Adams County, Illinois Farmland Sales: 2023–2025 Market Analysis

Adams County holds the highest transaction volume in Illinois West District, with 133 arm's-length sales recorded from 2023 through early 2025. This depth of data makes Adams one of the most reliable benchmarks for western Illinois farmland values.

Market Overview

The county's average price per acre has shown resilience through a period of national interest rate pressure. After averaging $8,555/acre across 51 sales in 2023, the market absorbed a high volume of 71 transactions in 2024 at $8,425/acre — a modest 1.5% dip that reflects normalization rather than distress. Early 2025 data (11 sales through the first quarter) shows a rebound to $9,084/acre, a 7.8% year-over-year gain.

The wide spread between average and median prices in all three years reflects a two-tier market: a large body of mid-quality ground trading in the $6,000–$8,000 range, and a premium tier of high-PI parcels in Liberty, Houston, and Lima townships regularly clearing $12,000–$22,000/acre.

Productivity Index Context

Adams County's average Productivity Index (PI) of 102.9 places it in the lower-mid tier for western Illinois. The Illinois Productivity Index ranges from roughly 60 (poor, steep ground) to 147 (prime Class A bottomland), with 115 considered the threshold for "good" farmland. Adams County's PI profile reflects its diverse topography — rolling uplands with moderate productivity dominate, while the river-bottom townships carry significantly higher PI scores.

The PI tier breakdown for 2025 illustrates the premium commanded by higher-quality ground:

• High PI (130+): $12,400/acre average — 1 sale
• Mid PI (115–129): $15,750/acre average — 2 sales
• Low PI (<115): $7,003/acre average — 8 sales

Township Highlights

Township-level analysis of 2024–2025 combined sales reveals significant geographic variation within the county:

Houston Township leads at $13,229/acre average across 3 sales, reflecting the high-PI Mississippi River bottomland ground in the county's northwest corner. The November 2024 sale of 158.5 acres at $18,710/acre — a $2.9 million transaction — anchors this township's premium positioning.

Lima Township follows at $12,430/acre, with Liberty Township at $10,944/acre. Both townships benefit from proximity to the Mississippi River corridor and contain some of the county's most productive cropland.

Columbus Township shows the highest volume at 6 sales averaging $9,797/acre, making it the most liquid sub-market in the county for buyers seeking scale.

Notable 2025 Transactions

The highest-priced sale in early 2025 was an 83.2-acre Ursa Township parcel at $19,250/acre (PI 124.9), followed by two Liberty Township transactions at $12,400/acre and $12,250/acre. These sales confirm that well-located, mid-to-high PI ground in Adams County continues to attract competitive bidding despite the broader rate environment.

Outlook

Adams County's combination of high transaction volume, improving 2025 prices, and a well-established auction market suggests continued stability. The county's position as the most active market in Illinois West District makes it a reliable price discovery mechanism for the broader region. Buyers and lenders should expect continued bifurcation between the premium river-bottom tier and the more abundant upland ground.

Data sourced from Adams County, Illinois courthouse records. All sales are arm's-length transactions verified against deed records.