Quick facts
- Reported rental rates include both family and unrelated party land rental contracts as well as long-term rental contracts.
- Rental rates between family members can be lower than those between unrelated parties.
- Long-term rental contracts generally do not change dramatically during the length of the contract and therefore may affect the weighted average numbers used in the data calculations.
- The land rental rates shown may not align with rents being paid for new land coming on the market.
This information is meant as a guide and starting point. The information and data is not meant to establish, determine, set, fix or suggest what actual rents should be. It is a report of historical land rental rates in Minnesota.
This page provides a historical perspective on rental rates paid by a group of Minnesota farmers and trends in those rental rates over the past five years.
Historical rental data is included. Weighted average rental rates are listed by county for each year.
We cannot statistically project future rental rates. The numbers listed are weighted averages. That means there are rents both above and below the numbers listed.
Also included is county rental data gathered by the USDA National Ag Statistical Service (NASS) in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. The USDA/NASS data is collected by mail-out survey state-wide. It is an excellent comparison to use with the FINBIN data.
Cropland rental rate map
Click on any county to see area statistics.
Cropland rental rates spreadsheet
View information for your region and county in our cropland rental rates spreadsheet.
Analysis method
The FINBIN database includes enterprise-level income and expenses for thousands of acres of Minnesota farmland. To compile this report:
- Rental rates are extracted for cash-rented land.
- All row crop acres, small grain acres, canning crop acres, etc. are included in the data analysis.
- All normal farming practices for the regions were included in the analysis.
- The USDA/NASS numbers are for row crops on non-irrigated land only.
- Not included in the analysis are acres allocated to, pasture, aftermath grazing, hay and haylage acres, CRP acres, or follow and prevented planted acres.
Data is organized by county
- Counties with a minimum of 10 farms with cash-rented acreage are included.
- If a given county does not have rent data listed, there were not enough farms reporting data.
- Counties with only partial FINBIN data and a USDA/NASS number have been included because they meet the 10 farm minimum criteria.
- Counties with only a USDA/NASS number have less than 10 farmers reporting FINBIN data.
Note: Some Minnesota counties may have no FINBIN rental rates reported, which may be due to staff reductions in Farm Business Management programs and the resulting loss of participating farms in those counties. USDA/NASS data for those regions are listed.
The USDA/NASS data for each county is included for purposes of comparison. The majority of Minnesota Counties have a USDA/NASS average rent number listed. The numbers are for non-irrigated farmland only.
These rental rates include both family and unrelated party land rental contracts as well as long-term rental contracts.
- Rental rates between family members can be lower than those between unrelated parties.
- Long-term rental contracts generally do not change much during the length of the contract and therefore may affect the weighted average numbers used in the data calculations.
- The land rental rates shown here may not align with rents being paid for new land coming on the market.
Cropland rental rates tables
Following is a table showing the total percent change in land rental rates for the five years from 2017 and 2021 and the one-year change from 2020 to 2021. These changes are based on weighted averages to compensate for differences in acres and rental rates from the various counties in each region. The land rental numbers used to calculate the percent change values are also from the FINBIN database. Also included is a state-wide percent change.
In all regions but one, the 5-year percent change has turned positive in 2021. This means rates have now increased above their 2016 levels. This is mainly driven by land rental rate increases in the most recent year, 2021. The 5-year trend prior to this had been negative based on declining land rental rate values.
The 2020-2021 annual change data shows a slight upward trend in rental rates for six of the eight regions. Unlike other regions, rental rates in the Southeast region have continued to decline over the past five years for farms included in these programs. The East Central region has limited data available and none is available for North Central.
You can search FINBIN for land rental data specific to a county or region (in which there are enough farmers reporting rent values) as well as other farm data.
Total percent change in land rental rates 2017-2021
Region | 2017-2021 | 2020-2021 |
---|---|---|
Northwest | 8.30% | 4.30% |
North Central | n/a | n/a |
West Central | 5.20% | 3.80% |
Central | 1.30% | 1.70% |
East Central | 41.90% | 15.50% |
Southwest | 8.70% | 8.60% |
South Central | 5.00% | 6.00% |
Southeast | -6.20% | -1.90% |
State | 3.50% | 3.50% |
Average farmland rent prices for counties in Minnesota with USDA/NASS data.
