North Texas Land Market: What You Need to Know in 2026

Denton · Wise · Cooke · Montague · Grayson Counties | Mid-Year Report | By Ranchman Properties Team

The North Texas land market enters 2026 on solid ground. After the record-breaking activity of 2021–2022 and the measured correction that followed, the market has found its rhythm. Prices are still appreciating — just at a pace that reflects genuine demand rather than speculation. Sellers who own well-improved land with water, wildlife, and access are still in a strong position. Buyers are more deliberate than they were three years ago, but they are active and well-capitalized.

Across our five-county coverage area — Denton, Wise, Cooke, Montague, and Grayson — three big stories are defining 2026: the continued northward march of DFW growth, a sustained surge in demand for hunting and recreational land, and the compression of affordable acreage as development pressure pushes values upward in the southern counties.

The Numbers Behind the Market

The Texas Chapter ASFMRA’s 2025 Rural Land Value Trends Report — presented at the 35th Annual Outlook for Texas Land Markets in April 2026 — confirms the market demonstrated “remarkable resilience” and ended 2025 significantly firmer than it started. Here are the headline numbers:

• Texas statewide average price per acre: $5,158 (up 2.1% in total dollar volume year-over-year)
• Texas cropland values: +5.4% year-over-year (USDA, 2024 to 2025)
• Texas pastureland values: +4.5% year-over-year (USDA, 2024 to 2025)
• North/Panhandle Texas appreciation: +2.9% — consistent with what we’re seeing across our coverage area
• Total acres sold in Texas is projected to rise in the second half of 2026, according to Texas A&M’s Real Estate Research Center

Fewer total transactions, higher prices per acre, serious buyers making quality deals. That is the story in North Texas right now.

What’s Driving the Market in 2026

Six forces are shaping every transaction we work on right now:

1. DFW Metro Northward Expansion — Development and lifestyle demand are compressing rural acreage and pushing transitional land premiums higher near major highway corridors. Denton, Wise, and southern Grayson County are feeling this most intensely.

2. Hunting and Recreational Demand — Multi-purpose ranches with whitetail habitat, surface water, dove fields, and weekend infrastructure are selling at meaningful premiums and spending very few days on market. This is one of the most consistent demand drivers we’ve seen in years.

3. Interest Rate Stabilization — Farm and ranch lenders are offering products in the 4.99–6% range. Buyers who were on the sidelines are re-entering the market, and we expect demand to firm through the second half of 2026.

4. Legacy Land Transfers — Generational turnover is releasing rarely-listed large tracts across Montague, Cooke, and Wise Counties. When these come to market, they move.

5. Small Tract Premiums — Average parcel size fell 7.3% statewide in 2025. Buyers are subdividing larger tracts for affordability and recreational use, and per-acre prices on smaller tracts are climbing.

6. Agricultural Tax Exemptions — As property taxes on developed land rise across the metro fringe, ag-exempt rural properties are drawing even stronger buyer interest.

County-by-County Breakdown

One of the most important things we tell buyers and sellers: “North Texas” is not one market. Denton County and Montague County are barely 90 miles apart but operate in entirely different pricing universes. Here’s what land is trading for across all five counties right now.

Denton County — The Growth Frontier

952 square miles

Denton County sits at the epicenter of North Texas’s land story. With nearly $2 billion worth of farms, ranches, and rural real estate currently listed and roughly 100,000 acres on the market, no county in our coverage area sees more activity — or more competing forces. The southern and eastern portions are being consumed by residential and commercial development at a rapid pace. The northern and western areas around Sanger, Ponder, Krum, and Pilot Point retain genuine agricultural and recreational character.

Current Price Ranges by Land Type:

• Farm & Ranch (10–100 ac): $75,000–$130,000/acre
• Transitional / Development Potential: $100,000–$250,000+/acre
• Recreational / Hunting: $80,000–$175,000/acre
• Lake Ray Roberts Water Frontage: $150,000–$350,000+/acre
• Large Ranch (200+ ac): $50,000–$100,000/acre

What to Watch: Land directly in the path of I-35, Hwy 380, and the future tollway extension is trading at significant premiums. Tracts of 100–300 acres near Ponder, Krum, and Justin are seeing intense developer and investor interest. The window for agricultural pricing in the southern half of Denton County is closing fast. If you own land in this corridor, 2026 may be the right year to have a conversation.

