From 2000 onwards, the total area of land in U.S. farms has decreased annually, aside from a small increase in 2012. Over the time period displayed, the total farmland area has decreased by over 66 million acres, reaching a total of 878.6 million acres as of 2023.

Farming in the U.S.

Not only has the land for farming been decreasing in the U.S., but so has the total number of farms. From 2000 to 2021, the number of farms in the U.S. decreased from about 2.17 million farms in 2000 to just under 1.9 million in 2023. Texas has more than double the number of farms compared to other U.S. states, with 231,000 farms in 2023.

U.S. agricultural exports

The U.S. is known for agriculture production and is the leading exporter of agricultural products worldwide. The total U.S. agricultural exports were valued at over 178 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. Over 4.8 billion dollars’ worth of agricultural exports came from fresh or processed vegetables in 2022.

This statistic shows the total value of farm real estate in the United States from 2004 to 2023. In 2023, the total value of farmland and buildings in the U.S. came to around 3.3 trillion U.S. dollars.

Texas was by far the leading U.S. state in terms of total number of farms, with about 231 thousand farms by the end of 2023. Missouri was ranked second, among the leading ten states, with 87.6 thousand farms as of 2023.

Farms classification In the United States farms are classified based on the farm income and government payments into six sales classes. According to the USDA, about half of all farms in the U.S. were classified in the 1,000 to 9,999 U.S. dollars sales class in 2023.

Farming sector in the U.S.
The total number of farms in the United States has decreased steadily since 2007. As of 2022, there were about 1.89 million farms in the U.S., down slightly from 1.9 million in the previous year. Contrastingly, the average farm acreage in the United States has increased in the past few years. The number of employees, including both part-time and full-time workers, in this sector was over 965 thousand as of 2019.

