What Will an Acre of Land Cost in Massachusetts in 2026?

Massachusetts land prices can swing from modest rural acreage in the Berkshires to premium, build-ready lots inside the Greater Boston orbit. If you’re trying to estimate what one acre is worth, focus on the market you’re actually buying into—residential infill, suburban development, recreational land, or agricultural ground—because each segment follows different demand drivers and pricing benchmarks.

Massachusetts One-Acre Land Price Snapshot (What Buyers and Sellers See Today)

Across active land listings, the median price per acre in Massachusetts is $25,712, according to Land.com. That median is a useful starting point, but it can be misleading if you don’t also account for zoning, utilities, and proximity to job centers—especially around Boston, where buildable land is scarce.

It also helps to separate “land for sale” pricing from “farm real estate value” benchmarks used in agricultural reporting. Rhode Island and Massachusetts recorded the highest average farm real estate values in the country at $22,500 per acre and $14,900 per acre, respectively, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (USDA NASS Land Values 2025 Summary Report). The same report pegs Massachusetts’ average farm real estate value at $14,900 per acre via USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). In practice, farm-value averages often trail buildable residential land in high-demand corridors, but they provide a reality check for agricultural and conservation-use properties.

How Massachusetts Land Values Vary by Region

One acre in Massachusetts isn’t “one price.” Local job access, school districts, infrastructure, and permitting culture can matter as much as the dirt itself. Below is a practical regional framework to help you interpret pricing—especially when a listing looks too high (or suspiciously low) for the area.

Western Massachusetts (Berkshires and Hill Towns)

Western Massachusetts tends to offer more acreage options with fewer competitive bids than the eastern half of the state. Values vary widely by frontage, slope, septic feasibility, and access, but buyers often find better affordability here—especially for recreational land, second-home sites, or long-term holds.

If you’re evaluating land with an agricultural angle, it’s also worth remembering that Massachusetts has a working farm economy alongside its tourism and small-city markets. For example, Massachusetts’ agricultural sector includes $42 million in annual milk production, according to Land.com Market Insights. That kind of ongoing production can support demand for certain farm-support properties even outside the Boston sphere.

Central Massachusetts (Worcester County and Surrounding Towns)

Central Massachusetts sits in a “commuter-plus” sweet spot: more space than the inner suburbs, but still close enough to major highways and employment nodes to support steady residential demand. Here, zoning and buildability typically determine whether one acre trades like a simple piece of land—or like a future building lot.

For buyers, the key question is often: can this acre become a permitted homesite (or more than one lot) without years of uncertainty? For sellers, the value jump usually comes from documentation—survey clarity, tested septic design, and confirmed frontage—because those reduce buyer risk.

Eastern Massachusetts (Greater Boston and the Suburbs)

Eastern Massachusetts is where land scarcity becomes the headline. High home prices and intense competition for buildable lots can push per-acre values far above statewide medians—especially where zoning allows a straightforward single-family build.

Statewide housing prices help explain why. The average home value in Massachusetts is $636,412, up 1.5% over the past year (data through December 31, 2025), according to the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI). Sales data also shows the market’s resilience: the Massachusetts median single-family home price was $658,200 in August 2025, a 4.2% increase over August 2024, per The Warren Group. In the Greater Boston housing market specifically, the median single-family sale price reached $820,000 in August 2025, up 3.1% year-over-year, also reported by The Warren Group.

Boston’s tax base trends reinforce how much value concentrates in and around the urban core. Property values in Boston increased by $5.5 billion (2.6%) in FY25, totaling $226.4 billion, according to the City of Boston (FY26 Property Taxes). When property values rise at that scale, land that can realistically support new housing or redevelopment typically commands a premium.

Key Factors That Determine What One Acre Is Worth in Massachusetts

Two one-acre parcels can sit a mile apart and sell for dramatically different prices. The difference usually comes down to whether the lot is buildable (and how easily), how expensive it will be to connect infrastructure, and what the town will allow you to do.

1) Zoning, Permitting, and Buildability

Zoning drives value because it defines your allowed use, minimum lot size, setbacks, frontage requirements, and subdivision potential. In many Massachusetts towns, the biggest price gap is between “raw land” and “ready-to-build land.” Buyers pay more when the path to a building permit is clear and fast.

2) Utilities and Road Frontage

Access to public utilities (electric, gas, water, sewer, broadband) can materially change the total cost of building—and therefore what the land is worth today. A parcel with paved road frontage and nearby utility connections often attracts more buyers than a similar lot that requires long driveway construction, pole installation, or private system engineering.

3) Water, Septic, and Site Conditions

In areas without municipal water and sewer, well and septic feasibility can make or break valuation. A single acre might be “plenty of land,” but ledge, wetlands, high groundwater, or poor soils can limit what you can actually build. Buyers tend to value lots higher when prior due diligence (wetland delineation, perc testing, engineered plans) reduces uncertainty.

4) Property Taxes and Carrying Costs

Carrying costs matter, especially for investors or buyers holding land while they plan construction. In January 2025, the median residential property tax rate in Massachusetts was $12.44 per $1,000 of assessed value, according to the Boston Business Journal. Even before you build, taxes can influence how long you can comfortably hold a parcel—and what price makes sense for your timeline.

Practical Takeaways for Pricing One Acre in Massachusetts

• Start with statewide benchmarks: the median listing-based price per acre is $25,712 per Land.com, then adjust for region, buildability, and comps.
• Separate farm-value benchmarks from buildable-lot pricing: Massachusetts farm real estate averages $14,900 per acre (and is among the highest nationally), per USDA NASS (via the American Farm Bureau Federation summary report).
• Use home-price pressure as a proxy for land demand: statewide values (ZHVI $636,412) and Greater Boston sales (median $820,000) support higher lot prices where zoning allows new housing, per Zillow and The Warren Group.
• Account for taxes during your hold: the median residential tax rate is $12.44 per $1,000, per the Boston Business Journal.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the median price per acre in Massachusetts?

The median price per acre in Massachusetts is $25,712, according to Land.com.

How does farm land value compare to other land pricing in Massachusetts?

Farm real estate values are typically reported separately from buildable residential land. Massachusetts’ average farm real estate value is $14,900 per acre, and it ranks among the highest in the country, per USDA NASS (Land Values 2025 Summary Report, via the American Farm Bureau Federation).

Why are land prices so high near Boston?

High home prices and limited buildable inventory push land values up. The Greater Boston median single-family sale price was $820,000 in August 2025 (up 3.1% year-over-year), according to The Warren Group. Boston’s overall property values also increased by $5.5 billion (2.6%) in FY25 to $226.4 billion, per the City of Boston.

Do property taxes affect what an acre is worth?

Yes. Taxes are part of the holding cost and can affect what buyers are willing to pay, especially for land held prior to construction. In January 2025, the median residential property tax rate in Massachusetts was $12.44 per $1,000 of assessed value, according to the Boston Business Journal.