Land for Sale in Maryland
Buying land in Maryland? Maryland land ranges across Chesapeake Bay tidewater and the flat Eastern Shore, the rolling Piedmont, and the Appalachian ridges in the far west. This guide covers where land for sale in Maryland 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.
Maryland at a glance for buyers
- Deeds are recorded with the circuit court land records office.
- Maryland has 23 counties plus the independent city of Baltimore.
- 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.
Where to look for land in Maryland
Demand centers on Baltimore, the DC suburbs, Frederick, and Salisbury. For more acreage per dollar, look at counties such as Montgomery, Frederick, Carroll, Harford, Worcester, and Garrett.
Regional markets across Maryland
- Eastern Shore: Flat farmland and waterfront parcels across the Chesapeake, where tidal and wetland rules shape what can be built.
- Western Maryland: Garrett and Allegany counties’ mountain and forest land near Deep Creek Lake, popular for recreation.
- Central and Southern Maryland: Carroll, Frederick, Charles and Calvert counties’ suburban-edge farmland being converted to housing near Washington and Baltimore.
Maryland land types
Eastern Shore farm ground and waterfront parcels, buildable lots in the DC and Baltimore exurbs, mountain and lake lots around Deep Creek in Garrett County, and hunting and timber tracts on the lower Shore.
What drives Maryland land prices
Development pressure from Washington and Baltimore contrasts with a much cheaper rural market on the Shore and in the mountains.
Buying land in Maryland: 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 Maryland: taxes and rules that affect your purchase
Maryland charges an agricultural land transfer tax when land that is or was assessed for farm use changes hands, and it is separate from the other transfer taxes. The rate is 5 percent for 20 acres or more, 4 percent for under 20 acres assessed as agricultural or unimproved, and 3 percent for under 20 acres assessed as improved, with reductions of 25, 50 or 65 percent if the land was taxed on a non-agricultural basis for one, two or three or more years before the transfer, plus a surcharge of 25 percent of the tax (Tax-Property article 13-303). A deed cannot be recorded until the tax is paid (13-302).
That makes the land's assessment history a pricing question. Before you offer on Maryland acreage, ask the State Department of Assessments and Taxation whether the parcel is or was assessed for agricultural use, work out the tax at the rate for the parcel's size, and decide in the contract who pays it. Garrett County in the west is one place where farm and forest acreage trades; our Garrett County guide covers the local rules.
Maryland land values: what USDA data shows
USDA measured average farm real estate (all land and buildings on farms) in Maryland at $9,950 per acre in 2026, up 6.4% from $9,350 in 2022. That ranks Maryland 7 of the 48 states USDA reports, and it is 2.2 times the U.S. average of $4,500.
Pasture (grazing land), the closest USDA series to undeveloped rural land, averaged $8,300 per acre in 2026 against a U.S. pasture average of $2,000. USDA withholds Maryland's earlier pasture figures.
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:
- Pennsylvania: $8,700 per acre in 2026 (13% lower)
- Delaware: $9,700 per acre in 2026 (about the same)
- Virginia: $6,300 per acre in 2026 (37% lower)
Frequently asked questions
What types of land are common in Maryland?
Eastern Shore farm ground and waterfront parcels, buildable lots in the DC and Baltimore exurbs, and mountain and lake lots around Deep Creek in Garrett County. Availability changes constantly.
Can I see what land sold for in Maryland?
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 Maryland?
The circuit court land records office. A title or escrow company normally handles it at closing.
Can you find Maryland 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.
Do I pay the agricultural transfer tax when I buy farmland in Maryland?
The tax is imposed on the instrument transferring title to land that is or was assessed for agricultural use, at 5, 4 or 3 percent depending on acreage and improvements, with reductions for land taxed another way. Who bears it is a matter for the contract, and the deed cannot be recorded until it is paid (Tax-Property 13-302 and 13-303).
How much does land cost in Maryland?
USDA reports farm real estate in Maryland averaging $9,950 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.