Wise County — The Value Play

922 square miles

Wise County is quietly one of the most compelling land markets in North Texas right now. Located on the northwest fringe of DFW — about an hour from downtown Fort Worth via Hwy 287 and 114 — it offers genuine Texas countryside at prices that still make sense. Decatur, Boyd, Rhome, Bridgeport, and Springtown are all seeing meaningful growth as metro spillover continues pushing northwest. Finding nearly 1,000 contiguous acres this close to Fort Worth is described by listing agents as “exceptionally rare.”

Current Price Ranges by Land Type:

• Rolling Ranch / Pasture: $8,000–$25,000/acre
• Small Acreage (5–30 ac): $20,000–$55,000/acre
• Transitional / Development Corridor: $35,000–$100,000+/acre
• Hunting / Recreational: $10,000–$30,000/acre
• Lake Bridgeport Area: $15,000–$60,000/acre

What to Watch: The southern tier — Boyd, Rhome, and land along Hwys 287 and 114 — is in the direct path of DFW’s northwestward expansion. New home builders including DR Horton are actively developing in this corridor. Large ag-exempt tracts near Decatur’s ETJ are being marketed explicitly to developers. The window to buy rural land at rural prices in the southern half of Wise County is narrowing.

Cooke County — The Quiet Performer

898 square miles

Cooke County — centered on Gainesville along I-35 just south of the Red River — offers some of the best agricultural land in our coverage area. With a 59% rural population and just 42 people per square mile, this is genuine cattle and hay country. Rolling terrain, fertile soils, live creeks, and good groundwater from the Trinity Aquifer (wells typically 600–800 feet deep) define the landscape. It’s also an increasingly popular destination for DFW buyers seeking hunting and recreational land at a value price point.

Current Price Ranges by Land Type:

• Productive Farm / Cattle Ranch: $12,000–$25,000/acre
• Hunting / Recreational: $10,000–$20,000/acre
• Lake / Water Frontage: $20,000–$50,000+/acre
• Large Legacy Ranch (200+ ac): $15,000–$25,000/acre
• Small Homestead (10–40 ac): $18,000–$35,000/acre

What to Watch: The Valley View–Lake Ray Roberts southern corridor is emerging as one of the most interesting sub-markets in the county, with buyers seeking lake exposure at farmland prices. The Muenster area in the west offers well-maintained, multi-generational cattle ranches with strong water and tight soil at values that are hard to find elsewhere in North Texas. Properties within 2 miles of I-35 are seeing the most competitive activity.

Montague County — Frontier Ranch Country

938 square miles

Montague County is where North Texas still feels like Texas. With a population of just over 19,000 spread across 938 square miles, this is genuine wide-open country. The terrain runs from rolling Cross Timbers in the east to open prairie as you head west toward Saint Jo and Nocona. The Red River defines the northern edge, and Lake Nocona provides recreational opportunity for the county seat. Buyers find authentic ranches here — not lifestyle tracts — and they get real land at honest prices.

Current Price Ranges by Land Type:

• Working Cattle Ranch: $8,000–$18,000/acre
• Cross Timbers Hunting Ranch: $10,000–$22,000/acre
• Red River Bottomland: $8,000–$15,000/acre
• Large Legacy Ranch (500+ ac): $8,000–$14,000/acre
• Lake Nocona Area: $12,000–$25,000/acre

What to Watch: The Forestburg and Saint Jo areas are drawing serious hunting buyers seeking large, affordable Cross Timbers tracts with established whitetail populations. The county’s mineral extraction heritage means buyers should always clarify surface vs. mineral rights. Well-improved ranches with trophy fishing lakes and full working infrastructure are among the rarest and most sought-after properties in all of North Texas — when they hit the market, they move.

Grayson County — In the Path of Growth

979 square miles

Grayson County may be the single most dynamic land market in our coverage area right now. Anchored by Sherman and Denison along US-75 — about 60–75 miles north of Dallas — the county is experiencing a seismic shift driven by the northward expansion of the DFW metro. The Texas Instruments semiconductor campus in Sherman, new logistics nodes, and continued residential growth from Collin County have created a two-tiered market: development-track land near US-75 commands premium prices, while agricultural and recreational tracts further from the corridor remain accessible.

Current Price Ranges by Land Type:

• Development / Transitional (near US-75): $50,000–$150,000+/acre
• Productive Farm / Ranch: $15,000–$35,000/acre
• Hunting / Recreational: $30,000–$55,000/acre
• Lake Texoma Corridor: $35,000–$120,000+/acre
• Horse / Equestrian Property: $25,000–$60,000/acre

What to Watch: The southernmost portions of Grayson County — particularly around Gunter, Howe, and Van Alstyne along the Dallas North Tollway extension corridor — are in the direct path of DFW’s northward march. Land that was agricultural a decade ago is now being marketed to residential developers and commercial operators. If you own land in this corridor, have it appraised and understand its transitional value. Properties near Sherman’s new industrial nodes are especially active in early 2026.

