Brown County, Illinois Farmland Sales: 2023–2026 Market Analysis
The Land Sleuth
Brown County's 93 verified sales reveal a thinly traded market with dramatic price swings — from $1,150 to $35,714/acre. Lee Township averages $10,563/acre and premium Mount Sterling Township ground (PI 138) cleared $19,200/acre in 2024. The county's bluff and timber land supports a robust recreational premium alongside its agricultural market.
Brown County, Illinois Farmland Sales: 2023–2026 Market Analysis
Brown County occupies a unique position in Illinois West District: it is the smallest county in the dataset by transaction volume yet produces some of the most dramatic price swings of any market in the region. With 93 courthouse-verified sales from 2023 through early 2026, Brown County's data tells the story of a thinly traded market where individual high-quality parcels can move the county average by thousands of dollars per acre in a single year — and where buyers willing to pay for premium ground have consistently found it available.
Market Overview
Brown County's price history is defined by volatility rather than the steady appreciation seen in higher-volume neighbors like Hancock or McDonough. After 9 sales averaged $8,377/acre in 2023, the market absorbed 28 transactions in 2024 at a lower $7,650/acre average — a 8.7% decline that reflects the county's mix of lower-PI ground coming to market. The 2025 market rebounded sharply to $8,560/acre on 40 sales, driven by several high-quality parcels with PI scores above 130. Early 2026 data (16 sales) has softened to $7,499/acre with a notably lower average PI of 82.8, suggesting that the 2026 market is currently dominated by lower-quality parcels.
| Year | Sales | Avg $/Acre | Min $/Acre | Max $/Acre | Avg PI | Total Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 9 | $8,377 | $1,800 | $24,010 | 96.2 | 959 |
| 2024 | 28 | $7,650 | $1,150 | $19,200 | 89.2 | 3,331 |
| 2025 | 40 | $8,560 | $3,722 | $35,714 | 92.5 | 5,242 |
| 2026 | 16 | $7,499 | $2,177 | $9,566 | 82.8 | 1,963 |
The county's average PI of 92.5 in 2025 and 82.8 in 2026 reflects a fundamental characteristic of Brown County's land base: the county sits on the western edge of the Illinois River bluff system, where highly productive upland soils are interspersed with steep, timbered ground that carries low PI scores. This mixed-quality profile means that county-wide averages are less meaningful here than in flatter counties, and individual parcel analysis is essential for accurate valuation.
Productivity Index Context
Brown County's overall average PI of approximately 90 places it in the lower tier of Illinois West District counties, but this average masks significant variation. The county's best upland soils — found primarily in Lee, Buckhorn, and Mount Sterling townships — carry PI scores of 100–140 and command prices that compete with premium ground in higher-PI counties. The county's lower-PI ground (PI 70–85), concentrated in the bluff and timber areas, trades at $3,000–$6,000/acre and represents the majority of transactions by volume.
This bimodal distribution is the defining feature of Brown County's market. Buyers seeking high-quality row-crop ground can find it here, but they must compete for a limited inventory of premium parcels. Buyers seeking lower-cost agricultural land with timber or recreational value have a much larger pool to choose from.
Township Breakdown
Brown County's 93 sales span nine townships, with Buckhorn leading in transaction volume. The township-level data reveals the county's quality gradient, with Lee and Mount Sterling townships commanding the highest prices:
| Township | Sales | Avg $/Acre | Avg PI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee | 9 | $10,563 | 102.8 |
| Mount Sterling | 5 | $9,662 | 98.3 |
| Missouri | 9 | $9,262 | 82.5 |
| Buckhorn | 20 | $8,983 | 85.0 |
| Mt. Sterling | 6 | $9,232 | 102.2 |
| Cooperstown | 13 | $6,886 | 94.1 |
| Elkhorn | 10 | $6,812 | 80.9 |
| Pea Ridge | 9 | $6,646 | 87.6 |
| Versailles | 11 | $5,971 | 90.3 |
Lee Township's $10,563/acre average on a PI of 102.8 is the highest in the county, reflecting the concentration of the county's best upland soils in the township's northern portions. Missouri Township's $9,262/acre average on a PI of only 82.5 is an outlier — the $35,714/acre sale discussed below is driving that average significantly above what the township's soil quality alone would predict.
