Top Missouri Counties to Buy Land in 2026

Missouri land buyers are no longer choosing between “farm” and “woods” alone. Today’s opportunities span renewable energy leasing, recreation-first lifestyle tracts, traditional row-crop and pasture operations, and growth-edge development parcels near expanding metros. With the Ozarks, the Missouri River basin, and the Mississippi River corridor all in play, the “best counties” depend on your end goal—income, long-term appreciation, personal use, or a blend of all three.

Current Market Conditions Driving Missouri Land Demand (2025 Update)

Missouri’s land story is tightly connected to its housing and financing trends. In June 2025, Missouri REALTORS® reported 7,348 residential properties sold statewide, with the median sales price up 2.7% to $287,500, and an average 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate in Missouri of 6.77% in June 2025 as reported by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis data cited in the same release ([Missouri REALTORS® Market Statistics Report June/Second Quarter 2025](https://thelanding.missourirealtor.org/blogs/missouri-realtors/2025/07/29/missouri-realtors-market-statistics-report-junesec)).

Zooming out, Q2 2025 (April–June) logged 20,152 home sales in Missouri with total quarterly sales volume of $6.7 billion, and the median sales price rose 3.9% to $278,472 ([Missouri REALTORS® Market Statistics Report June/Second Quarter 2025](https://thelanding.missourirealtor.org/blogs/missouri-realtors/2025/07/29/missouri-realtors-market-statistics-report-junesec)).

By August 2025, the market remained active: 7,107 residential properties sold, the median sales price increased 4.7% to $280,000, the average residential sale price climbed 6.1% to $339,800, and the average 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate was 6.56% ([Missouri REALTORS® Market Statistics Report August 2025](https://thelanding.missourirealtor.org/blogs/missouri-realtors/2025/09/30/market-statistics-report-august-2025)). These housing and rate signals matter because they influence demand for buildable acreage, small “ranchette” parcels, and edge-of-town development sites.

On the agricultural side, land values remain supported nationally. U.S. average farm real estate value reached $4,350 per acre in 2025, up 4.3% from 2024 ([American Farm Bureau Federation via UCLandForSale](https://uclandforsale.com/land-cost/rural-land-sales-prediction-for-2026/)). Separate reporting also places the average value of U.S. farm real estate at $4,350 per acre in 2025 ([Statista](https://www.statista.com/statistics/196400/average-value-of-us-farmland-real-estate-per-acre-since-1970/)). For Missouri buyers, that broader floor under U.S. farm real estate helps explain why quality cropland and well-located multi-use tracts continue to draw competition.

How to Choose “The Best County” in Missouri for Your Land Strategy

The strongest counties for land buying typically match one (or more) of these demand categories:

• Alternative energy siting (solar/wind and related infrastructure)
• Recreational and lifestyle (hunting, timber, cabins, river frontage)
• Development path (suburban expansion, annexation potential, infrastructure proximity)
• Agricultural production (row crops, pasture, consolidation plays)

The sections below outline what to look for—and which Missouri counties frequently land on buyer shortlists—based on those use cases.

Top Counties and Parcels for Alternative Energy (Solar/Wind) Siting

Renewable projects can turn “ordinary” open ground into an income-producing asset through long-term leases—if the site meets developer requirements and can interconnect efficiently.

What strong renewable-energy land looks like

• Large, contiguous acreage (often 100+ acres as a practical minimum for many project economics)
• Low initial land basis before rezoning or utility-driven demand changes pricing
• Grid and transmission adjacency that reduces interconnection costs
• Limited encroachments (setbacks, neighboring structures, fragmented ownership)
• Lower population density to reduce siting friction

Counties buyers watch

Northwest and north-central Missouri often surface in early screening because flatter ground and existing infrastructure can simplify engineering. Counties along major corridors—such as Platte County—also get attention when open acreage remains relatively accessible to the Kansas City region’s load demand and transmission footprint.

Top Counties for Recreational and Lifestyle Land (Hunting, Timber, Water)

Recreational buyers pay for experience: quiet, views, wildlife, and access to public land. In Missouri, that often means Ozark timber, ridgelines, hollows, and water features that make a tract feel larger than the deeded acres.

What premium recreational tracts share

• Adjacency to state or federal recreational lands (for instant expanded access)
• Forested terrain with healthy habitat for deer, turkey, and small game
• Distinct natural features such as river/creek frontage, springs, or marketable views
• Forest management upside (including potential tax and stewardship programs where applicable)

Counties buyers frequently target

Border and Ozark-region counties such as Oregon County and Douglas County are perennial favorites for buyers who want timbered ground, huntable acreage, and proximity to large blocks of public land—qualities that often support long-term holding and family legacy ownership.

Top Counties for Development-Path Land Near Growing Metros

Development land is less about what the parcel is today and more about what it becomes when rooftops, roads, and utilities move outward. Buyers typically look for tracts positioned ahead of the next expansion wave—without overpaying for future potential too early.

What to look for in near-term development land

• Location on the suburban edge where growth pressure is visible
• Annexation or rezoning potential just outside current commercial/residential boundaries
• Practical tract sizes (often 5–50 acres) for phased subdivisions, mixed-use pads, or small commercial
• Nearby employment and retail nodes that sustain absorption
• Infrastructure access (paved roads, power, water/sewer feasibility, or cost-effective extension)

Where Missouri development buyers keep looking

Markets around Springfield and Columbia continue to attract attention because demand for housing and services steadily pushes outward. At the same time, smaller towns can offer contrarian value when pricing lags while infrastructure signals improve. For example, places like Kennett in the Bootheel can merit a fresh look if local investment and connectivity trends point toward revitalization.

