Rural land prices around Dallas vary wildly depending on where you look. You might pay a few thousand per acre for tracts an hour outside the city, or you could be looking at over $100,000 per acre for property closer to downtown and the suburbs. The difference comes down to location and what the land offers.
The Dallas metro continues to expand. Population growth drives demand up while available land diminishes. This creates competition among buyers and drives prices higher across the region. People ask us all the time how much rural land costs in and around Dallas, Texas, and the answer really depends on what you need the property for. At HRC, we work with clients seeking everything from big Texas ranches to recreational land to lakefront ranches. If you are checking out Texas land for sale in the area, we can help you sort through options that match your budget and plans.
Rural Land Prices Around DFW
Land prices differ significantly between urban Dallas and the surrounding rural counties. There is little rural land remaining within Dallas County. The median price for land listings in Dallas County ranges from $77,659 to $130,536 per acre, based on current market data, reflecting limited availability of urban and suburban land.
For buyers looking at rural land near Dallas, North Texas dry cropland and pasture values range from $6,000 to $12,000 per acre according to the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. Recreational tracts, especially smaller acreage tracts, can far exceed the cropland and pasture values. Hardwood timberland in the area runs lower at $3,500 to $5,500 per acre. These values reflect market conditions from 2024 and have stayed fairly stable.
The broader Northeast Texas region, which the Texas Real Estate Research Center tracks as one of seven market areas in the state, averaged $8,419 per acre for rural land sales in the first quarter of 2025. This regional average covers mixed rural land types across a large area. Texas statewide rural land prices hit $4,827 per acre in the first quarter of 2025, up 2.68 percent from the previous year.
What Drives Land Prices Higher
The Dallas-Fort Worth metro area continues to add jobs and population. Texas Workforce Commission data shows the state labor force hit new records in jobs and the size of the civilian workforce in 2025, with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas estimating state jobs will increase 2 percent in 2025. The DFW area continues to attract companies and workers, driving demand for land and housing.
Highway improvements open up areas that previously felt too far from the city. When new roads are built, land values along those corridors tend to rise. Industrial parks and distribution centers follow the highways, which brings more jobs and more demand for nearby property.
People moving from higher-cost states continue to drive demand. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, Texas had the largest numeric gain in domestic migration in 2024, with 85,267 people moving in from other states (more than they moved out). California and New York were the top sources of people moving to Texas in 2023, with nearly 612,000 people moving into Texas that year.
Agricultural land holds value because of tax benefits. Properties with active agricultural use qualify for exemptions that can significantly reduce property taxes. Many buyers of rural land appreciate this benefit, even if they are not planning to develop immediately.
How Land Use Changes What You Pay
What you plan to do with the land changes what you pay. Agricultural tracts for grazing or crops typically run on the lower end. These qualify for AG exemptions if you meet county requirements for active use, like running cattle or growing hay.
Recreational land with lakes, creeks, timber, and good topography tends to command higher prices. These types of recreational properties are in high demand. A tract with mature hardwoods or significant fishable water commands a premium over flat pasture.
Development-ready land is priced at the top of the range. Properties with utilities, paved access, and proper zoning cost the most because you can build on them right away. No need to drill wells, extend power lines, or wait on permits.
Affordable Options Within An Hour
You can still find good rural land within an hour of Dallas if you know where to look. Kaufman, Van Zandt, Ellis, and Hunt counties offer more acreage for less money compared to areas closer in.
Van Zandt County sits about an hour east of Dallas. The median price for land listings there runs around $18,619 per acre based on the 2025 market data. Good highway access via Interstate 20 and Highway 80 keeps commute times reasonable. You find open pasture, wooded acreage, and recreational properties at prices well below the Dallas suburbs.
Kaufman County, southeast of Dallas, runs even lower in some areas. Ellis County to the southwest and Hunt County to the northeast follow similar patterns. All four give you space and lower density while keeping Dallas accessible.
Expanding your land search to a two-hour radius from Dallas significantly broadens your options and opens the door to counties such as Henderson, Anderson, Rains, Wood, Hopkins, Fannin, Cooke, Montague, Wise, Palo Pinto, Jack, Bosque County, and others. The areas in and around these counties can provide more acreage, greater privacy, and better overall value compared to properties closer to the Metroplex.
What These Counties Offer
Properties in these areas give you room to spread out. Some tracts run 20 to 50 acres with good fencing and ponds already in place. Others are raw, large-acreage tracts where you build from scratch. You find cattle operations, small horse properties, hunting land, and homesites on larger lots. People buying here want to avoid suburban restrictions and high costs while staying close enough to the city for work or supplies.
We help clients match properties to their plans. A buyer wanting pasture for horses needs different land than someone looking for timber and hunting ground. These counties have both.
Due Diligence Checklist
Verify these basics before you close the deal.
- Zoning and access. Call the county planning office to confirm the property’s zoning. Make sure there is legal road access or a recorded easement.
- Water and utilities. Rural land often needs wells and septic systems. Check whether power lines serve the property or if you need to pay for extensions.
- Flood zones and restrictions. Properties in floodplains face building restrictions and higher insurance costs. Read the deed for any restrictions on mobile homes or building standards. Could include reservations for wind, water, and solar.
- Agricultural exemption rules. Each county sets different requirements for ag exemptions. Talk to the county appraisal district about what is required to qualify and maintain the exemption. Typically, this is a list of 7 items, and you must complete 5 of 7.
- Long-term potential. Look at what is happening nearby. New roads or developments can boost values over time. Properties in the path of growth appreciate faster. In rural areas, development can be detrimental, as people move to escape it.
How We Help Buyers Find The Right Property
We focus on helping buyers find land that fits what they actually need. Some clients want working ranches for cattle, while others seek recreational land. We ask questions about plans, budget, and what features matter most before showing properties.
We are familiar with the counties surrounding Dallas and which areas offer the best value. Our job is to match clients with properties that make sense for them. If you are looking for acreage near Dallas, connect with the land brokers and agents at Hortenstine Ranch Company, and we will help you find something that works.
References
Texas Farm Credit. (2024, September 2). Texas Land Pricing Guide. Retrieved from https://texasfarmcredit.com/resources/texas-land-pricing-guide/
Texas Real Estate Research Center. (2025). Texas Rural Land Markets: First Quarter 2025. Retrieved from https://trerc.tamu.edu/article/texas-rural-land-markets-first-quarter-2025/
American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, Texas Chapter. Texas Rural Land Value Trends. Retrieved from https://www.txasfmra.com/rural-land-trends
Land.com. Dallas County, Texas Land Market Insights. Retrieved from https://www.land.com/Dallas-County-TX/
David, J. E. (2025, July 3). Payrolls report: D-FW jobs market keeps on rolling. The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved from https://www.dallasnews.com/business/jobs/2025/07/03/payrolls-report-d-fw-jobs-market-keeps-on-rolling/
U.S. Census Bureau. (2024, December 19). Net International Migration Drives Highest U.S. Population Growth in Decades. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/population-estimates-international-migration.html