Farmland rents average $188 an acre as soil history drives leases

State-level farmland cash rents rose across the board this year, with Ohio posting the highest average in the region at $188 an acre, followed by Michigan at $157 and Maryland $136. Pennsylvania averaged $112 and New York $89.50, both up from 2025; Delaware averaged $133.

The national average for cropland cash rent was $160 an acre, down $1 from last year. Irrigated cropland averaged $244, unchanged, while pastureland averaged $16.50, up $1.

The published USDA figures do not specify collection dates, sampling design or reporting window; tenants should verify NASS data before comparing offers.

What does the rent number leave out?

Donald Maring farms 1,350 acres in Carroll County, Maryland, nearly all of them leased. Competition for land intensified over the past two years, he said.

“A lot of my rents, I’ve raised myself over the years just to try to keep everybody happy, knowing there are people who will pay more,” Maring said.

Most of his landlords have known him for decades, and some previously leased land to his father. They know he treats the ground as his own, completes needed work, and plows driveways or removes snow when asked.

Commodity prices and rising input costs shape those bids and the tenant’s operating margin. Maring says he has never reneged on a voluntary rent increase and has walked away from only one agreement over money.

In that case, during the 1990s, he reached year five of a five-year lease. When the owner wanted more money, Maring declined and told him to find another tenant; the distant, nice parcel was not worth the added cost.

For Maring, distance and field layout also matter. His first question before signing is who farmed the land before.

“Because that tells me what the soil health is going to be like. If they’ve depleted it, it’s going to cost a fortune for three or four years to get it productive again,” Maring said.

Some landowners do not view depleted soil as their responsibility, leaving tenants to educate them about recovery costs. The lowest advertised rent is not always the best deal, and the highest is not always a bad one.

For Maring, field history and landlord trust can outweigh a lower headline rent.

What should tenants check before signing?

Michigan State University Extension compiled 10 checks for experienced farmers evaluating a lease:

• Soil nutrient content: Determine whether a recent soil test exists.
• Crop productivity index: Consult the Natural Resources Conservation Service survey that compares soil productivity with other soil types.
• Cropping history: Identify crops planted during the past 10 years, plus base acres and yields.
• Crop production yields: Require documented results.
• Herbicide application history: Review applications because they can constrain future crop-rotation options.
• Drainage tile: Check spacing, type, installation date, and maps of lines and outlets.
• Surface drainage: Confirm grass waterways exist where needed, remain in repair and have no washouts.
• Field size: Count the tillable acres.
• Access and obstructions: Note telephone poles, stone piles, narrow drives and buildings, plus proximity to schools, busy roads or rural areas.
• Wildlife risk: Assess potential deer or other wildlife damage.

The list makes soil condition and field records part of the rent negotiation, not details to settle afterward.

Which tools can guide the research?

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service cash-rents tool lets users select geographical regions and years. In most cases, results include irrigated and nonirrigated cropland rates and pastureland rates. Some states run separate cash-rental surveys.

Western Ohio Cropland Values and Cash Rents is online, with northwest and southwest Ohio summaries. NY Farmland Finder offers a checklist for pricing rented acres and a leasing guide. Iowa State Extension’s Ag Decision Maker offers a cash-rental calculation guide.

The tools establish a starting range, not a substitute for field inspection.

How wide are the county rent gaps?

County-level cash rents, per acre, show how sharply rates vary within a state, and irrigated land commands a premium. Maryland’s Kent County averaged $282 for irrigated land, while Queen Anne’s County averaged $259.

• Michigan: Irrigated leaders were Bay at $325, Kalamazoo at $325, St. Joseph at $321, Cass at $280 and Gratiot at $264. Nonirrigated leaders were Huron at $239, Tuscola at $222, Ionia at $196, Gratiot at $186 and Bay at $185. Lowest rates were Alger, $20; Delta, $19.50; Mackinac, $19.50; Emmet, $18; and Luce, $17.50.
• New York: Suffolk was $146, Livingston $141, Cayuga $133, Genesee $131 and Orleans $128. Lowest were Tioga, $49; Jefferson, $49; Otsego, $48.50; Essex, $45; and Schoharie, $38.
• Ohio: Leaders were Shelby, $256; Hardin, $250; Clark, $247; Fayette, $240; and Madison, $237. Lowest were Harrison, $50.50; Lawrence, $50.50; Noble, $47.50; Jefferson, $45.50; and Belmont, $26.50.
• Pennsylvania: Leaders were Lancaster, $289; Lebanon, $206; Chester, $199; Blair, $175; and York, $166. Lowest were Sullivan, $25.50; Potter, $21.50; McKean, $18.50; Susquehanna, $17.50; and Wayne, $15.

The spread within states makes a statewide average a weak substitute for county and field data.

As next year’s leasing season approaches, tenants should pull county data, demand soil and drainage records, price each field’s condition and, where the market allows, treat the landowner relationship as part of the deal. For Maring, knowing who farmed the land remains the starting point.