These development dynamics also tie back to statewide housing activity: strong transaction volume and rising prices—such as the 20,152 Missouri home sales and $6.7 billion in Q2 2025 volume ([Missouri REALTORS® Market Statistics Report June/Second Quarter 2025](https://thelanding.missourirealtor.org/blogs/missouri-realtors/2025/07/29/missouri-realtors-market-statistics-report-junesec))—often support continued interest in buildable and “next ring” acreage, even when financing costs remain elevated.

Top Counties for Agricultural Land (Cropland and Pasture)

Agricultural buyers focus on productivity, operational efficiency, and long-term resilience. In Missouri, that means balancing soil quality, drainage, field shape, rainfall patterns, and proximity to other working farms.

What defines high-quality Missouri ag ground

• Reliable growing conditions such as adequate moisture and workable frost-free windows
• Proven cropping history that supports underwriting and realistic yield expectations
• Low yield inhibitors (manageable slopes, good drainage, minimal fragmentation)
• Operational synergy near other owned/leased fields for equipment efficiency

Counties often highlighted for farming potential

Along the Mississippi River corridor, counties like Ralls County can attract row-crop interest where soils and field configurations support production. In northern Missouri, more open plains across counties such as Worth and Harrison may better suit large-scale cropping and consolidation strategies.

Why conservation policy matters to land buyers

Program rules can influence rental rates, land use decisions, and long-term planning. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) maximum allowed enrollment increased to 27 million acres in 2023, with enrollments at or near the cap ([FAPRI 2025 U.S. Agricultural Market Outlook](https://fapri.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025-Baseline-Outlook.pdf)). In practical terms, capped enrollment can affect how easily owners add acres to CRP and how buyers model conservation versus production scenarios when evaluating marginal ground.

Work With Local Experts to Match Counties to Your Goal

This guide highlights the main “why” behind Missouri’s best county shortlists—energy siting, recreation, development trajectory, and production agriculture—but the right purchase still comes down to parcel-level details: access, utilities, easements, soil maps, survey quality, and the zoning pathway.

Market momentum also changes quickly. Housing statistics show continued activity through mid-to-late 2025, including 7,348 sales in June 2025 with a $287,500 median price ([Missouri REALTORS® Market Statistics Report June/Second Quarter 2025](https://thelanding.missourirealtor.org/blogs/missouri-realtors/2025/07/29/missouri-realtors-market-statistics-report-junesec)) and 7,107 sales in August 2025 with a $280,000 median price and $339,800 average price ([Missouri REALTORS® Market Statistics Report August 2025](https://thelanding.missourirealtor.org/blogs/missouri-realtors/2025/09/30/market-statistics-report-august-2025)). Pair those trends with mortgage rates hovering in the mid-6% range—6.77% in June 2025 and 6.56% in August 2025 (reported in the same Missouri REALTORS® releases)—and you get a market where financing strategy, holding period, and use case matter as much as location.

Final Thoughts

Missouri remains a rare state where one buyer can chase a solar lease, another can buy trophy whitetail habitat, and a third can expand row-crop acres—often within a few hours’ drive. The “best counties to buy land in Missouri” are the counties that best align with your intended use, your risk tolerance, and your time horizon. Use today’s housing, rate, and national farmland benchmarks to anchor expectations, then evaluate each tract on fundamentals that will still matter ten years from now: access, utility potential, income pathways, and adaptability.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which Missouri counties are most watched for growth and land appreciation?

Buyers often monitor counties influenced by metro expansion and infrastructure—especially near Kansas City, Springfield, and Columbia—because housing activity and pricing can spill into surrounding acreage. Statewide signals like rising median prices and strong transaction counts in 2025 help explain why growth-adjacent land remains competitive ([Missouri REALTORS® Market Statistics Report June/Second Quarter 2025](https://thelanding.missourirealtor.org/blogs/missouri-realtors/2025/07/29/missouri-realtors-market-statistics-report-junesec); [Missouri REALTORS® Market Statistics Report August 2025](https://thelanding.missourirealtor.org/blogs/missouri-realtors/2025/09/30/market-statistics-report-august-2025)).

How do interest rates affect buying land in Missouri?

Rates shape affordability and investor return hurdles, especially for development-path properties and smaller tracts purchased with conventional financing. Missouri REALTORS® reported an average 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate of 6.77% in June 2025 and 6.56% in August 2025 ([Missouri REALTORS® Market Statistics Report June/Second Quarter 2025](https://thelanding.missourirealtor.org/blogs/missouri-realtors/2025/07/29/missouri-realtors-market-statistics-report-junesec); [Missouri REALTORS® Market Statistics Report August 2025](https://thelanding.missourirealtor.org/blogs/missouri-realtors/2025/09/30/market-statistics-report-august-2025)).

What should I know about U.S. farmland values when evaluating Missouri cropland?

National benchmarks help frame whether a tract is priced in line with broader farm real estate trends. In 2025, U.S. average farm real estate value reached $4,350 per acre (up 4.3% from 2024) ([American Farm Bureau Federation via UCLandForSale](https://uclandforsale.com/land-cost/rural-land-sales-prediction-for-2026/)), and the 2025 average value of U.S. farm real estate was also reported as $4,350 per acre ([Statista](https://www.statista.com/statistics/196400/average-value-of-us-farmland-real-estate-per-acre-since-1970/)).

How can CRP policy influence land buying decisions?

CRP affects land-use options, cash-rent comparisons, and conservation planning. The CRP maximum allowed enrollment increased to 27 million acres in 2023, with enrollments at or near the cap ([FAPRI 2025 U.S. Agricultural Market Outlook](https://fapri.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025-Baseline-Outlook.pdf)). That cap can shape how buyers underwrite marginal acres and future program flexibility.