Notable Sales
Brown County's most remarkable transaction is a 2025 Missouri Township sale: a 30.8-acre parcel with PI 78 sold for $35,714/acre — the highest price per acre in the entire Brown County dataset and well above any comparable agricultural sale in the county. The buyer, JKG LLC, and the seller, The Whitetail Group, suggest this transaction reflects recreational or hunting land value rather than pure agricultural productivity. At PI 78, this parcel would typically trade in the $4,000–$6,000/acre range for agricultural use; the $35,714/acre price implies a recreational premium of roughly $900,000 on a 30-acre parcel.
Excluding recreational outliers, the county's top agricultural transactions are concentrated in Mount Sterling and Buckhorn townships. A 2024 Mount Sterling Township sale (167.9 acres, PI 138.5) cleared $19,200/acre — the highest agricultural price in the dataset — and a companion 2024 sale (153 acres, PI 133.9) reached $17,700/acre. Both were sold by Hendrick Fm LLC, suggesting a planned liquidation of high-quality farm ground by a single operator.
Market Dynamics
Brown County's thin market — 93 sales over four years, compared to 167 in Hancock or 154 in McDonough — means that a handful of high-quality sales or recreational transactions can significantly distort annual averages. Appraisers and lenders working in Brown County should weight individual comparable sales carefully and be alert to the recreational premium that timber and bluff ground commands in this market.
The county's proximity to Quincy (the regional hub, 25 miles northwest) and its access to the Illinois River corridor make it attractive to both agricultural buyers and recreational investors. The Illinois River bottomlands along the county's eastern border are among the most productive waterfowl and deer hunting grounds in the state, which supports a robust recreational land market that operates independently of agricultural values.
Outlook
Brown County's 2026 early data (16 sales at $7,499/acre, avg PI 82.8) suggests that the current market is dominated by lower-quality parcels. If the pattern from prior years holds, the county's premium agricultural ground (PI 120+) will come to market later in the year and push the annual average higher. The county's 93 verified sales provide a sufficient dataset for regional appraisers, but the wide price range ($1,150 to $35,714/acre) requires careful parcel-level analysis rather than reliance on county averages.
All sales data is courthouse-verified from Brown County, Illinois recorder records. Productivity Index (PI) values are sourced from Illinois soil survey data. Analysis covers 93 arm's-length sales from 2023 through early 2026.
Browse all Brown County sales on LandSleuth.
Written by
Greg Conrad
The Land Sleuth
Greg Conrad has spent more than a decade sourcing courthouse-verified farmland sales data across Iowa. LandSleuth is built on that same standard of accuracy — every record verified, every price real.
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Brown County, Illinois Farmland Sales: 2023–2026 Market Analysis
Brown County, Illinois Farmland Sales: 2023–2026 Market Analysis
Brown County occupies a unique position in Illinois West District: it is the smallest county in the dataset by transaction volume yet produces some of the most dramatic price swings of any market in the region. With 93 courthouse-verified sales from 2023 through early 2026, Brown County's data tells the story of a thinly traded market where individual high-quality parcels can move the county average by thousands of dollars per acre in a single year — and where buyers willing to pay for premium ground have consistently found it available.
Market Overview
Brown County's price history is defined by volatility rather than the steady appreciation seen in higher-volume neighbors like Hancock or McDonough. After 9 sales averaged $8,377/acre in 2023, the market absorbed 28 transactions in 2024 at a lower $7,650/acre average — a 8.7% decline that reflects the county's mix of lower-PI ground coming to market. The 2025 market rebounded sharply to $8,560/acre on 40 sales, driven by several high-quality parcels with PI scores above 130. Early 2026 data (16 sales) has softened to $7,499/acre with a notably lower average PI of 82.8, suggesting that the 2026 market is currently dominated by lower-quality parcels.
| Year | Sales | Avg $/Acre | Min $/Acre | Max $/Acre | Avg PI | Total Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 9 | $8,377 | $1,800 | $24,010 | 96.2 | 959 |
| 2024 | 28 | $7,650 | $1,150 | $19,200 | 89.2 | 3,331 |
| 2025 | 40 | $8,560 | $3,722 | $35,714 | 92.5 | 5,242 |
| 2026 | 16 | $7,499 | $2,177 | $9,566 | 82.8 | 1,963 |
The county's average PI of 92.5 in 2025 and 82.8 in 2026 reflects a fundamental characteristic of Brown County's land base: the county sits on the western edge of the Illinois River bluff system, where highly productive upland soils are interspersed with steep, timbered ground that carries low PI scores. This mixed-quality profile means that county-wide averages are less meaningful here than in flatter counties, and individual parcel analysis is essential for accurate valuation.