The Farmland Protection Policy Act, part of the 1981 Farm Bill, is intended to limit federal activities that contribute to the unnecessary conversion of farmland to other uses. The law applies to construction projects funded by the federal government such as highways, airports, and dams, and to the management of federal lands. As part of the implementation of this law, the Natural Resources Conservation Service identifies high quality agricultural soils as prime farmland, unique farmland, and land of statewide or local importance. Each category may contain one or more limitations such as Prime Farmland if Irrigated. For more information of farmland classification see the National Soil Survey Handbook.Dataset SummaryPhenomenon Mapped: FarmlandGeographic Extent: Contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and American Samoa.Projection: Web Mercator Auxiliary SphereData Coordinate System: WKID 5070 USA Contiguous Albers Equal Area Conic USGS version (contiguous US, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands), WKID 3338 WGS 1984 Albers (Alaska), WKID 4326 WGS 1984 Decimal Degrees (Guam, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, American Samoa, and Hawaii).Units: ClassesCell Size: 30 metersSource Type: DiscretePixel Type: Unsigned integerSource: Natural Resources Conservation ServiceUpdate Frequency: AnnualPublication Date: December 2024Data from the gNATSGO database was used to create the layer for the for the contiguous United States and Alaska. The remaining areas were created with the gSSURGO database (Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Marianas Islands, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and American Samoa).This layer is derived from the 30m (contiguous U.S.) and 10m rasters (all other regions) produced by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The value for farmland class is derived from the gSSURGO map unit table field Farm Class (farmlndcl).What can you do with this layer?This layer is suitable for both visualization and analysis across the ArcGIS system. This layer can be combined with your data and other layers from the ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World in ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Pro to create powerful web maps that can be used alone or in a story map or other application.Because this layer is part of the ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World it is easy to add to your map:In ArcGIS Online, you can add this layer to a map by selecting Add then Browse Living Atlas Layers. A window will open. Type "farmland" in the search box and browse to the layer. Select the layer then click Add to Map.In ArcGIS Pro, open a map and select Add Data from the Map Tab. Select Data at the top of the drop down menu. The Add Data dialog box will open on the left side of the box, expand Portal if necessary, then select Living Atlas. Type "farmland" in the search box, browse to the layer then click OK.In ArcGIS Pro you can use the built-in raster functions or create your own to create custom extracts of the data. Imagery layers provide fast, powerful inputs to geoprocessing tools, models, or Python scripts in Pro.The ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World provides an easy way to explore many other beautiful and authoritative maps on hundreds of topics like this one.Data Dictionary'All areas are prime farmland' 1;'Farmland of local importance' 2;'Farmland of statewide importance' 3;'Farmland of statewide importance, if drained' 4;'Farmland of statewide importance, if drained and either protected from flooding or not frequently flooded during the growing season' 5;'Farmland of statewide importance, if irrigated' 6;'Farmland of statewide importance, if irrigated and drained' 7;'Farmland of statewide importance, if irrigated and either protected from flooding or not frequently flooded during the growing season' 8;'Farmland of statewide importance, if irrigated and reclaimed of excess salts and sodium' 9;'Farmland of statewide importance, if irrigated and the product of I (soil erodibility) x C (climate factor) does not exceed 60' 10;'Farmland of statewide importance, if protected from flooding or not frequently flooded during the growing season' 11;'Farmland of statewide importance, if warm enough' 12;'Farmland of statewide importance, if warm enough, and either drained or either protected from flooding or not frequently flooded during the growing season' 13;'Farmland of unique importance' 14;'Not prime farmland' 15;'Prime farmland if drained' 16;'Prime farmland if drained and either protected from flooding or not frequently flooded during the growing season' 17;'Prime farmland if irrigated' 18;'Prime farmland if irrigated and drained' 19;'Prime farmland if irrigated and either protected from flooding or not frequently flooded during the growing season' 20;'Prime farmland if irrigated and reclaimed of excess salts and sodium' 21;'Prime farmland if irrigated and the product of I (soil erodibility) x C (climate factor) does not exceed 60' 22;'Prime farmland if protected from flooding or not frequently flooded during the growing season' 23;'Prime farmland if subsoiled, completely removing the root inhibiting soil layer' 24;'Farmland of local importance, if irrigated' 25"Questions?Please leave a comment below if you have a question about this layer, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Agricultural land (sq. km) in United States was reported at 4058104 sq. Km in 2021, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Agricultural land (sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

The average size of farms in the United States has seen a steady increase over the last decade. In 2023, the average farm size reached 464 acres, up from 418 acres in 2007. Between 2006 and 2007 there was a sudden drop in average farm size, but in recent years it has recovered and once again reached the same levels as its peak in 2006.

Agriculture in the United States In 2023, there were about 1.9 million farms in the United States, down from 2.2 million in 2007. It appears that as average farm size has increased, the number of individual farms in the United States has decreased. Texas is home to the highest number of farms of any U.S. state, with 231,000 farms as of 2023.

Major crops in the United States The United States produces a wide variety of crops. Though the production volumes of some major crops, such as wheat, have fluctuated considerably since 2000, the production of vegetables for processing has been on the rise in recent years. Grapes, apples, and oranges are the most produced fruits in the United States, with the majority of grapes being grown in California.

Graph and download economic data for Corporate Farm Business; Total Financial Assets, Transactions (BOGZ1FA184090005Q) from Q4 1946 to Q3 2024 about transactions, agriculture, business, assets, and USA.