Pricing at a Glance: All Five Counties

Here’s a side-by-side look at current price ranges across all five counties by land type, based on active listing data and recent transactions as of Q2 2026.

Working Ranch / Pasture Land:

• Denton County: $75,000–$130,000/acre
• Grayson County: $15,000–$35,000/acre
• Cooke County: $12,000–$25,000/acre
• Wise County: $8,000–$25,000/acre
• Montague County: $8,000–$18,000/acre

Hunting / Recreational Land:

• Denton County: $80,000–$175,000/acre
• Grayson County: $30,000–$55,000/acre
• Cooke County: $10,000–$20,000/acre
• Wise County: $10,000–$30,000/acre
• Montague County: $10,000–$22,000/acre

Transitional / Development Potential:

• Denton County: $100,000–$250,000+/acre
• Grayson County: $50,000–$150,000+/acre
• Wise County: $35,000–$100,000+/acre
• Cooke County: $25,000–$60,000/acre
• Montague County: $15,000–$30,000/acre

Price ranges represent current active listing data and recent transaction observations. Individual values depend on improvements, water features, access, mineral rights, and entitlement status. Contact Ranchman Properties Team for a property-specific analysis.

Hunting & Recreational Land: The Fastest-Moving Segment

If there’s one theme that cuts across every county we cover, it’s this: hunting and recreational land sells. Buyers who might hesitate on a straight cattle place will pull the trigger quickly on a property with good whitetail habitat, a stocked tank, and a dove field. In 2025–2026, properties that check these boxes are trading at meaningful premiums and spending very little time on market.

What North Texas Buyers Are After by Game Type:

Whitetail Deer (Very High Demand — All Five Counties) Creek bottoms, hardwood cover, and agricultural fields create ideal habitat across the entire region. Montague and Cooke Counties offer the most acreage for the dollar for buyers targeting whitetail.

Dove & Quail (High Demand — Montague, Wise, Cooke) Open country, grain fields, and sunflowers attract large dove populations. Quail numbers are making a comeback in western Montague County, which is drawing attention from hunters who remember what that country used to hold.

Turkey (Moderate to High Demand — Montague, Cooke, Wise) Cross Timbers habitat in these three counties is ideal for turkey. Properties that advertise turkey populations command a clear premium over comparable tracts without them.

Waterfowl (High Demand, Seasonal — Grayson and Montague) The Red River and Lake Texoma are North Texas’s premier waterfowl destinations. Bottomland properties in Grayson and Montague Counties see strong seasonal lease demand and sell quickly when they come to market.

Trophy Fishing (Very High Demand — Grayson, Montague, Denton) Private stocked lakes and tanks add significant value to any listing. Lake Texoma lakefront in Grayson County is among the most sought acreage in our entire coverage area. A well-maintained private lake on a working ranch is about as close to a guaranteed fast sale as you’ll find in this market.

Equestrian Properties (High Demand — Denton, Grayson, Wise) The horse culture across North Texas is strong and consistent. Properties with arenas, pipe pens, loafing sheds, and established improved pasture sell at a clear premium. The equine corridor near Sherman and Whitesboro in Grayson County is especially active.

The Checklist: What Makes a Recreational Ranch Sell Fast

Properties that check most of these boxes are selling in days — not weeks:

• Surface water (pond, creek, or live water)
• Mature hardwood cover for whitetail bedding
• Mix of open fields for dove and food plots
• Established blinds and feeders
• Perimeter fencing in good condition
• A cabin or barn suitable for weekend use
• Active ag or wildlife tax exemption

Development Trends: When Ranch Country Becomes the Path of Growth

The single most powerful force reshaping land values across our coverage area is the northward expansion of the Dallas–Fort Worth metro. That growth doesn’t stop at Denton County’s border. It’s flowing into Wise County along Hwy 287 and 114. It’s reaching Grayson County along US-75. It’s beginning to press against the southern edges of Cooke and Montague Counties.

For landowners in the path of this growth, understanding the transitional value of their acreage — versus its agricultural value — can mean the difference of tens of thousands of dollars per acre. Here’s where the pressure is most intense right now:

I-35 / US-77 North Corridor (Denton County) — Extreme Pressure Residential subdivision, commercial nodes, and the tollway extension are driving land values to 2–5x agricultural pricing. The most active development corridor in North Texas.

