	$161	$320	$587	$660	$442	$509	$724	$1,018	$1,787
St. Francois	$109	$175	$365	$730	$785	$805	$1,026	$1,254	$2,033	$2,636
St. Louis	$1,033*	$917	$1,094	$1,785	$3,213	$2,259	$2,152	$2,789	$3,627	$3,686
Ste. Genevieve	$122	$162	$325	$633	$757	$717	$827	$1,102	$1,466	$2,168
Saline	$234	$294	$509	$915	$1,094	$815	$861	$1,214	$1,368	$2,209
Schuyler	$97	$162	$282	$581	$618	$367	$401	$624	$811	$1,700
Scotland	$131	$180	$356	$730	$742	$470	$615	$769	$1,122	$1,965
Scott	$261	$345	$479	$1,029	$1,308	$834	$1,088	$1,337	$1,745	$2,585
Shannon	$56	$120	$207	$440	$489	$411	$483	$588	$1,052	$1,756
Shelby	$142	$215	$369	$782	$812	$543	$611	$912	$1,187	$2,073
Stoddard	$287	$339	$482	$1,058	$1,322	$940	$1,209	$1,566	$2,048	$2,369
Stone	$90	$191	$339	$602	$696	$578	$815	$1,273	$1,927	$2,465
Sullivan	$89	$133	$290	$529	$635	$354	$440	$664	$814	$1,566
Taney	$63	$114	$252	$417	$487	$471	$613	$1,148	$1,728	$1,902
Texas	$63	$107	$231	$429	$538	$443	$585	$758	$1,027	$1,737
Vernon	$120	$182	$317	$663	$689	$474	$652	$883	$1,105	$1,842
Warren	$164	$259	$515	$1,033	$1,267	$973	$1,584	$1,766	$2,312	$3,324
Washington	$88	$129	$266	$401	$491	$525	$665	$804	$1,477	$1,864
Wayne	$60	$103	$214	$421	$591	$453	$537	$780	$1,034	$1,706
Webster	$96	$173	$364	$602	$701	$656	$805	$1,192	$1,722	$2,613
Worth	$118	$201	$292	$709	$611	$448	$542	$552	$916	$1,635
Wright	$66	$108	$290	$477	$592	$510	$654	$881	$1,259	$1,811
Missouri	$150	$224	$396	$723	$856	$640	$774	$1,069	$1,508	$2,179

Source: U.S. Census of Agriculture.
* St Louis City and County are included in 1959 and 1964; all other years are county only.

County values for intervening years

For years in which the census was not conducted, county values may be estimated using the information in the following table. Two methods of calculation are possible. The first is simple interpolation. For example, land in Adair County was worth $168 per acre in 1969 and $299 per acre in 1974, for an increase of $131 during this five-year period, or an average increase of $26.20 per year. Thus one could estimate that Adair County farmland was worth $194.20 per acre in 1970 ($168 + $26.20), $220.40 in 1971 ($168 + $26.20 + $26.20), etc.

The second, and more accurate, approach is to adjust county values using Missouri figures from the annual survey (MU Guide 404). For example, the Missouri average value for farmland in 1969 was $217 per acre, in 1970 it was $224 per acre, in 1971 it was $236 per acre, and in 1974 it was $384 per acre. Of the $167 increase over these five years, $7 or 4.19 percent occurred between 1969 and 1970. Multiplying the 4.19 percent one-year Missouri increase by the $131 per acre five-year increase of Adair County gives a one-year increase for Adair County of $5.49 per acre. Therefore, the estimated value for Adair County in 1970 would be $173.49 per acre ($168 + $5.49). Using the same procedure, the value of Adair County farmland in 1971 would be $182.91 (the $11.38 increase in Missouri land in these two years of the five-year period times Adair County’s five-year increase of $131 = $14.91 + Adair County’s value in 1969 of $168 = $182.91).

Use of this data

Occasionally it is necessary to determine the value of a specific piece of property at some time in the past. A method for calculating this is described in MU Guide 404, but the county data in the following table is important to the calculations.

G403, revised February 2009