The Census of Agriculture provides a detailed picture every five years of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Conducted by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, the 2012 Census of Agriculture collected more than six million data items directly from farmers. The Ag Census Web Maps application makes this information available at the county level through a few clicks. The maps and accompanying data help users visualize, download, and analyze Census of Agriculture data in a geospatial context. Resources in this dataset:Resource Title: Ag Census Web Maps. File Name: Web Page, url: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2012/Online_Resources/Ag_Census_Web_Maps/Overview/index.php/ The interactive map application assembles maps and statistics from the 2012 Census of Agriculture in five broad categories:

Crops and Plants – Data on harvested acreage for major field crops, hay, and other forage crops, as well as acreage data for vegetables, fruits, tree nuts, and berries. Economics – Data on agriculture sales, farm income, government payments from conservation and farm programs, amounts received from loans, a broad range of production expenses, and value of buildings and equipment. Farms – Information on farm size, ownership, and Internet access, as well as data on total land in farms, land use, irrigation, fertilized cropland, and enrollment in crop insurance programs. Livestock and Animals – Statistics on cattle and calves, cows and heifers, milk cows, and other cattle, as well as hogs, sheep, goats, horses, and broilers. Operators – Statistics on hired farm labor, tenure, land rented or leased, primary occupation of farm operator, and demographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, and residence location.

The Ag Census Web Maps application allows you to:

Select a map to display from a the above five general categories and associated subcategories. Zoom and pan to a specific area; use the inset buttons to center the map on the continental United States; zoom to a specific state; and show the state mask to fade areas surrounding the state. Create and print maps showing the variation in a single data item across the United States (for example, average value of agricultural products sold per farm). Select a county and view and download the county’s data for a general category. Download the U.S. county-level dataset of mapped values for all categories in Microsoft ® Excel format.

State fact sheets provide information on population, income, education, employment, federal funds, organic agriculture, farm characteristics, farm financial indicators, top commodities, and exports, for each State in the United States. Links to county-level data are included when available.This record was taken from the USDA Enterprise Data Inventory that feeds into the https://data.gov catalog. Data for this record includes the following resources: Query tool For complete information, please visit https://data.gov.

Agricultural land cover for the western United States. This dataset was developed from Sagestitch, the Eastern Washington Shrubsteppe Mapping Project, and several state level GAP products (AZ, CA, NM, OR, and WA).

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the Farmland population distribution across 18 age groups. It lists the population in each age group along with the percentage population relative of the total population for Farmland. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of Farmland by age. For example, using this dataset, we can identify the largest age group in Farmland.

Key observations

The largest age group in Farmland, IN was for the group of age 20 to 24 years years with a population of 153 (11.38%), according to the ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. At the same time, the smallest age group in Farmland, IN was the 85 years and over years with a population of 10 (0.74%). Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

Age groups:

• Under 5 years
• 5 to 9 years
• 10 to 14 years
• 15 to 19 years
• 20 to 24 years
• 25 to 29 years
• 30 to 34 years
• 35 to 39 years
• 40 to 44 years
• 45 to 49 years
• 50 to 54 years
• 55 to 59 years
• 60 to 64 years
• 65 to 69 years
• 70 to 74 years
• 75 to 79 years
• 80 to 84 years
• 85 years and over

Variables / Data Columns

• Age Group: This column displays the age group in consideration
• Population: The population for the specific age group in the Farmland is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the population of each age group as a proportion of Farmland total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Farmland Population by Age. You can refer the same here

In 2023, there were about 1.89 million farms in the United States. However, the number of farms has been steadily dropping since the year 2007, when there were about 2.2 million farms in the United States.

U.S. farms In 2007, the average size of farms in the United States was the smallest it had been since the year 2000. As the number of farms in the United States decrease, the average size of farms increases. Texas, the largest state in the contiguous United States, also contains the highest number of farms, at 231 thousand in 2023.

Organic farming in the United States The United States has over 2.3 million hectares of organic agricultural land as of 2021. In 2022, organic food sales in the United States amounted to almost 59 billion euros, making it the largest market for organic food worldwide. In 2021, the number of certified organic farms in the United States reached 17,445, up from about 14,185 farms in 2016.

