How Big Is an Acre Visually and How Much Does It Cost

 

If you’re interested in learning more about acreage, you might be looking for details on how to depict the dimensions of one acre. Grasping the exact size of a one-acre plot of land can be challenging as it’s just so large. To help you, we’ll go over some easy ways to visualize an acre. Similarly, if you’re looking to purchase a plot of land, you may also be interested in learning how much the price per acre by zip code costs.

Since the answer isn’t exactly straightforward, we’ll explore a few perspectives on the subject.

How Big Is an Acre Visually?

One acre is 43,560 square feet or 4,046.86 square meters. An acre is also comparable to 4,840 square yards or 0.405 hectares. It is the same as 0.01 square furlongs and 0.002 square miles.

But what do such figures indicate? You probably don’t understand what an acre truly represents. The simplest way to understand how big is an acre visually is is to visualize a football field. A 48,000-square-foot American football field is just 10% larger than an acre. So, to better visualize an acre, imagine 90% of a football field.

Additionally, about 18 homes of 2,400 square feet would be enough to cover one acre of land. Similarly, 15 and a half tennis courts would just about fill an acre as each is 2,800 square feet. Finally, you could fit 242 back-to-back parking spaces on an acre if they were the standard size of 10 feet by 18 feet (180 square feet).

How Much Is an Acre of Land Worth?

According to a study, there are about 1.9 billion acres of land in the United States valued at close to $23 trillion. This means that the average price per one acre is about $12,000.

However, there’s no way to generalize how much is an acre of land is worth or to accurately predict land price per acre without getting much more specific. The US Department of Agriculture has regularly tracked farmland land values since the 19th century. On the other hand, determining the value of urban land, typically transacted as part of a bundle that includes building and other improvements, can be a bit challenging. In other words, it’s difficult to comprehend the worth of the land itself because we often purchase it along with houses or other buildings.

Price Per Acre by Zip Code

To help you understand better the value of an acre, take a look at the states with the lowest land value per acre:

Wyoming — $1,558

New Mexico — $1,931

Nevada — $2,116

South Dakota —  $2,135

Montana — $2,283

North Dakota — $2,517

Nebraska — $2,936

Idaho — $3,435

Kansas — $4,220

Arizona — $4,328

The states with the highest land value per acre include:

New Jersey — $196,410

Rhode Island — $133,730

Connecticut — $128,824

Massachusetts — $102,214

Maryland — $75,429

Delaware — $57,692

New York — $41,314

California — $39,092

Ohio — $32,077

Pennsylvania — $31,923

Influences on the Price Per Acre by Zip Code

The level of land development is the primary determinant of its value. However, there are other important factors that affect the cost of land per acre:

• Location — The location significantly impacts how much is an acre of land is worth due to supply and demand. Land on the East or West Coast is usually the most valuable. Also, land in metropolitan regions is typically more valuable than land in rural or suburban areas.

• Infrastructure — Aside from the location and development of the specific area, the accessibility of the land matters for its value. Are the roads paved? Are there sewers? Does it have a grid? All these are important variables that influence the land’s value.

• Land’s use — The type of land and how it can be used significantly impacts its worth. Topography plays a significant role here. For instance, earthquake readiness or other environmental considerations can be a key factor to determine if you can build a house.
• Economic activity — Like a house, the value of land fluctuates based on the state of the market. So, you can expect that the land in busy areas would cost more.

• The view — Even when two pieces of land are next to one another, one might be worth more than the other due to its astonishing views.

The Price per Acre of Residential Land

If you’re planning to build a home on a currently empty plot of land or a plot with a structure ready to be taken down, you might want to learn the price per acre of residential land. Here’s the price per acre by zip code, according to data from a study that considered millions of appraisals between 2012 and 2019.

The cheapest land price per acre by zip code:

Mississippi, $39,400

Arkansas, $47,200

West Virginia, $53,800

Alabama, $63,200

Indiana, $72,200

Oklahoma, $76,800

Tennessee, $78,900

Kentucky, $82,500

Kansas, $88,300

Iowa, $89,100

The most expensive land price per acre by zip code:

District of Columbia, $4,140,100

New York, $2,163,600

Hawaii, $2,049,200

California, $1,832,300

New Jersey, $689,000

Massachusetts, $573,000

Washington, $450,800

Maryland, $435,800

Colorado, $416,400

Oregon, $413,200

The Price of Farmland per Acre

According to Land Values 2020 Summary, the average farm real estate value in the US is $3,160 per acre. This number had risen 73% since 2006, when the average came in at $1,830 per acre parcel.

Farmland Price per Acre by Zip Code

Mountain (CO, AZ, MT, NV, ID, UT, NM, WY) — $1,240

Southern Plains (TX, OK) — $2,110

Northern Plains (NE, KS, SD, ND) — $2,120

Delta States (AK, MS, LA) — $3,130

Southeast (AL, GA, FL, SC) — $4,120

Appalachian (NC, KY, VA, TN, WV) — $4,140

Lake States (MN, MI, WI) — $4,860

Northeast (CT, ME, MD, NJ, VT, MA, DE, NH,  PA, NY, RI) —  $5,710

Pacific (CA, WA, OR) — $5,910

Corn Belt (IL, IA, IN, OH, MO) — $6,110

Final Thoughts

One acre of land is quite large. It may comfortably fit five single-family residences as the median lot size for new single-family dwellings is 0.19 acres. Also, you can build 242 parking spaces or 16 tennis courts. When it comes to value, keep in mind that location, development, infrastructure, the intended use of the land, and local economic activity are the most important factors.