May 2025 Farmland Market Update: Is Now the Right Time to Buy or Sell?

May 2025 Farmland Market Update: Is Now the Right Time to Buy or Sell?

🤝 The Iowa farmland market continues to evolve as we head into the summer of 2025. This month’s data shows shifting prices, rising interest in lower-quality land, and one of the tightest inventory periods we’ve seen in recent years. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell, timing and strategy are key. Here’s what May had to offer.

Auction activity slowed slightly, with 23 farmland auctions recorded in May 2025—down from 33 in May 2024. This reflects a tighter supply of available land and increased competition among buyers.

High-quality farmland is now averaging $11,300 per acre, down from $13,818 earlier this year. Many buyers view this as a strategic entry point into premium ground. Medium-quality farmland remains steady, with consistent demand keeping prices stable. Meanwhile, low-quality farmland is seeing upward momentum, increasing to $6,009 per acre from $5,300—indicating investor confidence in long-term appreciation. 📈 What This Means for Sellers: With inventory low and demand staying strong, it’s a great time to sell farmland. Auctions are producing excellent results for sellers, especially those offering high-CSR or well-located tracts. Even marginal ground is drawing serious interest thanks to rising commodity prices and continued confidence in farmland as a long-term asset.

🤔 Ready to Talk Farmland?

Whether you’re considering a sale, exploring investment opportunities, or just keeping an eye on the market, we’re here to help you make informed decisions.

📞 Call us at 515-996-5263 or contact us here to get started.

📊 For a detailed breakdown of regional pricing and auction activity, check out the graphs below. 👇

David & Ann Whitaker | Iowa Land Guy When you think of Farmland Think of US!

The image shows a bar chart with orange bars representing monthly revenue data from June 2024 to May 2025
This bar chart for May 2025 auctions compares the number of auctions conducted each month in 2025 (orange bars) versus 2025 (green bars).
This image is a map of Iowa divided into crop reporting districts, displaying land value trends from May 2024 to May 2025
An analysis of Iowa farmland sales from Jan 2025 through June 2025 by crop reporting district, showing high, medium, and low land prices per acre, along with corresponding CSR2 ratings across key regions including Northwest, North Central, Southeast, and others.