Average farmland rent prices for counties in Minnesota
County | 2018 avg | 2019 avg | 2020 avg | 2021 avg | 2022 avg | 2022 median | 2022 10th pctile | 2022 90th pctile | USDA 2021 | USDA 2022 | USDA 2023 est |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aitkin | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 18 | 20 | 29 |
Anoka | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 62 | 65 | n/a |
Becker | 73 | 106 | 98 | 116 | 121 | 78 | 25 | 174 | 120 | 133 | 128 |
Beltrami | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 36 | 41 | 41 |
Benton | 109 | 103 | 117 | 114 | 128 | 106 | 22 | 113 | 95 | 101 | 91 |
Big Stone | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 158 | 164 | 157 |
Blue Earth | 222 | 211 | 219 | 234 | 260 | 250 | 183 | 325 | 238 | n/a | 271 |
Brown | 179 | 195 | 194 | 210 | 218 | 216 | 161 | 300 | 209 | n/a | 239 |
Carlton | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 16 | 18 | 18 |
Carver | 174 | 172 | 192 | 199 | 231 | 225 | 150 | 272 | 209 | 216 | 237 |
Cass | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 28 | 28 | 42 |
Chippewa | n/a | 206 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 200 | 224 | 239 |
Chisago | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 67 | 71 | 79 |
Clay | 143 | 138 | 145 | 145 | 152 | 151 | 92 | 185 | 140 | 151 | 167 |
Clearwater | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 39 | 48 | 39 |
Cottonwood | 187 | 193 | 186 | 201 | 222 | 224 | 149 | 265 | 210 | 228 | 231 |
Cook | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Crow Wing | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 37 | 37 | 39 |
Dakota | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 198 | 210 | 241 |
Dodge | 215 | 224 | 242 | 231 | 256 | 276 | 162 | 320 | 232 | 268 | 276 |
Douglas | 122 | 122 | 131 | 134 | 158 | 134 | 57 | 208 | 110 | 137 | 144 |
Faribault | 208 | 213 | 219 | 244 | 262 | 243 | 116 | 317 | 237 | n/a | 272 |
Fillmore | 199 | 205 | 202 | 222 | 242 | 206 | 132 | 323 | 212 | 214 | 234 |
Freeborn | 222 | 214 | 216 | 227 | 250 | 228 | 201 | 310 | 215 | 244 | 264 |
Goodhue | 216 | 205 | 192 | 219 | 242 | 213 | 141 | 313 | 226 | 223 | 240 |
Grant | 182 | 187 | 181 | 185 | 198 | 157 | 78 | 209 | 176 | 186 | 186 |
Hennepin | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 145 | 155 | 168 |
Houston | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 180 | 207 | 221 |
Hubbard | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 18 | 20 | 24 |
Isanti | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 53 | 65 | 55 |
Itasca | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 20 | 19 | 23 |
Jackson | 205 | 196 | 208 | 217 | 233 | 250 | 150 | 327 | 229 | 231 | 245 |
Kanabec | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 55 | 62 | 65 |
Kandiyohi | 212 | 211 | 215 | 217 | 247 | 236 | 164 | 308 | 213 | 218 | 253 |
Kittson | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 79 | 83 | 87 |
Koochiching | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 22 | 23 | 26 |
Lac qui Parle | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 164 | 181 | 209 |
Lake of Woods | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 30 | 21 | 29 |
Lake | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Lake of the Woods | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 30 | 31 | 29 |
Le Sueur | 235 | 204 | 213 | 217 | 246 | 246 | 173 | 300 | 231 | 223 | 248 |
Lincoln | 149 | 172 | 168 | 199 | 209 | 209 | 162 | 253 | 191 | 207 | 215 |
