Illinois Farmland Prices October 2025: Auction Results & Market Trends
Welcome to Our Monthly Illinois Farmland Value Report
In this monthly report, Rachel Tiffany, Land Broker and Auctioneer dives into Illinois farmland values, helping you understand the factors that determine what your farm is potentially worth. Our goal as auctioneers and farmland real estate agents is to provide you with up-to-date information, recent sales data, expert insights, and tips for maximizing the potential value of your farmland sale. Let us answer the questions you have about selling farmland in Illinois. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Illinois Farmland Auction Results – October 2025 Market Update
Tracking Prices, Trends & Market Shifts Across Illinois Farmland Sales
Illinois farmland sales remained active in October with strong buyer demand, increased inventory, and continued sensitivity to interest rates. Below is a breakdown of September vs. October 2025, followed by a year-over-year comparison showing how this fall’s market stacks up to last year.
October 2025 Snapshot (80%+ Tillable Farms)
Illinois saw steady but slightly softer farmland activity in October, closing the month with:
-
Total Acres Sold: 7,935 acres
-
Number of Sales: 29
-
Average Price per Acre: $11,699.37/acre
-
Average Price per Tillable Acre: $12,217.00/acre
-
Average $/PI: $91.25 per PI point
-
Total Sales Volume: $73,376,793
While the month included a typical mix of high-quality and lower-quality ground, the market held firm on well-located tracts with strong productivity. The $/acre average was supported by several higher-tier sales, while larger low-PI tracts continued to pull the overall average slightly downward.
See the full results of all farmland sold by auction this month at the end of the blog, along with graphs showing 12 months of data on price per acre, total acres sold, and average dollars per PI each month.
High-End Sales
| County | Acres | Sale Price | $/Acre | PI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock | 43 | $749,070 | $17,400 | 136 |
| Pike | 115 | $1,904,595 | $16,500 | 129 |
| Henry | 91 | $1,475,965 | $16,300 | 141 |
| Pike | 79 | $1,235,364 | $15,600 | 122 |
| Henderson | 75 | $1,168,235 | $15,500 | 138 |
High-end sales were driven by:
-
Strong soil productivity (PI 120–140+)
-
Competitive bidding on well-drained tracts
-
Strong local operator demand
Low End Sales
| County | Acres | Sale Price | $/Acre | PI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin | 64 | $297,000 | $4,644 | 100 |
| Franklin | 41 | $189,000 | $4,664 | 105 |
| Alexander | 353 | $1,700,000 | $4,816 | 107 |
| Crawford | 41 | $245,000 | $6,012 | 97 |
| Greene | 5,618 | $47,729,392 | $8,496 | 118 |
Low-end sales were influenced by:
-
Lower PI soils
-
Southern Illinois location
-
Large, mixed-quality tracts or non-prime acres
-
Floodplain or wetland factors in certain counties
Month-to-Month Comparison
1. Volume jumped sharply in October
October brought almost 6x more acres sold than September (7,935 vs. 1,364).
This is typical as landowners aim to close before year-end for tax planning.
2. September had significantly higher $/acre
Despite lower volume, September’s average price per acre (~$15,160) was much higher, largely because:
-
Multiple premium sales (three at $18,900/acre in Rock County) lifted the average.
-
September sales skewed toward higher PI soils.
-
Fewer low-quality or large mixed tracts were included.
3. October includes wider variability
October had:
-
More southern Illinois and mixed PI tracts
-
Several large-acreage sales with modest soil scores
-
Many sales between $9,000–$12,500/acre
This pulled the average down to $11,699/acre, even though plenty of high-end sales still occurred ($16k–$17.4k).
4. Total sales volume naturally increased
Because October had so many more acres trading hands, total sales volume was over 3.5× higher than September.
| Month | Acres Sold | Total Sales | Avg $/Acre | Avg $/PI | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | 1,363.78 acres | $20,676,992 | ≈ $15,160/acre | $114/PI | Smaller volume, extremely strong high-end sales pushed averages up |
| October 2025 | 7,935 acres | $73,376,793 | $11,699.37/acre | $91.25/PI | Much larger volume, more mixed-quality ground brought averages down |
Key Takeaways
-
Volume surged in October—nearly six times higher than September.
