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 an acre 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 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 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.