Nebraska Farm Real Estate Report

Nebraska Farm at twilight.

Nebraska Farmland Values and Cash Rental Rates

2024 Preliminary Results

Updated March 12, 2024. Final results will be published in June 2024.

The February 1, 2024, Nebraska all-land average value of $4,015 per acre marks a 5% increase from the prior year. This marks the third consecutive year of increases in the market value of agricultural land in Nebraska, setting another high in the non-inflation-adjusted statewide land value in the survey's 46-year history.

Results are published by region and land type below.

2024 Prelimary Report PDF

2023 Full Report PDF Previous Years Reports About the Survey

Contact

Jim Jansen
402-261-7572
jjansen4@unl.edu

Nebraska Agriculture Land Studies Fund

Interested in helping support the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Survey & Report? Please consider donating to help cover future expenses.

2024 Survey Highlights

  • Land industry professionals responding to the annual survey attributed the rise in Nebraska agricultural real estate values to purchases for farm expansion, current livestock prices, 1031 tax exchanges, the amount of land offerings for sale, and as a hedge against inflation. 
  • Competition in the industry remained strong as operators faced lower land offerings available for sale. Inflation pressure continued from the prior year as many operations invested in land or purchased agricultural equipment to hedge against future increases.
  • The estimated market value of dryland cropland without irrigation potential rose 3% across the state compared to the prior year.
  • Center pivot irrigated cropland averaged 4% higher over 2023, with the Northeast, Central, and East leading Nebraska from 5% to 8%. The Northwest, North, South, and Southeast rose between 2% and 4%, while the Southeast declined 3%.
  • Modest gains also carried over to gravity-irrigated cropland, with an average increase of 3% in 2024.
  • The gains in the grazing land and hayland market values ranged from 6% to 8%. Nontillable grazing land led the three land classes at 8% as operators competed for additional acres due to rising cattle prices.
  • Cash rental rates for dryland and irrigated cropland reported changes ranging from a 7% decline to a 5% gain over the prior growing season. Survey participants expressed concerns about drought, input expenses, and water availability for the upcoming growing season in certain regions.
  • Pasture and cow-calf pair rental rates trended higher across Nebraska in 2024. The rates increased by approximately 5% to 8% compared to the previous grazing season. Rising grazing land cash rental rates follow higher cattle prices with the decline in national inventories.

Values by Region

map of Nebraska land values.

Average Value of Nebraska Farmland by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre%Change
All Land Average 4,015 5
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 9,115 4
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 8,145 3
Dryland Cropland (Irrigation Potential) 6,390 5
Dryland Cropland (No Irrigation Potential) 4,530 3
Grazing Land (Tillable) 1,790 7
Grazing Land (Nontillable) 1,175 8
Hayland 2,350 6

Click a region to jump to the corresponding land value and rental rate information.

Due to the inherent limitations of this survey, the information in this report should not be used to set a specific rental rate or value a particular parcel of real property for sale or property taxes, security for a loan, and other related legal matters.

Central

Average Value of Farmland by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
All Land Average 4,435 5
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 9,640 8
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 7,425 3
Dryland Cropland (Irrigation Potential) 4,415 4
Dryland Cropland (No Irrigation Potential) 4,070 6
Grazing Land (Tillable) 2,865 9
Grazing Land (Nontillable) 2,070 2
Hayland 2,815 8

Average Cash Rental Rates by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 290 -5
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 265 -2
Dryland Cropland 130 -4
Pasture 49 8

Average Monthly Cash Rental Rates for Pasture
Land Type$/Month
Cow-Calf Pairs 68.05


Counties: Buffalo, Custer, Dawson, Greeley, Hall, Howard, Sherman, Valley

East

Average Value of Farmland by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
All Land Average 9,730 4
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 13,690 6
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 11,715 4
Dryland Cropland (Irrigation Potential) 9,975 5
Dryland Cropland (No Irrigation Potential) 8,510 2
Grazing Land (Tillable) 4,810 4
Grazing Land (Nontillable) 3,125 9
Hayland 4,420 11
Average Cash Rental Rates by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 355 3
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 320 5
Dryland Cropland 240 -2
Pasture 65 7

Average Monthly Cash Rental Rates for Pasture
Land Type$/Month
Cow-Calf Pairs 66.45


Counties: Butler, Cass, Colfax, Dodge, Douglas, Hamilton, Lancaster, Merrick, Nance, Platte, Polk, Sarpy, Saunders, Seward, Washington, York

North

Average Value of Farmland by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
All Land Average 1,555 7
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 5,145 2
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 4,630 4
Dryland Cropland (Irrigation Potential) 2,470 4
Dryland Cropland (No Irrigation Potential) 2,050 5
Grazing Land (Tillable) 1,655 7
Grazing Land (Nontillable) 980 13
Hayland 1,790 7
Average Cash Rental Rates by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 245 2
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 200 -5
Dryland Cropland 79 3
Pasture 37 11

