North Carolina → Madison
Madison County, North Carolina
Pasture here rented for $25 an acre in 2026, $9.50 below the North Carolina median of $34.50. That's the 18th percentile among the 51 North Carolina counties reporting that year, and the 51st percentile nationally.
Put that in lease terms. On a quarter section of 160 acres, the gap between this county and the state median is $1,520 a year. A difference that looks small per acre is large at that scale.
Across North Carolina's counties, the middle half of county averages in 2026 runs $29 to $47 an acre. Individual leases spread wider than county averages do, because grass, water, fencing and term length all move the price. An offer far outside this band should come with a reason the other side can say out loud.
Since 2009, this county's rate has fallen 6 percent: $26.50 then, $25 in 2026.
The counties next door
The comparison made at the kitchen table is with the neighbors. This year, rates across the county line go from $17.50 to $36.50 an acre. Every bordering county NASS tracks is listed at its most recent published rate.
| County | $/acre |
|---|---|
| Greene, Tennessee | $36.50 |
| Buncombe | $30 |
| Cocke, Tennessee | $25.50 |
| Haywood | $23 (2025) |
| Yancey | $17.50 |
Every year on record
| Year | $/acre |
|---|---|
| 2009 | $26.50 |
| 2010 | $13.50 |
| 2011 | $15 |
| 2012 | $25.50 |
| 2013 | $20 |
| 2014 | $17 |
| 2016 | $18 |
| 2017 | $13 |
| 2019 | $15 |
| 2020 | $18 |
| 2021 | $16 |
| 2022 | $15 |
| 2023 | $15 |
| 2024 | $21 |
| 2025 | $24.50 |
| 2026 | $25 |
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