Lyon | 198 | 192 | 192 | 196 | 218 | 212 | 130 | 297 | 195 | 232 | 223 |
Mahnomen | 87 | 93 | 104 | 107 | 103 | 96 | 48 | 137 | 120 | 136 | 134 |
Marshall | 71 | 78 | 77 | 80 | 93 | 75 | 47 | 117 | 91 | n/a | 129 |
Martin | 232 | 233 | 234 | 244 | 269 | 262 | 190 | 319 | 232 | 265 | 265 |
McLeod | 211 | 201 | 199 | 211 | 232 | 210 | 89 | 348 | 219 | 239 | 254 |
Meeker | 181 | 178 | 187 | 197 | 222 | 210 | 109 | 243 | 190 | 213 | 227 |
Mille Lacs | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 72 | 76 | 97 |
Morrison | 82 | 112 | 94 | 101 | 123 | 98 | 48 | 157 | 88 | 75 | 80 |
Mower | 218 | 217 | 212 | 228 | 260 | 242 | 136 | 325 | 229 | n/a | 249 |
Murray | 220 | 208 | 211 | 242 | 263 | 250 | 173 | 341 | 215 | 223 | 249 |
Nicollet | 206 | 216 | 214 | 235 | 259 | 238 | 202 | 306 | 227 | n/a | 233 |
Nobles | 191 | 191 | 198 | 216 | 241 | 215 | 150 | 304 | 206 | 232 | 222 |
Norman | 122 | 127 | 127 | 138 | 141 | 143 | 93 | 165 | 124 | 132 | 149 |
Olmsted | n/a | 202 | 219 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 215 | 225 | 248 |
Otter Tail | 112 | 110 | 115 | 119 | 125 | 118 | 38 | 172 | 86 | 105 | 108 |
Pennington | 69 | 66 | 68 | 72 | 71 | 60 | 50 | 91 | 77 | 74 | 84 |
Pine | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 48 | 55 | 48 |
Pipestone | 208 | 216 | 198 | 212 | 219 | 196 | 145 | 283 | 194 | 200 | 211 |
Polk | 99 | 100 | 102 | 106 | 114 | 105 | 61 | 154 | n/a | 124 | 132 |
Pope | 140 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 143 | 157 | 149 |
Ramsey | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Red Lake | n/a | n/a | 77 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 76 | 71 | 82 |
Redwood | 203 | 199 | 207 | 224 | 236 | 233 | 175 | 304 | 198 | n/a | 242 |
Renville | 215 | 190 | 214 | 215 | 233 | 242 | 200 | 265 | 220 | 247 | 257 |
Rice | 233 | 227 | 226 | 243 | 253 | 235 | 125 | 306 | 216 | 241 | 261 |
Rock | 201 | 190 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 249 | 245 | 256 |
Roseau | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 55 | 64 | 60 |
St. Louis | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 14 |
Scott | 183 | 190 | 188 | 196 | 184 | 140 | 100 | 223 | 199 | 212 | 216 |
Sherburne | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 54 | 51 | 44 |
Sibley | 232 | 219 | 220 | 216 | 250 | 253 | 149 | 323 | 250 | n/a | 285 |
Stearns | 162 | 150 | 170 | 149 | 173 | 153 | 68 | 254 | 152 | 147 | 172 |
Steele | 224 | 225 | 223 | 240 | 269 | 240 | 203 | 315 | 222 | 242 | 243 |
Stevens | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 163 | 173 | 166 |
Swift | n/a | 120 | 148 | 167 | 189 | 164 | 121 | 236 | 188 | 214 | 214 |
Todd | 74 | 76 | 75 | 89 | 87 | 75 | 30 | 133 | 80 | 88 | 102 |
Traverse | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 182 | 186 | 175 |
Wabasha | n/a | 195 | 185 | 191 | 189 | 156 | 134 | 300 | 204 | 259 | 234 |
Wadena | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 35 | 32 | 42 |
Waseca | 210 | 208 | 213 | 223 | 263 | 251 | 159 | 336 | 213 | n/a | 270 |
Washington | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 144 | 153 | 147 |
Watonwan | 214 | 215 | 226 | 252 | 271 | 250 | 191 | 320 | 235 | 238 | 256 |
Wilkin | 132 | 129 | 139 | 140 | 156 | 136 | 94 | 195 | 133 | 135 | 149 |
Winona | 217 | 202 | 195 | 197 | 217 | 203 | 100 | 274 | 221 | 226 | 232 |
Wright | 172 | 161 | 161 | 164 | 155 | 174 | 104 | 200 | 177 | 185 | 190 |
Yellow Medicine | n/a | n/a | n/a | 182 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 196 | 199 | 215 |
Reviewed in 2024