Monthly Cash Rental Rates for Pasture
Land Type$/Month
Cow-Calf Pairs 73.95


Counties: Arthur, Blaine, Boyd, Brown, Cherry, Garfield, Grant, Holt, Hooker, Keya Paha, Logan, Loup, McPherson, Rock, Thomas, Wheeler

Northeast

Average Value of Farmland by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
All Land Average 8,540 6
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 12,335 5
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 9,885 1
Dryland Cropland (Irrigation Potential) 9,725 9
Dryland Cropland (No Irrigation Potential) 8,135 4
Grazing Land (Tillable) 4,280 2
Grazing Land (Nontillable) 2,815 4
Hayland 3,975 3
Average Cash Rental Rates by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 370 1
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 330 5
Dryland Cropland 270 2
Pasture 75 5

Average Monthly Cash Rental Rates for Pasture
Land Type$/Month
Cow-Calf Pairs 70.10


Counties: Antelope, Boone, Burt, Cedar, Cuming, Dakota, Dixon, Knox, Madison, Pierce, Stanton, Thurston, Wayne

Northwest

Average Value of Farmland by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
All Land Average 960 3
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 3,375 3
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 2,790 1
Dryland Cropland (Irrigation Potential) 980 -1
Dryland Cropland (No Irrigation Potential) 920 2
Grazing Land (Tillable) 755 3
Grazing Land (Nontillable) 605 5
Hayland 945 2
Average Cash Rental Rates by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 185 -3
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 135 -7
Dryland Cropland 36 -1
Pasture 16 9

Average Monthly Cash Rental Rates for Pasture
Land Type$/Month
Cow-Calf Pairs 51.20


Counties: Banner, Box Butte, Cheyenne, Dawes, Deuel, Garden, Kimball, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sioux

South

Average Value of Farmland by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
All Land Average 5,060 4
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 8,685 4
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 8,010 2
Dryland Cropland (Irrigation Potential) 4,745 5
Dryland Cropland (No Irrigation Potential) 4,305 8
Grazing Land (Tillable) 2,835 9
Grazing Land (Nontillable) 1,740 3
Hayland 2,380 5
Average Cash Rental Rates by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 320 2
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 270 4
Dryland Cropland 120 4
Pasture 44 6

Average Monthly Cash Rental Rates for Pasture
Land Type$/Month
Cow-Calf Pairs 57.30


Counties: Adams, Franklin, Furnas, Gosper, Harlan, Kearney, Phelps, Webster

Southeast

Average Value of Farmland by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
All Land Average 7,320 3
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 11,610 2
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 8,955 6
Dryland Cropland (Irrigation Potential) 8,370 3
Dryland Cropland (No Irrigation Potential) 6,495 1
Grazing Land (Tillable) 3,740 8
Grazing Land (Nontillable) 3,050 11
Hayland 3,830 4
Average Cash Rental Rates by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 340 1
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 285 -2
Dryland Cropland 195 -3
Pasture 61 9

Average Monthly Cash Rental Rates for Pasture
Land Type$/Month
Cow-Calf Pairs 64.35


Counties: Clay, Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Nemaha, Nuckolls, Otoe, Pawnee, Richardson, Saline, Thayer

Southwest

Average Value of Farmland by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
All Land Average 2,065 2
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 5,340 -3
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 4,280 -2
Dryland Cropland (Irrigation Potential) 2,130 2
Dryland Cropland (No Irrigation Potential) 1,825 6
Grazing Land (Tillable) 1,220 6
Grazing Land (Nontillable) 1,015 7
Hayland 1,935 10
Average Cash Rental Rates by Land Type
Land Type$/Acre% Change
Center Pivot Irrigated Cropland 220 -5
Gravity Irrigated Cropland 190 -3
Dryland Cropland 59 5
Pasture 28 10

Average Monthly Cash Rental Rates for Pasture
Land Type$/Month
Cow-Calf Pairs 60.55


Counties: Chase, Dundy, Frontier, Hayes, Hitchcock, Keith, Lincoln, Perkins, Red Willow

About the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey

The Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey is an annual survey of land professionals, including appraisers, farm and ranch managers and agricultural bankers. It is conducted by the Center for Agricultural Profitability, which is based in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Results from the survey are divided by land class and agricultural statistic district. Land values and rental rates presented in the report are averages of survey participants’ responses by district. Actual land values and rental rates may vary depending upon the quality of the parcel and local market for an area. Preliminary land values and rental rates are subject to change as additional surveys are returned.