How Much Does the Average Acre of Vacant Land in Florida Cost?

When you think of Florida, you are probably thinking of warm and sunny beaches with beautiful views. What’s not to love about that? Many people are looking to buy rural land in Florida because of its flat landscapes and sunny climate. Do not forget about its variety of land that includes beaches, wetlands, and pine forests. There are plenty of things to grow in Florida online, but if you are looking for an investment then buying land in Florida may be right for you.

Florida shares a border with Georgia and Alabama and the state is between the Atlantic Ocean as well as the Gulf of Mexico. With these borders, Florida brings in a lot of people whether they are traveling or there for business. Florida is a very popular vacation spot and is known for its theme parks and diverse population.

What Can I Grow on Land in Florida? 

Many people purchase vacant land for growing crops. It is important to know the types of crops that thrive in certain climates and areas. Florida has a great climate for growing crops. And let’s not forget that it is the flattest state in the United States. That sounds like a pretty good place to start growing! Let’s talk about what the most popular crops are to grow in Florida. Florida is known for growing many fruits and vegetables. 

The most popular crop to grow in Florida is citrus. You may be thinking what citrus consists of, but let’s make it easier on you. Drumroll please…oranges. Florida is known for its oranges! Along with oranges, another popular citrus crop to grow in Florida is grapefruit. You can fit around 110 orange trees in one acre. How many oranges are produced from one tree? One average, you can have up to 350 oranges, but if you have amazing experience then you are looking at having over 500 oranges. Wow!

Strawberries are also very popular plants to grow on your land in Florida. In 2017, a source says that there was a value of $337 million of strawberries grown. That is a lot of money!

Coming in after strawberries, we have a variety of fruits and vegetables. Cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell peppers are all very popular crops to grow on your land in Florida. According to a source, in 2017 the value of tomatoes grown in Florida was equivalent to $262 million. Following that number, bell peppers came in close second with $206 million. Cucumbers followed behind with the value in dollars being $76.3 million. As you can tell by simply reading this paragraph, tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers take up a large percentage of the crops grown in land in Florida. 

Believe it or not, we are not done with the fruits and vegetables quite yet. Next, we are going to group together watermelons, sweet corn, and snap beans. These three are pretty much neck and neck with how valuable they are as a crop in Florida. Watermelons and sweet corn are at a value of between $136 million and $160 million. Snap beans are at a value of a little over $70 million. 

Peanuts are also known as a very popular crop in Florida. Peanuts have adapted to all parts of the state with the exception of South Florida. You can plant around 125 lbs. of peanut plants per acre. Each peanut plant can produce up to 50 peanuts. In 2017, the value of peanuts grown in Florida was up to $154 million. That is a lot of peanuts! 

Lastly, we have squash and cabbage. Squash and cabbage can grow quite well on land in Florida, but they are lower on the scale of Florida’s best crops. Cabbage value in 2017 was around $42 million while squash was grown at value equivalent to only $29 million.

As you can see, there are plenty of crops that you can grow on your undeveloped land in Florida. Not to mention, you can eat them all too! Fruits and vegetables grow wonderfully in the Florida climate and soil. Make sure to research when the best season is to plant the crops you are interested in. If you have a green thumb or enjoy working outside, then you need to think about gardening!

Livestock in Florida 

Many people buy rural land because they want to raise livestock. Since we are talking about Florida, we need to talk about what types of livestock are the most popular in the state. 

Florida is a very popular place to have a diary farm. There are over 100 dairy farms in Florida and the state produces over 250 million gallons of milk per year. WOW. If you are thinking about dairy farming, look for land with green grass and make sure you research the best breed to produce dairy with. You can have a small dairy farm or a giant one, Florida dairy farms range from under 100 cows to over 4000.

Coming in close second, cattle farming is popular in the state of Florida. Instead of producing dairy from the cows, farmers will raise them to sell them for beef. Florida is in the top 15 of the United States for cattle farms. Once again, you can start off small and go bigger as you succeed further with your farm. Be sure to have a green pasture for the cows.

Horse farms are very relevant in Florida as well. People have horse farms to breed horses and to train them as well as board them. A horse farm could become a great investment for you. According to a source, more than 500,000 horses are in Florida and more than half of them are used for showing. If you were to invest in a horse farm, you could get some cash in your wallet.

Just like other states, Florida also has pigs, chicken, goats, sheep and llamas. These are commonly raised as livestock as well.

Developing Vacant Land in Florida

There are thousands of people who move to Florida every day and they are looking for a place to live. Think about developing a subdivision or a new neighborhood. If you have the money to do it, it could bring you more money in the end. 

Vacation and Florida are two words that fit together. Think about building a vacation home or a couple of them. You can make some great money off of renting vacation homes.

Be sure to check zoning rules and regulations before you break ground!

Best Cities to Own Land in Florida

The average cost per acre of land in Florida has risen some because of the demand. The average cost per acre starts around $6,100. 

For farming purposes, you should look at buying land in counties like Suwannee, Madison, Levy, Alachua, and Columbia. These areas have the most listings when it comes to farmland. 

If you are looking to build a rental on your land or a subdivision, you should be looking in areas like Naples, Melbourne, Tampa, Pensacola, Jacksonville, and Orlando. These may be pricey because they are more populated areas. 

Now let’s get to the fun part. Where is the cheapest place to buy land in Florida? Hernando County, Florida is the cheapest area to buy land in currently. The lowest price per acre is under $4,000.

Whether you are looking to grow crops, raise livestock, or have a vacation home, Florida is a great place for you to start looking for undeveloped land.