Counties in Iowa by land in farms

Kossuth County had the highest land in farms of 99 counties in 2012, at 599,439 acres. Louisa County had the lowest, at 168,540 acres. The median was 312,457 acres and the figure for Iowa was 30,622,731 acres. Source: the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest599,439Kossuth County
Lowest168,540Louisa County
Median312,45799 counties
Iowa30,622,731History

Map of counties, 2012

Adair County: 323,549 acresAdams County: 229,267 acresAllamakee County: 289,164 acresAppanoose County: 187,713 acresAudubon County: 280,351 acresBenton County: 422,127 acresBlack Hawk County: 296,765 acresBoone County: 313,343 acresBremer County: 271,500 acresBuchanan County: 341,903 acresBuena Vista County: 360,849 acresButler County: 362,751 acresCalhoun County: 358,205 acresCarroll County: 358,858 acresCass County: 289,926 acresCedar County: 312,457 acresCerro Gordo County: 326,879 acresCherokee County: 337,334 acresChickasaw County: 299,179 acresClarke County: 168,964 acresClay County: 318,772 acresClayton County: 398,022 acresClinton County: 417,189 acresCrawford County: 450,871 acresDallas County: 306,423 acresDavis County: 214,033 acresDecatur County: 231,504 acresDelaware County: 365,560 acresDes Moines County: 172,683 acresDickinson County: 187,363 acresDubuque County: 291,441 acresEmmet County: 218,987 acresFayette County: 388,497 acresFloyd County: 317,709 acresFranklin County: 355,381 acresFremont County: 287,454 acresGreene County: 356,867 acresGrundy County: 318,047 acresGuthrie County: 327,627 acresHamilton County: 327,031 acresHancock County: 353,351 acresHardin County: 332,266 acresHarrison County: 393,638 acresHenry County: 269,561 acresHoward County: 299,927 acresHumboldt County: 234,829 acresIda County: 260,962 acresIowa County: 336,084 acresJackson County: 308,956 acresJasper County: 373,652 acresJefferson County: 198,138 acresJohnson County: 328,672 acresJones County: 314,005 acresKeokuk County: 295,483 acresKossuth County: 599,439 acresLee County: 236,004 acresLinn County: 339,283 acresLouisa County: 168,540 acresLucas County: 177,342 acresLyon County: 369,847 acresMadison County: 276,104 acresMahaska County: 322,964 acresMarion County: 264,902 acresMarshall County: 312,402 acresMills County: 206,299 acresMitchell County: 296,235 acresMonona County: 338,164 acresMonroe County: 195,115 acresMontgomery County: 244,925 acresMuscatine County: 214,992 acresO'Brien County: 304,497 acresOsceola County: 238,220 acresPage County: 317,063 acresPalo Alto County: 358,769 acresPlymouth County: 541,817 acresPocahontas County: 332,065 acresPolk County: 197,535 acresPottawattamie County: 532,833 acresPoweshiek County: 334,447 acresRinggold County: 269,777 acresSac County: 357,032 acresScott County: 220,578 acresShelby County: 372,350 acresSioux County: 484,491 acresStory County: 306,000 acresTama County: 402,701 acresTaylor County: 278,630 acresUnion County: 214,412 acresVan Buren County: 213,358 acresWapello County: 188,845 acresWarren County: 263,540 acresWashington County: 314,409 acresWayne County: 273,774 acresWebster County: 408,928 acresWinnebago County: 235,443 acresWinneshiek County: 376,279 acresWoodbury County: 445,641 acresWorth County: 234,958 acresWright County: 359,713 acres
  • Under 220K
  • 220K to 280K
  • 280K to 310K
  • 310K to 330K
  • 330K to 370K
  • 370K and over
acres, 2012. Source: USDA NASS, Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022) via Data Commons. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2012

