Top Mississippi Counties for Buying Land in 2026

Mississippi remains one of the most compelling places in the South to buy land for farming, hunting, timber, or long-term rural living—especially if you know which counties have durable demand drivers and which are still under the radar. With more than 30 million acres of developable landscapes—from Delta floodplains to pine forests—buyers can still find space, privacy, and upside without paying coastal-state premiums.

To choose the right county, you need to match your goals (income-producing ag land, buildable acreage, recreational tracts, or a buy-and-hold play) with local fundamentals like zoning, infrastructure access, job growth, and price benchmarks. This guide breaks down the strongest counties to consider now, plus the data points that help you compare opportunities county by county.

Mississippi Land Market Snapshot (2025–2026 Benchmarks)

Start with today’s pricing and income signals so you can evaluate deals with context:

• Mississippi’s median price per acre for land listings is $5,434, according to Land.com.
• Mississippi cropland value rose 3.3% to $5,790 per acre in 2025, based on USDA NASS reporting summarized by RFD-TV (USDA NASS data).
• The U.S. average farm real estate value (land + buildings) reached $4,350 per acre in 2025, up 4.3% from 2024, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation via UCLandForSale.
• The Mississippi median home sale price was $264,200 in October 2025, up 1.6% year-over-year, per ERA Starkville Realty.
• Affordability still varies widely: the median household price in Jefferson Davis County is $87,100, according to Land.com.

These benchmarks help you pressure-test asking prices, estimate replacement costs, and spot counties where land values may not yet reflect future demand.

Top Statewide Drivers Bringing Buyers to Mississippi

1) Lower entry prices—and room for value creation

Mississippi continues to attract buyers priced out of neighboring growth markets. Land listings still center around attainable pricing, with a median $5,434 per acre reported by Land.com. On the housing side, the state’s median home sale price of $264,200 in October 2025 (up 1.6% year-over-year) reinforces steady demand without the extreme volatility seen in some high-flyer regions, according to ERA Starkville Realty.

2) Productive agricultural economics that can support cash flow

If you’re evaluating land as an income asset, rental-rate data gives you a grounded way to model returns. Mississippi cropland rental prices averaged $141.47 per acre statewide, ranging from $30 to $260 per acre, based on 54,654 acres reported in 2023–25, according to Mississippi State University Extension.

In northwest Mississippi specifically, irrigated cropland rental averaged $177.78 per acre across 24,246 acres, with a range of $75 to $250 per acre, per Mississippi State University Extension. Meanwhile, non-irrigated cropland rental averaged $88.33 per acre across 2,787 acres, ranging from $50 to $125 per acre, also reported by Mississippi State University Extension.

For livestock or mixed-use tracts, pastureland rental averaged $25.23 per acre statewide, ranging from $12 to $55 per acre, according to Mississippi State University Extension.

3) Commodity and natural-resource fundamentals

Timber country, Delta farmland, and energy-adjacent corridors create long-run demand that often doesn’t show up in short-term headlines. Importantly, the 3.3% rise to $5,790 per acre for Mississippi cropland in 2025 suggests continued strength in productive land values, based on RFD-TV (USDA NASS data).

4) Relative value compared with national farmland pricing

When you compare Mississippi opportunities to broader U.S. farmland trends, you get a clearer sense of where you’re paying for yield, where you’re paying for growth, and where you’re paying for scarcity. The U.S. average farm real estate value hit $4,350 per acre in 2025 (up 4.3% from 2024), according to the American Farm Bureau Federation via UCLandForSale. Mississippi’s market spans both below- and above-average pockets depending on county, soil quality, water access, and proximity to jobs and highways.

The 5 Best Mississippi Counties to Target When Buying Land

These counties stand out for a mix of demand stability, buildability, location advantage, and lifestyle appeal. Your “best” choice depends on whether you prioritize development potential, commuter access, agriculture, or recreation.

1) DeSoto County (Memphis commuter demand + strong incomes)

DeSoto County borders Tennessee and functions as a key part of the Memphis metro orbit. That proximity supports steady demand for residential acreage, small development tracts, and buy-and-hold land near expanding infrastructure. If your strategy depends on resale liquidity, commuter markets like DeSoto typically provide more consistent buyer depth than remote rural counties.

Key Cities/Towns: Southaven, Hernando, Olive Branch

2) Lamar County (I-59 access + timber and rural build sites)

Lamar County’s location near Hattiesburg and along Interstate 59 makes it attractive for buyers who want rural space without losing access to jobs, logistics routes, and services. With pine country and a strong outdoors culture, it also appeals to recreational buyers seeking hunting land or quiet homesteads.

Key Cities/Towns: Hattiesburg, Purvis, Sumrall

3) Lee County (Tupelo growth + affordability for owner-builders)

Lee County anchors the Tupelo area and continues to draw buyers looking for attainable land paired with real economic activity. For first-time land buyers and owner-builders, this region often hits the sweet spot: strong services and employers, but still enough open space to find buildable acreage at reasonable prices.

Key Cities/Towns: Tupelo, Saltillo, Verona

4) Union County (emerging bedroom-community momentum)

Union County offers scenic foothills and a growing reputation as a practical base for commuters traveling to Oxford or Tupelo. Buyers often target it for larger homesites, small farms, and long-term holds that can benefit from gradual spillover growth and new construction.

