Acreage for Sale in Tennessee
Buying land in Tennessee? Tennessee land ranges across the Appalachian mountains and ridge-and-valley of the east, the Cumberland Plateau, the Highland Rim and Nashville Basin, and the West Tennessee coastal plain. This guide covers where acreage for sale in Tennessee sits, the land types you will meet, what moves prices and the checks to run before you buy. Looking for something specific? The request form on this page watches for matching parcels.
Tennessee at a glance for buyers
- Deeds are recorded with the county register of deeds.
- Tennessee has 95 counties.
- Recorded sale prices are generally searchable at the county level.
- Water law is riparian: owners of land touching a stream or lake have reasonable-use rights, sometimes with permits.
- Tennessee has no broad state income tax (federal rules still apply).
Where to look for acreage in Tennessee
Demand centers on Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. For more acreage per dollar, look at counties such as Davidson, Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Cumberland, and Fentress.
Regional markets across Tennessee
- Cumberland Plateau: Affordable wooded acreage on the plateau, in Cumberland, Fentress and Grundy counties, popular for retirement and off-grid living.
- Middle Tennessee growth belt: Land around Nashville in Rutherford, Williamson and Wilson counties, expensive and converting from farms.
- East Tennessee and the Smokies: Mountain and lake lots near Knoxville, Sevierville and Norris Lake.
Tennessee acreage types
Cumberland Plateau recreational and cabin acreage (Cumberland, Fentress, Van Buren counties), exurban acreage around Nashville, east Tennessee mountain-view and lake lots, and row-crop and timber ground in the west.
What drives Tennessee land prices
No state income tax and rapid Nashville growth have made Tennessee one of the more active land markets in the South, with the Cumberland Plateau a value hotspot.
Buying land in Tennessee: what to check first
- Confirm recorded legal access to a public road and order a survey.
- Get the parcel's zoning or deed restrictions in writing before relying on a use.
- Price utilities and septic: ask what the county requires.
Land due diligence checklistPerc tests and septic for raw land
Buying land in Tennessee: taxes and rules that affect your purchase
Tennessee imposes a realty transfer tax of $0.37 per $100 for the privilege of publicly recording documents that evidence transfers of real estate, generally based on the greater of the consideration paid or the value of the property (Tennessee Department of Revenue). Add it to your closing-cost estimate, and ask your closing agent who is paying it under your contract.
Some Tennessee tracts are enrolled in the Greenbelt program, which assesses agricultural, forest and open space land at use value. Disqualifying the land triggers rollback taxes: the taxes saved, calculated each year for the preceding three years for agricultural and forest land and for the preceding five years for open space land. The State Board of Equalization stresses that this is a recapture of taxes saved, not a penalty (Tenn. Code Ann. 67-5-1008). Before you buy, ask the county assessor whether the parcel is in Greenbelt and what a change of use would cost.
Tennessee land values: what USDA data shows
USDA measured average farm real estate (all land and buildings on farms) in Tennessee at $6,500 per acre in 2026, up 37% from $4,740 in 2022. That ranks Tennessee 18 of the 48 states USDA reports, and it is 44% above the U.S. average of $4,500.
Pasture (grazing land), the closest USDA series to undeveloped rural land, averaged $5,910 per acre in 2026, up 32% since 2022 and above the U.S. pasture average of $2,000.
These are averages across working farms and ranches, not asking prices for any one parcel. A homesite near a town, a lot with road and power, or a parcel with water can sell well above these figures, and remote land with no access can sell well below them. Use them to see which way the market is moving and how it compares with the next state over, then check recent sales and current listings for the area you are looking at.
For comparison, USDA farm real estate averages per acre in the bordering states:
- Kentucky: $5,600 per acre in 2026 (14% lower)
- Virginia: $6,300 per acre in 2026 (about the same)
- North Carolina: $5,750 per acre in 2026 (12% lower)
- Georgia: $4,950 per acre in 2026 (24% lower)
- Alabama: $4,250 per acre in 2026 (35% lower)
- Mississippi: $3,650 per acre in 2026 (44% lower)
Frequently asked questions
What types of acreage are common in Tennessee?
Cumberland Plateau recreational and cabin acreage (Cumberland, Fentress, Van Buren counties), exurban acreage around Nashville, and east Tennessee mountain-view and lake lots. Availability changes constantly.
Can I see what land sold for in Tennessee?
Usually. Recorded deed transfers are generally searchable at the county level, so you can compare recent sales to an asking price.
Who records a land deed in Tennessee?
The county register of deeds. A title or escrow company normally handles it at closing.
Can you find Tennessee land that isn't advertised?
Yes. Use the request form on this page with your target acreage, county and budget and we will tell you if a matching parcel comes up.
What are Greenbelt rollback taxes in Tennessee?
They recapture the taxes saved while land was assessed as agricultural, forest or open space: the difference between use value and market value assessments for the preceding three years (agricultural and forest land) or five years (open space), according to the State Board of Equalization.
How much does land cost in Tennessee?
USDA reports farm real estate in Tennessee averaging $6,500 per acre in 2026, against $4,500 for the United States. That is an agricultural average; vacant lots, land near towns and land with water or utilities price differently, so compare current listings for the area you want.