Des Moines County Iowa Farmland Sales: Strong Demand in 2026
LandSleuth — National Farmland Sales Database
Des Moines County farmland is trading at over $10,000/acre in early 2026, with the most recent sale closing at $14,437/acre. LandSleuth has 450 courthouse-verified sales on record. Here's what the data shows.
Des Moines County occupies the southeastern corner of Iowa at the confluence of the Iowa and Mississippi rivers, and its farmland market has been one of the state's most dynamic over the past five years. LandSleuth now has 450 courthouse-verified Des Moines County sales on record, spanning 1995 through February 2026 — providing appraisers, lenders, and investors with a deep well of comparable sale data for this competitive market.
The Long View
The all-time average price per acre across Des Moines County sales is $4,013/acre, with an average parcel size of 74.0 acres — one of the smaller average parcel sizes among Iowa counties, reflecting the county's mix of smaller tracts and its proximity to the river corridor. The county's average CSR2 of 66.7 is solidly above the statewide average, reflecting productive soils in the county's interior townships. Washington Township, with 55 sales averaging $4,497/acre, is home to some of the county's most productive ground.
Year-by-Year Trend (2020–2026)
| Year | Sales | Avg $/Acre | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 9 | $6,579 | $1,190–$12,300 |
| 2021 | 8 | $4,452 | $3,000–$8,800 |
| 2022 | 12 | $8,095 | $3,034–$13,331 |
| 2023 | 19 | $10,892 | $4,219–$28,500 |
| 2024 | 17 | $11,326 | $4,250–$16,839 |
| 2025 | 23 | $9,581 | $3,970–$16,524 |
| 2026 | 3 | $10,223 | $4,998–$14,437 |
The 2023 peak — driven in part by a $28,500/acre outlier transaction — was exceptional, but even setting that aside, the underlying trend shows Des Moines County values firmly establishing themselves in the $10,000+ range. The 2026 early average of $10,223/acre confirms that elevated pricing is holding into the new year.
Most Active Townships
Benton Township leads in transaction volume (56 sales, avg $3,117/acre), followed by Washington (55 sales, avg $4,497/acre), Franklin (47 sales, avg $3,213/acre), Pleasant Grove (43 sales, avg $3,222/acre), and Flint River (43 sales, avg $3,179/acre). Washington Township's higher average reflects the concentration of the county's most productive ground in that area.
The Most Recent Transactions
| Date | Acres | Sale Price | $/Acre | Township |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 20, 2026 | 22.5 | $112,450 | $4,998 | Tama |
| Feb 13, 2026 | 35.6 | $400,000 | $11,236 | Huron |
| Jan 16, 2026 | 99.4 | $1,435,000 | $14,437 | Pleasant Grove |
| Dec 11, 2025 | 36.0 | $475,632 | $11,891 | Benton |
| Dec 11, 2025 | 192.0 | $2,074,368 | $6,432 | Huron/Benton |
The January 2026 Pleasant Grove Township sale — 99.4 acres at $14,437/acre — is one of the highest per-acre transactions in Des Moines County's recent history, reflecting strong demand for the county's best tillable ground. The range between the February Tama Township sale ($4,998/acre) and the January Pleasant Grove sale ($14,437/acre) illustrates the significant variation in land quality within the county.
What This Means for Appraisers and Lenders
Des Moines County's position at the confluence of two major river systems creates a unique farmland market with significant variation between the county's interior tillable ground and its river-corridor parcels. The LandSleuth database provides 450 courthouse-verified comparable sales going back to 1995, with full legal descriptions, parcel IDs, CSR2 scores, and buyer/seller information for each transaction.
Search all Des Moines County farmland sales on LandSleuth →
All price data cited in this article is sourced from LandSleuth's courthouse-verified sales database. Figures represent arm's-length transactions only.
Explore Neighboring Counties
LandSleuth has courthouse-verified farmland sales data for all of Iowa's 99 counties. Explore the markets neighboring Des Moines County:
Written by
greg conrad
LandSleuth publishes courthouse-verified farmland sales data and market analysis for appraisers, lenders, farm managers, and investors across America.
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