Enter the total cost of the land and the total area into the calculator to determine the cost per acre. This calculator can also determine the cost of land or land area when given the other variables.
Related Calculators
Cost Per Acre Formula
The calculator uses one core formula and rearranges it for the other modes.
Cost per acre = Total land cost / Acres
Total cost = Cost per acre * Acres
Acres = Total cost / Cost per acre
- Total land cost: the listing or purchase price in dollars.
- Acres: the land area converted to acres.
- Cost per acre: the unit price in dollars per acre.
The Cost/acre mode divides total cost by area to give the unit price. The Compare mode runs that same calculation on two listings and returns the per-acre difference. The Find missing mode takes any two of the three values and solves for the third using the formulas above.
Area unit conversions used by the calculator:
- 1 hectare = 2.4710538 acres
- 1 acre = 43,560 sq ft
- 1 acre = 4,046.8564 sq m
- 1 sq mi = 640 acres
Reference Tables
Use these as a sanity check on your result. Actual prices vary by location, access, water rights, soil, zoning, and improvements.
| Land type | Typical US range ($/acre) |
|---|---|
| Cropland | $3,500 – $8,000 |
| Pasture | $1,800 – $4,500 |
| Timberland | $1,500 – $3,500 |
| Rural recreational | $2,500 – $7,000 |
| Rural residential lot | $8,000 – $30,000 |
| Suburban buildable lot | $50,000 – $250,000 |
| Urban infill | $500,000+ |
| Area | In acres |
|---|---|
| 10,000 sq ft | 0.2296 |
| 1 hectare | 2.4711 |
| 1 sq km (100 ha) | 247.11 |
| 1 sq mile | 640 |
| 1 section | 640 |
| 1 quarter section | 160 |
Examples and FAQ
Example 1. A 25-acre parcel is listed for $309,900. Cost per acre = 309,900 / 25 = $12,396 per acre.
Example 2. Listing A is 25 acres at $309,900 ($12,396/acre). Listing B is 18 acres at $247,500 ($13,750/acre). Listing A is cheaper by $1,354 per acre, even though its total price is higher.
Should I include closing costs in the total? For a pure listing comparison, use the asking price. For a true all-in cost per acre, add closing costs, surveys, title fees, and any required improvements before dividing.
How do I handle unusable land? Subtract the unusable acres (wetlands, easements, road right-of-way) from the area to get a cost per usable acre. Run that number alongside the gross figure.
Why does the per-acre price drop on bigger parcels? Larger tracts usually sell at a lower unit price because the buyer pool is smaller and the land often includes lower-value acreage like timber or pasture. Small lots near utilities and roads carry a premium.
What if my listing is priced per hectare or per square meter? Enter the area in its native unit. The calculator converts to acres before dividing, so the result is always in dollars per acre.
