Mills County Iowa Farmland Sales: 2026 Market Update
The Land Sleuth
Mills County, located in Southwest Iowa, has a rich history of farmland transactions, with 616 courthouse-verified sales on record. This report updates market activity through early 2026, focusing on late 2025 trends due to limited current-year data.
Mills County, situated in Southwest Iowa within ISU District 7 (Missouri River bluffs region), has a robust history of farmland transactions. LandSleuth now has 616 courthouse-verified Mills County sales on record, providing a comprehensive dataset for appraisers, lenders, and investors seeking insights into this dynamic market. This report provides an update on market activity through early 2026, with a particular focus on trends observed in late 2025 due to limited 2026 year-to-date data.
Year-by-Year Trend (2021–2026)
| Year | Sales | Avg $/Acre | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4 | $6,929 | $4,564–$9,050 |
| 2022 | 17 | $8,460 | $5,593–$12,100 |
| 2023 | 26 | $10,729 | $6,500–$18,000 |
| 2024 | 24 | $13,647 | $3,233–$38,762 |
| 2025 | 20 | $11,435 | $6,323–$27,083 |
| 2026 YTD | 1 | $5,882 | $5,882 |
Mills County experienced a significant upward trend in average farmland values from 2021 to 2024, peaking at an average of $13,647 per acre in 2024. This period saw a substantial increase in sales volume, indicating strong market demand. However, 2025 marked a notable shift, with average prices declining by 16.2% year-over-year to $11,435 per acre. The single sale recorded in 2026 YTD, at $5,882 per acre, is insufficient to establish a definitive trend for the current year, making late 2025 activity the most relevant indicator of the recent market.
CSR2 Tier Analysis
Analyzing sales by Corn Suitability Rating (CSR2) tiers provides a deeper understanding of how land quality influences pricing. In 2025, higher CSR2 land (75+) commanded an average of $13,263 per acre across 8 sales, while land in the 55-74 CSR2 range averaged $10,455 per acre over 11 sales. Lower CSR2 land (<55) saw one sale at $7,595 per acre. The single 2026 YTD sale was in the CSR2 55-74 range, at $5,882 per acre.
Top Transactions
Top 5 Sales in 2025
| Date | Township | Acres | $/Acre | CSR2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21 | White Cloud Twp | 23.6 | $27,083 | 76.0 |
| Jun 6 | Anderson Twp | 89 | $16,766 | 65.2 |
| Apr 24 | Silver Creek Twp | 22.72 | $14,960 | 83.9 |
| Dec 10 | Indian Creek Twp | 99 | $14,109 | 74.1 |
| Aug 14 | Glenwood Twp | 92.3 | $12,396 | 80.0 |
Top Sale in 2026 YTD
| Date | Township | Acres | $/Acre | CSR2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 3 | Indian Creek Twp | 16.6 | $5,882 | 56.3 |
The top sales in 2025 highlight significant activity across various townships, with White Cloud Township recording a high-value transaction at $27,083 per acre. The single 2026 YTD sale in Indian Creek Township, while important, does not yet provide enough data to draw conclusions about current year trends.
Township Analysis
Township-level averages for 2025 reveal localized market dynamics within Mills County. White Cloud Township led with an average of $15,582 per acre, followed by Anderson Township at $12,385 per acre. Center, Rawles, and Glenwood Townships also showed active markets with averages of $10,832, $8,853, and $8,771 per acre, respectively. These variations underscore the importance of granular data when assessing farmland values in the county.
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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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