Key Cities/Towns: New Albany, Blue Springs, Myrtle

5) Madison County (Jackson-area expansion + long-run development optionality)

Madison County remains one of the most strategically positioned counties for buyers who want a blend of rural land and metro adjacency. As development continues to expand outward from Jackson, land with clear access, utilities, and compatible zoning can carry meaningful upside—especially when you buy with a long time horizon.

Key Cities/Towns: Ridgeland, Madison, Flora

How to Evaluate Land in Mississippi: Key Factors That Move Value

1) Price per acre vs. productive capacity

Use market benchmarks to separate hype from fundamentals. For example, the statewide listing median of $5,434 per acre from Land.com is a useful reference point, but farmland economics often hinge on soils, water, and lease rates. Cropland rental averages—like $141.47 per acre statewide across 54,654 acres—help you estimate income potential, per Mississippi State University Extension.

2) Water access and irrigation upside

Where irrigation is common, income potential can look different. In northwest Mississippi, irrigated cropland rental averaged $177.78 per acre across 24,246 acres, ranging from $75 to $250 per acre, according to Mississippi State University Extension. If you’re buying for row crops or leasing, confirm water rights, well costs, and any conservation or pumping constraints before you price the tract.

3) Dryland and pasture economics for mixed-use buyers

Not every property pencils as cropland—and that can be a feature, not a flaw, if your plan includes cattle, hay, wildlife habitat, or a weekend retreat. Non-irrigated cropland rental averaged $88.33 per acre across 2,787 acres (range $50 to $125), and pastureland rental averaged $25.23 per acre statewide (range $12 to $55), per Mississippi State University Extension. These figures help you set realistic expectations for lease income on non-irrigated or grazing-forward tracts.

4) Infrastructure proximity and buildability

Road frontage, power, water, broadband, and septic suitability can matter as much as acreage count. Parcels near existing corridors often appraise higher because they reduce development friction and timeline risk. Always verify flood risk, wetlands constraints, and easements before you assume a tract is build-ready.

5) Zoning, permitted uses, and future optionality

Counties and municipalities can vary widely in what they allow—especially for mobile homes, subdividing, short-term rentals, RV parks, or mixed-use concepts. The best “flex” properties are the ones with clear, documented permitted uses and minimal entitlement risk.

Work With Local Pros (Especially If You’re Buying Out of State)

Mississippi can reward buyers who do careful diligence—but the pitfalls are real: unclear access, flood exposure, utility surprises, and zoning limitations can derail a deal fast. Local land professionals and reputable land-buying companies can help you validate buildability, estimate improvement costs, and navigate county-level processes more efficiently.

If you’re exploring a purchase strategy—farm lease, homesite, timberland, recreational tract, or a buy-and-hold parcel—start with clear criteria and confirm them against the county’s rules and the property’s physical constraints. For more on selling or transacting land in the state, see this guide on land investments across Mississippi.

Final Thoughts

Mississippi still offers a rare combination: scale, natural beauty, and attainable land pricing across a state with deep agricultural and timber fundamentals. Data supports the opportunity—from the $5,434 median price per acre for Mississippi land listings reported by Land.com to the 3.3% increase in Mississippi cropland value to $5,790 per acre in 2025 tracked via RFD-TV (USDA NASS data).

At the same time, smart buyers anchor decisions in local cash-flow realities. Mississippi cropland rental averages $141.47 per acre statewide, irrigated cropland in the northwest averages $177.78 per acre, non-irrigated cropland averages $88.33 per acre, and pastureland averages $25.23 per acre, all reported by Mississippi State University Extension. Those numbers help you evaluate whether a tract supports your plan today—not just what it might be worth tomorrow.

Whether you’re targeting DeSoto for commuter-driven demand, Madison for long-run development optionality, or Lamar/Lee/Union for a balanced mix of space and services, success comes down to aligning county fundamentals with your intended use. If you’re still deciding whether the state fits your goals, this overview on Mississippi land as an investment can help you weigh the tradeoffs before you buy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What dictates raw land value differences across Mississippi?

Land values typically move with access (roads and highways), proximity to job centers, utility availability, flood and wetlands constraints, and zoning/permitted uses. For agriculture-oriented tracts, lease-rate potential can also shape what buyers will pay—statewide cropland rents average $141.47 per acre with a $30 to $260 range, according to Mississippi State University Extension.

What hidden costs should I budget beyond the purchase price?

Common add-ons include survey work, title work, attorney fees, soil/septic testing, environmental assessments, driveway/culvert installs, and utility extensions. These costs vary widely based on how “raw” the tract is and how quickly you want to build or improve it.

Where is land typically cheapest in Mississippi?

Many of the lowest per-acre prices appear in more remote rural areas farther from major job hubs and coastal demand. Affordability can show up in household-level indicators as well; for example, the median household price in Jefferson Davis County is $87,100, per Land.com.

Is buying land near public hunting areas a good idea?

It can be, especially for recreation buyers, but you should evaluate boundaries, access, trespassing risk, fire exposure, and insurance considerations. Confirm easements and public/private lines with a survey before you close.

What risks should I avoid when buying Mississippi land?

Watch for unclear legal access, flood-zone exposure, wetlands restrictions, easements that limit building, and parcels that cannot pass septic requirements. If the property is intended for farming, verify water availability and realistic rent assumptions; for example, irrigated rents in northwest Mississippi average $177.78 per acre while non-irrigated averages $88.33 per acre, according to Mississippi State University Extension.