Where Is Land Cheapest In The US?
The price of homes in the United States has increased so much that many people find themselves unable to afford a mortgage for a modest home in some areas. This can be a frustrating and altogether depressing prospect, especially for those just entering the workforce and looking to plant some roots and build equity. But just because homes in the US are expensive, doesn’t mean that buying land is out of the question. In fact, lots of places have very inexpensive land. But where, exactly, is land cheapest in the US?
If you are looking for cheap land for sale in the US, consider some of the southwestern states like Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and even parts of rural California. Other great states to purchase land for cheap include Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, and Missouri. Keep in mind when purchasing land, the exact location within a state will make a big difference in the price.
If you are wondering if purchasing land in the US is affordable, the answer is – it depends. While land can be just as expensive as a new home, there are definitely some great deals out there. The key is to look into areas that have cheap land for sale. In many cases, cheap land can be found in states where housing is quite expensive, just in different and often more rural areas. So keep reading to find out where land is cheapest in the US so you can decide if buying land is the right decision for you and your budget.
9 States In The US With The Cheapest Land Per Acre
1. Arizona
Arizona has some of the cheapest land in all of the United States. It also happens to have some cities that are growing more and more expensive, like Scottsdale, Sedona, and Pheonix. The average price of an acre of land in Arizona is just over $4,000 per acre, but if you are open to living in rural areas you can find land for less than $1,000 per acre. Cochise County is a great example of an area with cheap land, as you can get land for less than $1,300 per acre, especially if you buy more than one acre.
2. Arkansas
If you are looking for the absolute and consistently cheapest place to buy land in the US, head on over to Arkansas. There are several areas in Arkansas where you can find land for around $1,000 an acre, or slightly more. In Hot Springs Arkansas, an hour outside the capitol city of Little Rock, you can find land as cheap as $750 for an entire acre.
3. New Mexico
New Mexico is another state that is growing in popularity. And while homes in trendy Sante Fe and the state capital of Albuquerque are rising, you can still find some very cheap land in this stunning desert land. In Torrance County, a little under an hour from Albuquerque, you can score an acre of this beautiful land for around $1,200 an acre. Best of all, while you are certainly off the beaten path, you aren’t far from a city or civilization.
4. Mississippi
Mississippi is known for its famous river, southern charm, and bluegrass music, but it is also home to some of the cheapest land for sale in the US. Harrison County is one spot with lots of cheap land. In Mississippi, the more you buy, the better the deal. So, if you buy 10 acres or more, you can see prices close to $1,000 per acre. Rankin County is also a very cheap place to look for land.
5. Utah
Another Southwestern state that has lots of land for cheap is Utah. Utah, while not the most famous state in the southwest, has some of the most incredible natural beauty, including Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. If natural beauty and wide open spaces are what you are after, look at rural areas like Kanosh, Utah, where you can get 5 acres of land for just under $5,000.
6. Texas
Everything, including land, is bigger in Texas. Even with its handful of major metropolitan cities, it is still full of wild and unclaimed land. This means there are several pockets within Texas where you can find very inexpensive land. Fort Hancock, located 50 miles from the Mexican border in western Texas, is an example of an area in Texas with dirt-cheap land for sale. You can buy five acres in this county for less than $4,000.
7. Missouri
Missouri is an ideal spot to buy some cheap land that isn’t in the desert. In fact, you can find some fairly cheap land right by the famous Lake Of The Ozarks in places like Edwards. You can purchase five acres here for about $1,000 per acre, and you won’t be far from the lakefront activities in this stunning wooded land.
8. Colorado
Colorado is a state that was once very affordable, but many of its urban centers and quaint ski towns have become too expensive for most earning a middle-class income to comfortably afford. But there is some inexpensive land available throughout the Rocky Mountain state. This cheap land is worth looking into if you are a fan of Colorado’s rugged terrain, as much of this cheap land is a bit far from urban areas like Denver. Colorado land definitely gets cheaper when you buy five acres or more, with 5 acres costing a total of $5,000 in Park County.
9. California
When you think of California, one of the last things you might think of is inexpensive living. For the most part, California is one of the most expensive places to live in the country. But if you aren’t picky about your location and are looking for raw rural land, it is actually one of the cheaper spots in the country to purchase an acre or two of land. But just like Colorado, land here is much cheaper when you purchase five acres or more. In San Bernadino, the desert land east of Los Angeles, you can find five acres of land for as low as $5,000.
Factors To Consider When Looking For Cheap Land in US
How Much Land You Are Purchasing
The amount of land you are purchasing can impact the price, as well as where you can buy it. This is because some states have vast areas of land for sale, and in order to get the deepest discounts, you might need to buy 5 acres or more. So, the amount of land you are looking at purchasing versus your budget is worth considering when selecting a cheap place in the US to buy land.
Property Taxes
Property taxes are an important factor to consider before you purchase cheap land in the United States. This is because different states have very different property tax policies and rates. Property taxes are a yearly tax that you have to pay regardless of whether you are living on the land, building on it, or just leaving it vacant. So, understand state tax law before investing in cheap land in that state.
Location Of The Land
The exact location of your land and its immediate surroundings are also worth considering. You might be able to find land that costs very little, but it also might be costly to access or build on the land. For example, some cheap land does not even have paved roads nearby. Or you could be in a location that is surrounded by industrial enterprises, which could be more desirable.
Water And Other Usage Costs
Just like you must consider the location of the land, you should think of the logistics of living on the land or building on it. Unless the land is strictly a passive investment that you plan to hold on to and resell in the hopes of it accumulating value, then you need land this is both valuable and functional. This means understanding the logistics and cost of installing electricity, water, and other essentials. You might want to just live off solar power, but you will still need to understand water logistics and how feasible renewable energy is in your location.
Limitations On The Land You Purchase
Make sure you understand the limitations of the land you plan to purchase. Not all land is treated the same. Some land is zoned to remain relatively untouched. On some land, you can build a home but you can’t conduct any business on the land. Some spots are only zoned for agriculture. Make sure you can legally do what you are hoping to on the land you purchase.
Final Thoughts On Where Land Is Cheapest In The US
Even with skyrocketing home prices, there are still plenty of places in the US to find great and inexpensive land. Some states that have the cheapest land are Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Mississippi, Missouri, and Colorado. Texas and even California also have some pockets where land is very cheap. If you search hard and are open to buying land anywhere in the US, you can find it for less than $1,000 per acre. Just make sure before you purchase the land you understand its limitations and know the property tax laws in the state where you are making the purchase.
Related Guides:
Tom Gaffey is an expert writer who currently resides in Washington D.C. Tom has a passion for real estate and home improvement writing, as well as travel and lifestyle writing. He lived the last twelve years in Hawaii where he worked closely with luxury resorts and event planners, mastering his knowledge of aesthetics and luxury products. This is where he found his passion for home improvement and a keen interest in DIY projects. Currently, Tom resides in Washington D.C, and also working on his debut fiction novel.
More by Tom Gaffey
![Finishing Basement Without Permit [Is It Really Illegal?]](https://cdn-fastly.upgradedhome.com/media/2023/07/31/9070078/finishing-basement-without-permit-is-it-really-illegal.jpg?size=350x220)
![How Much Weight Can a 4×4 Support Horizontally? [It Depends!]](https://cdn-fastly.upgradedhome.com/media/2023/07/31/9070333/how-much-weight-can-a-44-support-horizontally-it-depends.jpg?size=350x220)
