Story County Iowa Farmland Market — 2025 Year in Review

Story County occupies a unique position in Iowa's farmland market — home to Iowa State University and the state's most productive agricultural research corridor, it consistently commands some of the highest per-acre prices in the state. The county's 2025 market produced 47 courthouse-verified sales averaging $14,317 per acre, a -7.6% decline from 2024's $15,492 average and the second consecutive year of softening from the 2023 peak of $18,886 per acre. Despite two years of correction, Story County values remain 25% above their 2021 level of $11,420 per acre, and the county's exceptional land quality — 34 of 47 sales in 2025 were prime-ground transactions — continues to support a premium over neighboring Central Iowa counties.

The 2025 data reflects a market where the very best ground continues to attract extraordinary prices while the overall average moderates. The top transaction of the year — a 149.4-acre Franklin township parcel at $32,006 per acre — set a benchmark that few Iowa counties can match, and the second-highest sale at $30,000 per acre for a 154.6-acre Milford township tract confirms that institutional and investor demand for Story County's prime acres remains intense. The county's median of $13,913 per acre, close to the mean, suggests a relatively uniform distribution of quality across the year's transaction pool.

Year-by-Year Price Summary

2025 Market Analysis

The 47 sales recorded in Story County during 2025 confirm the county's status as one of Iowa's premier farmland markets. Prime ground (CSR2 75+) dominated the transaction pool with 34 of 47 sales averaging $15,372 per acre — a figure that would rank as exceptional in most Iowa counties. Good-quality ground (CSR2 55–74) averaged $11,191 across 10 sales, while the three fair-ground transactions averaged $12,768 per acre, likely reflecting location premiums near Ames or the county's transportation corridors. The concentration of prime-ground sales reflects Story County's exceptional soil base, which was shaped by the same glacial processes that created Iowa's most productive farmland.

The Franklin and Milford townships produced the year's most notable transactions, with multiple sales above $18,000 per acre. The Grant township sale at $28,799 per acre for an 80-acre parcel stands as the county's third-highest 2025 transaction and reflects the premium that buyers place on well-located, large-block prime ground. The county's proximity to Ames — and the associated demand from ISU-affiliated buyers, agricultural investors, and farm management companies — creates a buyer pool that is both deep and well-capitalized.

CSR2 Tier Breakdown — 2025

Top Transactions — 2025

Township Analysis

Franklin, Milford, and Grant townships led Story County in 2025, each producing multiple sales above $18,000 per acre. These townships sit in the county's agricultural core, away from the Ames urban influence, and their high rankings reflect genuine soil productivity rather than location premiums. The county's western townships, closer to Ames, tend to produce fewer but higher-profile transactions driven by a mix of agricultural and non-agricultural buyers. The township-level data is essential for accurate valuation in Story County, where a $5,000–$10,000 per acre spread between the best and average ground is common.

Market Outlook

Story County's farmland market appears to be finding a new equilibrium in the $13,000–$16,000 per acre range for typical prime ground, with exceptional parcels continuing to trade well above $20,000 per acre. The two-year correction from the 2023 peak has been measured and has not dampened buyer activity, as the 47-sale 2025 volume demonstrates. The county's exceptional land quality, strong agricultural infrastructure, and proximity to Iowa State University's research and extension network support a constructive long-term outlook. Sellers with prime ground in the Franklin, Milford, or Grant township areas should expect continued strong competition in 2026.