Land pricing across Texas varies dramatically based on location and regional characteristics. The state covers more than 265,000 square miles with diverse ecosystems ranging from Gulf Coast beaches to Far West mountain terrain.

Texas Real Estate Regions

Texas A&M’s Real Estate Research Center divides the state into seven market regions:

Panhandle and South Plains
Far West Texas
West Texas
Northeast Texas
Gulf Coast-Brazos Bottom
South Texas
Austin-Waco-Hill Country

2021 Rural Land Pricing by Region

Based on transaction data analysis:

Panhandle and South Plains: $1,228/acre
Far West Texas: $1,608/acre
West Texas: $1,852/acre
South Texas: $4,430/acre
Austin-Waco-Hill Country: $5,174/acre
Northeast Texas: $6,201/acre
Gulf Coast-Brazos Bottom: $7,724/acre

The Gulf Coast region commands over six times the price per acre compared to the Panhandle.

Most Affordable Land

Far West Texas offers the cheapest acreage due to its arid climate, limited infrastructure, and distance from major metropolitan areas. Most rural parcels sell for under $1,000/acre, excluding larger cities like El Paso and Odessa.

The region features spectacular landscapes including the Chihuahuan Desert, Guadalupe Mountains, and Big Bend, attractive for ranching, hunting, and outdoor recreation.

County-Level Market Data

A county-by-county analysis queried 468,244 undeveloped 1.0-1.5 acre properties across Texas’s 254 counties using PRYCD data. The highest-priced counties include:

Glasscock County: $431,510/acre
Hidalgo County: $244,405/acre
Hays County: $243,382/acre
Travis County: $241,786/acre

Lowest-priced counties include Cochran County and numerous Panhandle counties with minimal market comparables.

Note that rural data limitations exist in sparsely populated counties with few owner records or recent sales transactions.