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NASS briefing: 2024 survey finds 348 million acres rented and more than 2.1 million landlords
Summary
The National Agricultural Statistics Service’s 2024 Tenure, Ownership and Transition survey found about 348 million acres were rented in 2024, with over 2.1 million landlord entities (79% of rented acres held by nonoperating landlords); total land assets were reported at about $1.7 trillion.
Lance Honing, chair of the agricultural statistics board at NAS, opened a NASS briefing and introduced Ryan Combmes, chief of the NAS environmental economics and demographics branch, who presented the 2024 Tenure, Ownership and Transition of Agricultural Land results.
The survey found there were over 2.1 million landlord entities in 2024 who leased agricultural land to farmers and that those landlords collectively rented nearly 348 million acres nationwide. "In 2024, there were over 2 million landlords who leased agricultural land to farmers," Combmes said during the briefing.
Nonoperating landlords accounted for the majority of rented acres: Combmes reported nonoperating entities were responsible for about 276 million acres, roughly 79% of the total rented acreage. The briefing distinguishes operating landlords (those who farm some of their own land and rent some out) from nonoperating landlords (who do not operate the land they own).
Economics reported in the briefing show landlord-held land and building assets totaled approximately $1.7 trillion, a 47% increase from the 2014 totals, and rent received rose to about $34.1 billion (a 9% increase since 2014). "Rent received was $34 billion, up 9% since 2014," Combmes said.
Regional distribution was highlighted: more than 85% of rented acres are concentrated in the Plains, West and Midwest regions, while the Midwest has the largest number of landlords (about 800,000). Combmes noted county-level data show the Midwest and Plains have the highest rates of rented farmland; nationwide nearly 40% of farmland is rented.
Why it matters: the size and concentration of rented acreage, plus the concentration of ownership in nonoperating entities, bear on policy and market questions about land access, farm entry, and estate/transition planning. NASS directed listeners to the survey page and QuickStats for detailed tables and methodology.
The briefing concluded with instructions for accessing ready-made queries and documentation on methodology and quality measures; no formal votes or decisions were taken during the briefing.