Productivity Index Context
Brown County's overall average PI of approximately 90 places it in the lower tier of Illinois West District counties, but this average masks significant variation. The county's best upland soils — found primarily in Lee, Buckhorn, and Mount Sterling townships — carry PI scores of 100–140 and command prices that compete with premium ground in higher-PI counties. The county's lower-PI ground (PI 70–85), concentrated in the bluff and timber areas, trades at $3,000–$6,000/acre and represents the majority of transactions by volume.
This bimodal distribution is the defining feature of Brown County's market. Buyers seeking high-quality row-crop ground can find it here, but they must compete for a limited inventory of premium parcels. Buyers seeking lower-cost agricultural land with timber or recreational value have a much larger pool to choose from.
Township Breakdown
Brown County's 93 sales span nine townships, with Buckhorn leading in transaction volume. The township-level data reveals the county's quality gradient, with Lee and Mount Sterling townships commanding the highest prices:
| Township | Sales | Avg $/Acre | Avg PI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee | 9 | $10,563 | 102.8 |
| Mount Sterling | 5 | $9,662 | 98.3 |
| Missouri | 9 | $9,262 | 82.5 |
| Buckhorn | 20 | $8,983 | 85.0 |
| Mt. Sterling | 6 | $9,232 | 102.2 |
| Cooperstown | 13 | $6,886 | 94.1 |
| Elkhorn | 10 | $6,812 | 80.9 |
| Pea Ridge | 9 | $6,646 | 87.6 |
| Versailles | 11 | $5,971 | 90.3 |
Lee Township's $10,563/acre average on a PI of 102.8 is the highest in the county, reflecting the concentration of the county's best upland soils in the township's northern portions. Missouri Township's $9,262/acre average on a PI of only 82.5 is an outlier — the $35,714/acre sale discussed below is driving that average significantly above what the township's soil quality alone would predict.
Notable Sales
Brown County's most remarkable transaction is a 2025 Missouri Township sale: a 30.8-acre parcel with PI 78 sold for $35,714/acre — the highest price per acre in the entire Brown County dataset and well above any comparable agricultural sale in the county. The buyer, JKG LLC, and the seller, The Whitetail Group, suggest this transaction reflects recreational or hunting land value rather than pure agricultural productivity. At PI 78, this parcel would typically trade in the $4,000–$6,000/acre range for agricultural use; the $35,714/acre price implies a recreational premium of roughly $900,000 on a 30-acre parcel.
Excluding recreational outliers, the county's top agricultural transactions are concentrated in Mount Sterling and Buckhorn townships. A 2024 Mount Sterling Township sale (167.9 acres, PI 138.5) cleared $19,200/acre — the highest agricultural price in the dataset — and a companion 2024 sale (153 acres, PI 133.9) reached $17,700/acre. Both were sold by Hendrick Fm LLC, suggesting a planned liquidation of high-quality farm ground by a single operator.
Market Dynamics
Brown County's thin market — 93 sales over four years, compared to 167 in Hancock or 154 in McDonough — means that a handful of high-quality sales or recreational transactions can significantly distort annual averages. Appraisers and lenders working in Brown County should weight individual comparable sales carefully and be alert to the recreational premium that timber and bluff ground commands in this market.
The county's proximity to Quincy (the regional hub, 25 miles northwest) and its access to the Illinois River corridor make it attractive to both agricultural buyers and recreational investors. The Illinois River bottomlands along the county's eastern border are among the most productive waterfowl and deer hunting grounds in the state, which supports a robust recreational land market that operates independently of agricultural values.
Outlook
Brown County's 2026 early data (16 sales at $7,499/acre, avg PI 82.8) suggests that the current market is dominated by lower-quality parcels. If the pattern from prior years holds, the county's premium agricultural ground (PI 120+) will come to market later in the year and push the annual average higher. The county's 93 verified sales provide a sufficient dataset for regional appraisers, but the wide price range ($1,150 to $35,714/acre) requires careful parcel-level analysis rather than reliance on county averages.
All sales data is courthouse-verified from Brown County, Illinois recorder records. Productivity Index (PI) values are sourced from Illinois soil survey data. Analysis covers 93 arm's-length sales from 2023 through early 2026.
Browse all Brown County sales on LandSleuth.