"The Farm Service Agency (FSA) makes farm ownership loans to farmers and ranchers who are temporarily unable to obtain private, commercial credit at reasonable rates and terms. Farm ownership loans are used to purchase farmland, construct and repair buildings, and make farm improvements. Both guaranteed and direct loans are available through this program. FSA guaranteed loans provide lenders (e.g., banks, Farm Credit System institutions, credit unions) with a guarantee of up to 95 percent of the loss of principal and interest on a loan. The maximum FSA guaranteed farm ownership loan is $1,302 ,000 (adjusted annually based on inflation). Your lender can tell you if a guarantee is the right loan for you. Applicants who are unable to qualify for a guaranteed loan may be eligible for a direct loan from FSA. Direct loans are made and serviced by FSA officials using government funds. FSA provides direct loan customers with supervision and credit counseling so that they have a greater chance to be successful. The maximum direct farm ownership loan is $300,000."

Graph and download economic data for Real Estate Loans: Commercial Real Estate Loans: Secured by Farmland, Small Domestically Chartered Commercial Banks (SBFSCBM027NBOG) from Jan 2015 to Feb 2025 about charter, farmland, small, real estate, commercial, domestic, loans, banks, depository institutions, and USA.

This data collection contains information on the average monetary value per acre of farm lands and buildings for each county in the United States in the period 1850-1959.

The organization of a farm or ranch that details land usage and the available acreage for agricultural production.

Quick Stats is the National Agricultural Statistics Service's (NASS) online, self-service tool to access complete results from the 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012 Censuses of Agriculture as well as the best source of NASS survey published estimates. The census collects data on all commodities produced on U.S. farms and ranches, as well as detailed information on expenses, income, and operator characteristics. The surveys that NASS conducts collect information on virtually every facet of U.S. agricultural production.

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides emergency loans to help farmers and ranchers who own or operate a farm/ranch located in a county declared by the President or designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as a primary disaster area or quarantine area. Emergency loan funds may be used to: Restore or replace essential property Pay all or part of production costs associated with the disaster year Pay essential family living expenses Reorganize the farming operation Refinance certain debts, excluding real estate Loan applicants may borrow up to 100 percent of their total actual production and/or physical losses. The maximum loan amount is $500,000. Loans for crops, livestock, and non-real estate losses have a repayment term usually between 1 to 7 years depending upon the loan purpose, collateral, and repayment ability. Loans for physical losses to real estate normally have a 30-year repayment term, not to exceed 40 years."

This data set represents the estimated percentage of the 1-km grid cell that is covered by or subject to the agricultural conservation practice (CPIS05), Combination of Irrigation Sources (CIS) on agricultural land by county. A combination of irrigation sources means one or more sources of irrigation, such as wells, ponds, or streams are used on agricultural land. (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1995) This data set was created with geographic information systems (GIS) and database management tools. The acres on which CIS's are applied were totaled at the county level in the tabular NRI database and then apportioned to a raster coverage of agricultural land within the county based on the Enhanced National Land Cover Dataset (NLCDe) 1-kilometer resolution land cover grids (Nakagaki, 2003). Federal land is not considered in this analysis because NRI does not record information on those lands.

This data set represents the estimated percentage of the 1-km grid cell that is covered by or subject to the agricultural conservation practice (CPIT02), Pressure Irrigation Source (PI) on agricultural land by county. Pressure Irrigation Source is described as irrigation "delivered to the farm and/or field in pump or elevation induced pressure pipelines; and water is distributed across the field by: 1) Sprinkle irrigation (center pivot, linear move, traveling gun, side roll, hand move, big gun, or fixed set sprinklers), or, 2) Micro irrigation (drip emitters, continuous tube bubblers, micro spray or micro sprinklers)." (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1995) This data set was created with geographic information systems (GIS) and database management tools. The acres on which PI's are applied were totaled at the county level in the tabular NRI database and then apportioned to a raster coverage of agricultural land within the county based on the Enhanced National Land Cover Dataset (NLCDe) 1-kilometer resolution land cover grids (Nakagaki, 2003). Federal land is not considered in this analysis because NRI does not record information on those lands.