-
September average prices were unusually strong due to several sales above $18,000/acre.
-
October saw more mixed-quality ground, including lower PI farms and large tracts that sold below $10,000/acre.
-
Despite a lower average, high-quality farms still fetched $15,000–$17,400/acre.
-
Strong operator demand continues to support the market.
Year Change: October 2024 to October 2025
This year’s October looked very different from October 2024.
2025 October
-
7,935 acres
-
$11,699/acre
-
$91.25 per PI
-
Total sales: $73.38M
2024 October
-
1,922.53 acres
-
$12,983/acre
-
$103.02 per PI
-
Total sales: $24.48M
Year-to-Year Market Changes
Acres Sold
-
↑ 313%
Massive increase in acres listed and sold this October compared to last year.
Average Price Per Acre
-
↓ 9.9%
Price Per PI
-
↓ 11.5%
Total Sales Volume
-
↑ 200%
High acreage volume drove a huge jump in total dollars exchanged.
Final Thoughts
What This Means for Landowners Considering Selling
The fall market continues to deliver strong demand and competitive pricing, especially for high-quality farms. As year-end approaches:
-
More land typically comes to market for tax and estate reasons
-
Buyers, especially operators, remain active and well-capitalized
-
Auction volume tends to stay strong through November, then taper in December
-
High-PI farmland is still commanding premium prices
-
Lower-PI or mixed tracts remain saleable, but with a wider range of outcomes
If you’re considering a sale in late 2025 or early 2026, current conditions continue to favor sellers—particularly those with well-located, high-quality farmland.
Illinois continues to show a resilient farmland market, even with shifting quality mixes and slight price softening. Buyers remain active, especially when opportunities arise on Class A and strong Class B soils. The surge in acres sold in October suggests landowners are timing the market before winter or taking advantage of strong demand, while the year-over-year comparison highlights how quickly supply levels can change across the state.
As always, Illinois farmland remains a long-term, stable asset—buyers are showing up, and sellers still have a solid window to move property at strong prices heading into winter.
Rachel Tiffany
Auctioneer & Land Broker
Email: [email protected] | Phone: 515-954-8063
Assessing Your Farm’s Worth:
Illinois Land Market Analysis Appraisal Technique
Curious what your farm could sell for? We prepare market analysis for each of our farmland sellers to help you discover and learn what your farm is worth from our market based research and expertise. Fill out our form here to request a market analysis of your Illinois farmland or call us at 402-739-8696
RECENT FARMLAND SALES IN ILLINOIS
| County | Date Sold | Total Acres | Total Price | $/Acre | Tillable Acres | % Tillable | $/Tillable Acre | Soil Score | $/PI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander | 10/05/2025 | 353 | $1,700,000 | $4,816 | 285 | 81 | $5,961 | 107 | $45.18 |
| Pike | 10/07/2025 | 79 | $1,235,364 | $15,600 | 78 | 98 | $15,858 | 122 | $128.40 |
| Franklin | 10/09/2025 | 41 | $189,000 | $4,664 | 33 | 80 | $5,810 | 105 | $44.42 |
