How much do hay producers and ranchers pay to lease land in Texas?
Short answer: According to USDA NASS, the 2025 average cash rent for Texas pasture was $7.70 per acre per year statewide. County averages in Central and North Texas ranged from $5.40 in Blanco County to $21.00 in Falls County. Actual rent depends on the land, fence, water, access and the deal you strike.
2025 county averages
These are USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service survey averages, published August 2025. "Not published" means NASS withheld the figure. Hay ground is often rented as pasture or cropland; there is no separate NASS hay rent.
| County | Pasture, $ per acre per year | Non-irrigated cropland, $ per acre per year |
|---|---|---|
| Bastrop | $10.50 | not published |
| Bell | $18.50 | $46.50 |
| Blanco | $5.40 | $16.50 |
| Bosque | $11.50 | $23.00 |
| Brazos | $10.00 | $22.50 |
| Burnet | $6.70 | $15.00 |
| Caldwell | $11.00 | not published |
| Collin | $12.00 | $38.00 |
| Cooke | $18.50 | $30.50 |
| Coryell | $9.50 | $24.00 |
| Denton | $14.00 | not published |
| Ellis | $13.00 | $26.00 |
| Erath | $11.50 | $20.00 |
| Falls | $21.00 | $28.50 |
| Fannin | $19.00 | $32.00 |
| Fayette | not published | $29.50 |
| Grayson | not published | $30.50 |
| Hays | $5.70 | $37.00 |
| Hill | $15.50 | $39.00 |
| Hood | $12.00 | $26.50 |
| Hunt | $8.20 | $22.00 |
| Johnson | $14.50 | $27.00 |
| Kaufman | $15.50 | $23.00 |
| Lampasas | $9.40 | $20.50 |
| Lee | $13.50 | $21.00 |
| Llano | $7.90 | not published |
| McLennan | $19.00 | $42.50 |
| Milam | $18.00 | $53.50 |
| Navarro | $14.00 | $31.50 |
| Parker | not published | not published |
| Robertson | $13.00 | $11.00 |
| Rockwall | not published | $25.50 |
| Somervell | $12.00 | $24.50 |
| Travis | $10.00 | $22.50 |
| Williamson | $11.50 | $52.50 |
| Wise | $11.50 | $15.00 |
What moves the price
- Fence and water (needed for grazing).
- Soil, grass type and how the land has been managed.
- Access for trucks and equipment.
- Tract size and distance from the producer's other ground.
- Who pays for fertilizer, weed control and repairs.
Many leases are paid in a share of hay instead of cash. See leasing land to a hay farmer and hay versus grazing leases.
Ready to put your land to work? Tell us about your land. Farm, ranch or keep bees? List free as a producer. Or browse the counties we serve.
Questions
What is the average pasture rent in Texas?
USDA NASS put the 2025 statewide average for pasture at $7.70 per acre per year.
Do hay producers pay rent or share the hay?
Both are common. Some pay cash per acre, others split the bales with the landowner.
Get matched
Tell us about your land or your operation. We review every submission by hand and introduce landowners to producers who work their county and fit their acreage, access and the uses they're open to.
I own land I farm, ranch or keep bees
Producers list free. Landowners pay a placement fee based on acreage: $149 up to 20 acres, $249 for 21 to 100 acres, and $499 over 100 acres, the same for every use. A $49 deposit opens your placement, and the remainder is due only when you sign a lease.
Sources: USDA NASS, Cash Rent County Estimates, Texas 2025; Texas Farm Bureau summary of 2025 cash rents. General information, not tax or legal advice.
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