Iowa Farmland Market Holds Strong Through Harvest
As harvest wraps up across Iowa, the farmland market continues to show its strength. October stayed steady with solid auction activity, competitive bidding, and land values that continue to impress as we move toward year-end.
Auction Activity: Fewer Sales, Same Strong Demand
In October 2025, Iowa saw 109 farmland auctions, compared to 118 auctions a year ago. That’s a small drop from September’s big month, but the market still feels healthy. Buyers are showing up, sellers are getting solid prices, and the market remains active heading into November.
Simply put — farmland is still moving, and demand remains steady across all regions.
Farmland Values: High-Quality Acres Lead the Way
Prices held firm through October, with high-quality ground seeing a nice bump from September:
- High-quality land: $14,349/acre (up from $13,410 in September)
- Medium-quality land: $10,136/acre
- Low-quality land: $7,022/acre
Even though medium and lower-grade tracts softened a little, the top-end farms keep climbing — showing that buyers continue to chase the best dirt when it hits the market.
Regional Breakdown: Northeast & East Central Stay on Top
The strongest prices continue to come from Northeast and East Central Iowa, where high-quality farms are topping $16,000/acre.
Other regions are also holding their own:
- Northwest: $14,032/acre high | $13,554/acre medium
- Central: $13,014/acre high | $8,067/acre medium
- South Central: $10,300/acre high | $9,081/acre medium
- Southeast: $13,532/acre high | $10,195/acre medium
From top-notch row-crop ground to mixed-use and recreational tracts, there’s still a buyer for nearly every type of land.
What It Means for Landowners
The October data proves Iowa’s farmland market continues to perform. Top-quality farms are gaining value, and the rest of the market remains stable. If you’re thinking about selling, the window before the end of the year is still strong — buyers are out there and ready to compete.
For anyone looking to buy, there are still opportunities to secure acres before 2026 rolls in.
Have questions about your land’s value or what it could bring at auction?
Call us at 515-996-5263 or visit wmgauction.com.
12-month Iowa farmland value trends chart highlighting steady prices and strong demand through October 2025.
Chart showing monthly Iowa farmland auction activity, illustrating steady demand across 2025.
Iowa farmland market overview showing 12-month price performance and stability across all land quality levels.
