Land for Sale in Pope County, IL

Pope County is far southern Illinois, 374 square miles with 3,763 residents (2020 census), the second-least populous county in the state. It lies along the Ohio River with much of the Shawnee National Forest. Land is wooded hunting and recreation acreage. Illinois assesses farmland by soil productivity, and this guide explains it along with the other checks.

Pope County at a glance

County seat: Golconda.
2020 population 3,763, the second-least populous county in Illinois; about 374 square miles.
Part of the Shawnee National Forest lies in the county; the Ohio River borders it to the south and east, marking the state line with Kentucky.
Highways: Illinois 34, 146, 145 and 147.
Illinois values farmland by soil productivity index, not sale price.

The Pope County land market

Buyers come for deer and turkey hunting and hills and bluffs. Typical parcels are 10- to 160-acre wooded tracts, small farms along creek bottoms and cabin sites. Land bordering the Shawnee National Forest has public land on its edge. Steep hillsides, creeks and rock make building sites scarce.

Illinois farmland assessment

Illinois does not use market value or sale price to assess farmland. The Department of Revenue certifies values by soil productivity index, from about 82 to 132, calculated from an agricultural economic value, and the assessed value is one-third of that. For the 2027 assessment year, cropland is valued at its productivity index value with a floor of $166.03 per acre, permanent pasture at one-third of the cropland value with the same floor, and other farmland at one-sixth with a floor of $83.04 per acre, with changes limited to 10% a year. Wooded land that is not farmed may fall into the other-farmland category, and the farm homesite and rural residence are assessed separately. Ask the Pope County supervisor of assessments how a parcel is classified.

The Illinois Forestry Development Act gives a tax incentive to timber growers with approved management plans and requires at least 10 contiguous acres on which timber is produced, excluding acres with permanent buildings. Check the current statute and the DNR forester.

Floods, access and septic

The Ohio River and creek bottoms flood, so check the FEMA flood zone for low parcels. Hill roads can be steep gravel, and some are private, so confirm legal access. Septic design depends on soil and slope. Mineral rights may be severed from the surface.

Before you buy land in Pope County

Farmland or forest classification and how it will change if you build.
Boundaries with the Shawnee National Forest and a survey.
Flood zone, slope and septic suitability.
Recorded legal access and road maintenance.
Mineral rights, hunting leases and timber value.

Perc tests and septic for raw land Land due diligence checklist

Frequently asked questions

How does Illinois assess farmland?

By soil productivity index, from an agricultural economic value, with the assessment at one-third of that value, not by sale price.