Selling Farmland in Texas: 2026 Values, Water, Ag Valuation and CRP
Texas cropland averages $2,790 an acre in 2026 and pasture $2,420, per USDA, but your region sets the real number. Here is what farmland is worth, whether the groundwater goes with it, what happens to the ag valuation and a CRP contract when you sell, and what to gather first.
Updated Nov 4, 2026 · By the Twin Sun Land Company team
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The short version
- 2026 USDA: cropland $2,790 an acre (irrigated $3,500, dry $2,700), pasture $2,420.
- The landowner owns the groundwater as real property (Water Code § 36.002); check it was never severed.
- The sale doesn’t end the ag valuation; a change of use triggers a 3-year rollback (Tax Code § 23.55).
- CRP: the buyer can take over; no successor in 60 days means refunds (7 CFR § 1410.51).
- Gather tax, FSA, lease, water and mineral records before you list.
What is Texas farmland worth per acre in 2026?
USDA puts Texas cropland at $2,790 an acre in 2026, up 3.0 percent, and pasture at $2,420, up 5.2 percent. Irrigated cropland averages $3,500 and dry cropland $2,700. All farm real estate, buildings included, averages $3,100. Region matters far more than the state average.
| Texas, per acre | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farm real estate (land and buildings) | $2,970 | $3,100 | +4.4% |
| All cropland | $2,710 | $2,790 | +3.0% |
| Irrigated cropland | $3,380 | $3,500 | +3.6% |
| Non-irrigated cropland | $2,620 | $2,700 | +3.1% |
| Pasture | $2,300 | $2,420 | +5.2% |
Source: USDA NASS, Land Values 2026 Summary (July 31, 2026), Texas rows. These are survey averages of farm and ranch land, not sale prices.
For your part of the state, see Texas land prices per acre by region. Land near Austin, San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth or Houston often sells for far more than the farm average, because buyers are paying for future homes, not crops.
Does the groundwater go with Texas farmland when I sell?
By default, yes. Texas law says a landowner owns the groundwater below the land as real property, with the right to drill for and produce it (Water Code § 36.002). It passes with the land unless the deed or an earlier conveyance split it off. Local groundwater districts can still limit pumping.
That is why irrigated cropland averages $800 an acre more than dry cropland in USDA’s 2026 numbers. Before you price irrigated land, check three things: whether a past owner sold or leased the water rights, which groundwater district covers the land and what it allows, and the permits and well records that go with the wells. Tell the title company early if anything was ever severed.
What happens to the ag valuation when Texas farmland is sold?
The sale alone does not end it. A new buyer generally must apply for open-space valuation in their own name (Tax Code § 23.54), and if the land stops being farmed or ranched, a rollback tax for the 3 prior years comes due (§ 23.55). The standard TREC contract puts that bill on the buyer if the buyer’s use triggers it.
If the buyer keeps farming or ranching it, nothing comes due. If the buyer will build homes, the rollback is real money, so settle it in the contract (TREC 9-18, paragraph 13B). The full rules, the 2019 and 2021 changes, and what happens when only part of a tract changes use: the Texas ag exemption and rollback tax. Land valued for wildlife management has two extra rules, a written plan and a minimum size after a split: selling land with a Texas wildlife valuation.
Can I sell Texas farmland that is enrolled in CRP?
Yes. The buyer can be approved to take over the CRP contract and must assume all of its obligations. If no new owner becomes a successor within 60 days, the contract ends for that land, and the seller forfeits future payments and must refund past payments plus interest and liquidated damages (7 CFR § 1410.51).
CRP is a federal program, so the rule is the same in every state. Call your county FSA office before you sign so the transfer starts on time, and write into the contract who takes over the CRP contract and by when.
What should I gather before selling Texas farmland?
The deed, the appraisal district account and tax statements, the FSA farm and tract numbers, any CRP contract, any grazing, farm or hunting lease, well and water records, and anything showing who owns the minerals. These answer a buyer’s first questions and speed up title.
- Tax records. The appraisal district shows the ag valuation and both values; the tax office shows whether anything is owed (behind on taxes?).
- FSA records. Tell the county FSA office about the sale so the farm records move to the new owner.
- Leases. A tenant’s written lease usually survives a sale; give the buyer a copy and settle this year’s rent and crop in the contract.
- Minerals. Decide whether they go with the land: mineral rights when you sell in Texas.
- Access. Confirm legal access to a public road (landlocked land in Texas).
How do I sell Texas farmland for cash?
Start with your region’s per-acre value, gather the records above, and get a written offer that says how the rollback, any CRP contract, the lease and this year’s crop or rent are handled. A cash buyer skips the appraisal and farm-loan approval that slow most farmland sales.
If you sell to us: We pay all closing costs (title, closing fee, notary and recording), and there is no commission. Texas has no transfer tax or deed stamps. Only a mortgage, liens or back taxes owed on the land come out of the sale proceeds, paid off by the title company at closing. We put the rollback, CRP and lease answers in writing before you sign. How selling land in Texas works · Texas land closing costs · Owner financing vs. cash in Texas.
Please note. General information, not legal advice. Laws change and every title is different, so confirm your situation with a Texas attorney or your county tax office before you act.
Who wrote this. Twin Sun Land Co. is a direct cash buyer of vacant and rural land in Oklahoma and Texas. We are one of the options on this page, so we have a stake in the answer. Our mission: Twin Sun Land Company exists to serve landowners: we make selling land simple, transparent, and fair, so every owner walks away with the most value their property can bring. The Texas rules here come from the Texas statutes linked in the sources.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an acre of farmland in Texas in 2026?
USDA’s 2026 averages are $2,790 an acre for cropland ($3,500 irrigated, $2,700 dry) and $2,420 for pasture. Your region can be far higher or lower.
Is pasture worth less than cropland in Texas?
On average, yes: $2,420 an acre for pasture vs. $2,790 for cropland in USDA’s 2026 survey. Pasture rose faster, up 5.2 percent.
Do water rights go with the land in Texas?
Groundwater does by default: the landowner owns it as real property (Water Code 36.002), unless it was split off by an earlier deed or lease.
Does selling Texas farmland trigger the rollback tax?
Not by itself. A 3-year rollback comes due if the land’s use changes (Tax Code 23.55); a new buyer generally must also reapply for the ag valuation (23.54).
Can I sell land that is in CRP?
Yes. The buyer can take over the contract. With no successor within 60 days, the seller refunds past payments plus interest and liquidated damages (7 CFR 1410.51).
Can I sell Texas farmland with a tenant on it?
Yes. Give the buyer a copy of the lease and settle this year’s rent and crop in the contract.
Sources
Values come from USDA’s Land Values 2026 Summary; the water rule from Texas Water Code § 36.002; the tax rules from the Texas Tax Code; the CRP rule from 7 CFR § 1410.51; read November 2, 2026. How to cite: Twin Sun Land Company team, “Selling Farmland in Texas,” Twin Sun Land Co., November 2026.
- Texas farm real estate, cropland (irrigated and non-irrigated) and pasture values, 2025-2026: USDA NASS: Land Values 2026 Summary
- A Texas landowner owns the groundwater below the land as real property: Water Code § 36.002
- CRP land sold: the buyer can take over the contract; with no successor in 60 days, payments are refunded: 7 CFR § 1410.51
- Open-space valuation: a new owner generally must apply; 3-year rollback on a change of use: Tax Code § 23.54, Tax Code § 23.55
- Contract default on who pays a rollback (para. 13B): TREC Unimproved Property Contract, TREC No. 9-18 (PDF)
More for Texas landowners
Last updated Nov 4, 2026. General information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
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