US-75 Sherman–Denison Corridor (Grayson County) — Very High Pressure The Texas Instruments semiconductor campus changed the game in Sherman. Combined with the Craig Ranch expansion and Denison’s active development corridor, land near US-75 is trading at 1.5–3x agricultural value.

Dallas North Tollway Extension — Gunter to Howe (Grayson County) — High and Rising The tollway’s northward extension is pulling Collin County’s growth pressure directly into southern Grayson County. Land near Gunter and Howe that was agricultural a decade ago is now firmly in the transitional category.

Hwy 287 / 114 Corridor — Boyd to Rhome (Wise County) — High Pressure DR Horton, Bison Creek, and Malibu Homes are actively building in Boyd and Rhome. Large ag-exempt tracts near Decatur’s ETJ are being marketed explicitly to developers. Transitional premiums of 1.5–2.5x agricultural value are real in this corridor right now.

I-35 / Gainesville South (Cooke County) — Moderate Pressure Interstate access is attracting light industrial and distribution interest south of Gainesville. The county largely retains its agricultural character further north, but the I-35 corridor is showing meaningful transitional premium activity.

“If your property sits near a major highway corridor, within an expanding city’s ETJ, or in a county where metro growth is pressing northward — you may be holding transitional land, even if you’re running cattle on it today. The gap between agricultural value and transitional value can be enormous. Give us a call and we’ll help you understand where your land sits on that spectrum.” — Ranchman Properties Team

2026 Outlook: What to Watch the Rest of the Year

“The Texas rural land market demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout 2025, ending the year on a significantly firmer footing than in 2024.” — Dr. Lynn Krebs, Research Economist, Texas A&M University | ASFMRA 2025 Rural Land Value Trends Report, April 2026

The North Texas land market is in a healthy, intentional phase. The frenzied pace of 2021–2022 has given way to a market where both buyers and sellers are making thoughtful decisions. Here’s what we’re watching for the rest of 2026:

Total Acres Sold → Rising Texas A&M’s TRERC projects total acres sold to rebound in the second half of 2026. More properties entering the market means more options for buyers — but the best properties will still move fast. Don’t wait on a property you want.

Price Per Acre → Still Appreciating Pastureland and ranchland values continue appreciating at 2–5% annually. Land is still one of the most reliable long-term stores of value in Texas. Owning good land in North Texas is not a short game — and it doesn’t need to be.

Interest Rates → Stabilizing Farm and ranch lenders are offering products in the 4.99–6% range. Buyers who were on the sidelines are re-entering. We expect demand to firm through the second half of 2026 as rates stabilize and inventory increases.

Development Pressure → Accelerating DFW growth continues pressing north into Wise and Grayson Counties. If you own land in these corridors, this is the year to get a current valuation. You may be surprised what your land is worth in 2026 versus just five years ago.

Recreational Demand → Sustained Multi-use properties with hunting, fishing, and recreational features continue to be the fastest-moving segment in our market. If your land has water and wildlife, you’re holding a premium asset.

Legacy Land Transfers → Ongoing Generational turnover is releasing rarely-listed large tracts across Montague, Cooke, and Wise Counties. Buyers seeking 200–1,000+ acre properties should act quickly when quality properties surface — they don’t come to market often and they don’t stay long when they do.

Mineral Rights Awareness → Ongoing Always confirm surface vs. mineral rights on any transaction in Montague and Wise Counties. Both counties have active mineral extraction activity that can significantly affect property values and use.

Ready to Buy, Sell, or Know What Your Land Is Worth?

Ranchman Properties Team specializes exclusively in farm, ranch, and rural land across Denton, Wise, Cooke, Montague, and Grayson Counties. Whether you’re looking to sell a legacy ranch, find your next hunting property, or simply understand what your land is worth in today’s market — we know this country and we’re here to help.

Call us: 940-320-9181

Your North Texas Farm & Ranch Real Estate Specialists.

This report is prepared by Ranchman Properties Team for general informational purposes. Price ranges represent current active listing data and recent transaction observations from NTREIS, LandSearch, Land.com, LandWatch, Texas Farm Credit, USDA, Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center (TRERC), and the Texas Chapter ASFMRA 2025 Rural Land Value Trends Report (April 2026). Individual property values depend on specific improvements, water features, access, mineral rights, entitlement status, and market conditions at time of sale. This report does not constitute an appraisal. © 2026 Ranchman Properties Team. All rights reserved.