What an Acre of Land Is Worth in Rhode Island in 2026

Owning land in Rhode Island can feel like the ultimate Ocean State dream—whether you want a small homestead, a future build site, or working farmland. The big question is simple: what is one acre worth today? The answer depends on the type of land, where it sits, and what you’re allowed to do with it.

Rhode Island land values in 2025: the benchmark numbers

If you want credible, statewide pricing context, start with USDA land-value reporting. According to the USDA NASS Land Values 2025 Summary, the average value of farm real estate in Rhode Island in 2025 was $22,500 per acre. That same report shows Rhode Island cropland averaged $32,900 per acre in 2025 and pasture averaged $16,900 per acre in 2025.

These aren’t just “high for New England” numbers—they’re national outliers. The USDA NASS Land Values 2025 Summary reports that Rhode Island had the highest farm real estate value per acre in the U.S. at $22,500 in 2025, and that Rhode Island’s cropland value ranked highest in the U.S. at $32,900 per acre in 2025. The report also places Rhode Island pasture value at $16,900 per acre in 2025, which is among the top in the U.S. (USDA NASS Land Values 2025 Summary).

How Rhode Island compares to the U.S. average

National averages help you see just how unusual Rhode Island pricing is. According to American Farm Bureau Federation Market Intel, the U.S. average farm real estate value in 2025 was $4,350 per acre, up 4.3% from 2024. The same analysis notes that Rhode Island recorded the highest average farm real estate value in the U.S. at $22,500 per acre in 2025 (American Farm Bureau Federation Market Intel).

Pasture tells a similar story. The USDA NASS Land Values 2025 Summary reports that U.S. pasture value averaged $1,920 per acre in 2025, up 4.9% from 2024. With Rhode Island pasture at $16,900 per acre, the state sits far above the national baseline (USDA NASS Land Values 2025 Summary).

What’s driving Rhode Island’s per-acre price (beyond the averages)

Statewide averages are useful, but they don’t price your specific acre. In Rhode Island, per-acre value can swing dramatically based on a handful of factors:

• Location and demand: Proximity to Providence, coastal towns, commuter corridors, and established neighborhoods can push values up fast.
• Zoning and permitted use: Residential, commercial, agricultural, and conservation rules directly impact what buyers can do—and what they’re willing to pay.
• Environmental constraints: Wetlands, flood zones, protected habitat, and setbacks can reduce buildable area and change the highest-and-best use.
• Access and utilities: Road frontage, power, water/sewer or well/septic feasibility, and easements often make or break value.
• Topography and buildability: Flat, usable acreage typically commands a premium over steep, ledgy, or heavily wooded land.

Rhode Island’s land market can be fast—or painfully slow—depending on your strategy

Land doesn’t always sell like a house. Many parcels require extra steps (surveys, perc tests, wetlands review, zoning confirmations), and buyer pools can be smaller—especially for rural, landlocked, or non-buildable lots. That’s why the selling path you choose matters as much as the listing price.

Ways to sell land in Rhode Island (and how to choose)

1. Traditional listing with an agent: Often best when your parcel is clearly buildable, marketable, and you can wait for the right buyer.
2. For Sale By Owner (FSBO): Can save commissions, but you take on pricing, marketing, buyer screening, paperwork, and disclosure risk.
3. Direct sale to a land-buying company: Typically the fastest route, especially for inherited land, tax issues, odd lots, or properties that need problem-solving. These offers are usually discounted in exchange for speed and convenience.

What this means for “one acre of land” in Rhode Island

If you’re trying to estimate a value quickly, the 2025 USDA figures provide a grounded starting point: $22,500 per acre for farm real estate, $32,900 per acre for cropland, and $16,900 per acre for pasture in Rhode Island (all from the USDA NASS Land Values 2025 Summary). The state also posted a 2.3% increase in farm real estate value in 2025, with the per-acre value shown at $22,500 according to USDA NASS 2025 Farm Real Estate Value by State.

Still, the “right” number for your acre depends on the parcel’s use case. A buildable lot in a high-demand area can price far above agricultural averages, while constrained land may trade below them. The smartest next step is to match your land’s zoning, access, and buildability to comparable sales—or to weigh your selling timeline against the method that fits your goals.

Final takeaway

Rhode Island is not a typical land market. In 2025, it led the nation in farm real estate value per acre at $22,500 and also ranked highest in cropland value at $32,900 (per the USDA NASS Land Values 2025 Summary). Those numbers help you anchor expectations, but your acre’s real value will come down to location, legal use, and practical buildability.