| Crawford | 10/09/2025 | 41 | $245,000 | $6,012 | 37 | 91 | $6,625 | 97 | $62.11 |
| Franklin | 10/09/2025 | 64 | $297,000 | $4,644 | 63 | 99 | $4,693 | 100 | $46.58 |
| Bureau | 10/10/2025 | 82 | $1,225,950 | $15,000 | 80 | 98 | $15,336 | 142 | $105.56 |
| Bureau | 10/10/2025 | 40 | $527,325 | $13,350 | 39 | 98 | $13,559 | 138 | $96.53 |
| Bureau | 10/15/2025 | 118 | $1,362,900 | $11,550 | 115 | 98 | $11,817 | 126 | $91.45 |
| Greene | 10/15/2025 | 5,618 | $47,729,392 | $8,496 | 5,147 | 92 | $9,273 | 118 | $72.12 |
| Brown | 10/21/2025 | 132 | $1,134,770 | $8,600 | 108 | 82 | $10,529 | 116 | $73.88 |
| Macon | 10/22/2025 | 56 | $616,000 | $11,000 | 51 | 91 | $12,027 | 141 | $78.13 |
| Macon | 10/22/2025 | 40 | $554,000 | $13,850 | 39 | 97 | $14,300 | 139 | $99.35 |
| Macon | 10/22/2025 | 22 | $286,000 | $13,000 | 22 | 100 | $13,000 | 141 | $92.53 |
| Ogle | 10/23/2025 | 112 | $1,244,199 | $11,100 | 101 | 90 | $12,297 | 126 | $87.96 |
| Pike | 10/24/2025 | 115 | $1,904,595 | $16,500 | 115 | 100 | $16,500 | 129 | $127.91 |
| Iroquois | 10/28/2025 | 32 | $371,200 | $11,600 | 29 | 90 | $12,893 | 131 | $88.35 |
| LaSalle | 10/28/2025 | 121 | $1,206,300 | $10,000 | 115 | 95 | $10,479 | 106 | $94.43 |
| Iroquois | 10/28/2025 | 118 | $1,136,544 | $9,600 | 114 | 97 | $9,940 | 127 | $75.71 |
| Iroquois | 10/28/2025 | 40 | $488,000 | $12,200 | 39 | 97 | $12,577 | 131 | $93.06 |
| LaSalle | 10/28/2025 | 46 | $462,200 | $10,000 | 45 | 97 | $10,271 | 106 | $93.98 |
| Hancock | 10/28/2025 | 29 | $306,805 | $10,750 | 28 | 98 | $10,957 | 119 | $90.34 |
| Ogle | 10/29/2025 | 100 | $1,281,024 | $12,800 | 93 | 93 | $13,702 | 142 | $90.01 |
| Henry | 10/29/2025 | 91 | $1,475,965 | $16,300 | 88 | 97 | $16,797 | 141 | $115.44 |
| Henry | 10/29/2025 | 91 | $1,267,560 | $14,000 | 89 | 98 | $14,278 | 128 | $109.29 |
| Bureau | 10/29/2025 | 118 | $1,516,395 | $12,900 | 117 | 99 | $13,002 | 136 | $94.78 |
| Vermilion | 10/30/2025 | 40 | $548,000 | $13,700 | 39 | 99 | $13,898 | 131 | $104.50 |
| Henderson | 10/30/2025 | 75 | $1,168,235 | $15,500 | 75 | 100 | $15,576 | 138 | $112.65 |
| Tazewell | 10/30/2025 | 80 | $1,148,000 | $14,350 | 80 | 100 | $14,355 | 139 | $103.09 |
| Hancock | 10/31/2025 | 43 | $749,070 | $17,400 | 42 | 97 | $17,968 | 136 | $128.41 |
| Totals/Averages | 7,935 | $73,376,793.00 | $11,699.37 | 7,306 | 95 | $12,217 | 126 | $91.25 |
Navigating the Selling Process:
Tips for Selling Your Farm in Illinois
Explore a set of practical tips for successfully selling your farmland by downloading our free eBooks here. Schedule a non obligatory consultation with us today and we will cover everything from when is the best time to sell, a customized marketing plan, sales methods, how we can help you find the right buyer, and answer your questions.
Farm Real Estate Experts in Illinois
Meet our team of Illinois farm real estate and auction experts who can provide you with valuable guidance and personalized assistance throughout the selling process. If you’re looking to uncover the true value of your Illinois farm or are considering selling, don’t hesitate to reach out to our experienced team. We’re here to provide you with a customized plan to meet your goals. Contact us today to get started.