Kossuth County: 599,439 acresKossuth County599,439Plymouth County: 541,817 acresPlymouth County541,817Pottawattamie County: 532,833 acresPottawattamie County532,833Sioux County: 484,491 acresSioux County484,491Crawford County: 450,871 acresCrawford County450,871Woodbury County: 445,641 acresWoodbury County445,641Benton County: 422,127 acresBenton County422,127Clinton County: 417,189 acresClinton County417,189Webster County: 408,928 acresWebster County408,928Tama County: 402,701 acresTama County402,701Clayton County: 398,022 acresClayton County398,022Harrison County: 393,638 acresHarrison County393,638Fayette County: 388,497 acresFayette County388,497Winneshiek County: 376,279 acresWinneshiek County376,279Jasper County: 373,652 acresJasper County373,652Shelby County: 372,350 acresShelby County372,350Lyon County: 369,847 acresLyon County369,847Delaware County: 365,560 acresDelaware County365,560Butler County: 362,751 acresButler County362,751Buena Vista County: 360,849 acresBuena Vista County360,849Wright County: 359,713 acresWright County359,713Carroll County: 358,858 acresCarroll County358,858Palo Alto County: 358,769 acresPalo Alto County358,769Calhoun County: 358,205 acresCalhoun County358,205Sac County: 357,032 acresSac County357,032Greene County: 356,867 acresGreene County356,867Franklin County: 355,381 acresFranklin County355,381Hancock County: 353,351 acresHancock County353,351Buchanan County: 341,903 acresBuchanan County341,903Linn County: 339,283 acresLinn County339,283Monona County: 338,164 acresMonona County338,164Cherokee County: 337,334 acresCherokee County337,334Iowa County: 336,084 acresIowa County336,084Poweshiek County: 334,447 acresPoweshiek County334,447Hardin County: 332,266 acresHardin County332,266Pocahontas County: 332,065 acresPocahontas County332,065Johnson County: 328,672 acresJohnson County328,672Guthrie County: 327,627 acresGuthrie County327,627Hamilton County: 327,031 acresHamilton County327,031Cerro Gordo County: 326,879 acresCerro Gordo County326,879Kossuth County: 599,439 acresKossuth County599,439Plymouth County: 541,817 acresPlymouth County541,817Pottawattamie County: 532,833 acresPottawattamie County532,833Sioux County: 484,491 acresSioux County484,491Crawford County: 450,871 acresCrawford County450,871Woodbury County: 445,641 acresWoodbury County445,641Benton County: 422,127 acresBenton County422,127Clinton County: 417,189 acresClinton County417,189Webster County: 408,928 acresWebster County408,928Tama County: 402,701 acresTama County402,701Clayton County: 398,022 acresClayton County398,022Harrison County: 393,638 acresHarrison County393,638Fayette County: 388,497 acresFayette County388,497Winneshiek County: 376,279 acresWinneshiek County376,279Jasper County: 373,652 acresJasper County373,652Shelby County: 372,350 acresShelby County372,350Lyon County: 369,847 acresLyon County369,847Delaware County: 365,560 acresDelaware County365,560Butler County: 362,751 acresButler County362,751Buena Vista County: 360,849 acresBuena Vista County360,849Wright County: 359,713 acresWright County359,713Carroll County: 358,858 acresCarroll County358,858Palo Alto County: 358,769 acresPalo Alto County358,769Calhoun County: 358,205 acresCalhoun County358,205Sac County: 357,032 acresSac County357,032Greene County: 356,867 acresGreene County356,867Franklin County: 355,381 acresFranklin County355,381Hancock County: 353,351 acresHancock County353,351Buchanan County: 341,903 acresBuchanan County341,903Linn County: 339,283 acresLinn County339,283Monona County: 338,164 acresMonona County338,164Cherokee County: 337,334 acresCherokee County337,334Iowa County: 336,084 acresIowa County336,084Poweshiek County: 334,447 acresPoweshiek County334,447Hardin County: 332,266 acresHardin County332,266Pocahontas County: 332,065 acresPocahontas County332,065Johnson County: 328,672 acresJohnson County328,672Guthrie County: 327,627 acresGuthrie County327,627Hamilton County: 327,031 acresHamilton County327,031Cerro Gordo County: 326,879 acresCerro Gordo County326,879
acres. Source: USDA NASS, Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022) via Data Commons. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Full ranking

RankCounties2012
acres
1Kossuth County599,439
2Plymouth County541,817
3Pottawattamie County532,833
4Sioux County484,491
5Crawford County450,871
6Woodbury County445,641
7Benton County422,127
8Clinton County417,189
9Webster County408,928
10Tama County402,701
11Clayton County398,022
12Harrison County393,638
13Fayette County388,497
14Winneshiek County376,279
15Jasper County373,652
16Shelby County372,350
17Lyon County369,847
18Delaware County365,560
19Butler County362,751
20Buena Vista County360,849
21Wright County359,713
22Carroll County358,858
23Palo Alto County358,769
24Calhoun County358,205
25Sac County357,032
26Greene County356,867
27Franklin County355,381
28Hancock County353,351
29Buchanan County341,903
30Linn County339,283
31Monona County338,164
32Cherokee County337,334
33Iowa County336,084
34Poweshiek County334,447
35Hardin County332,266
36Pocahontas County332,065
37Johnson County328,672
38Guthrie County327,627
39Hamilton County327,031
40Cerro Gordo County326,879
41Adair County323,549
42Mahaska County322,964
43Clay County318,772
44Grundy County318,047
45Floyd County317,709
46Page County317,063
47Washington County314,409
48Jones County314,005
49Boone County313,343
50Cedar County312,457
51Marshall County312,402
52Jackson County308,956
53Dallas County306,423
54Story County306,000
55O'Brien County304,497
56Howard County299,927
57Chickasaw County299,179
58Black Hawk County296,765
59Mitchell County296,235
60Keokuk County295,483
61Dubuque County291,441
62Cass County289,926
63Allamakee County289,164
64Fremont County287,454
65Audubon County280,351
66Taylor County278,630
67Madison County276,104
68Wayne County273,774
69Bremer County271,500
70Ringgold County269,777
71Henry County269,561
72Marion County264,902
73Warren County263,540
74Ida County260,962
75Montgomery County244,925
76Osceola County238,220
77Lee County236,004
78Winnebago County235,443
79Worth County234,958
80Humboldt County234,829
81Decatur County231,504
82Adams County229,267
83Scott County220,578
84Emmet County218,987
85Muscatine County214,992
86Union County214,412
87Davis County214,033
88Van Buren County213,358
89Mills County206,299
90Jefferson County198,138
91Polk County197,535
92Monroe County195,115
93Wapello County188,845
94Appanoose County187,713
95Dickinson County187,363
96Lucas County177,342
97Des Moines County172,683
98Clarke County168,964
99Louisa County168,540

Other periods

About this ranking

Land operated by farms in the census year, in acres, including cropland, pasture, woodland and land under farm buildings, as counted by the USDA Census of Agriculture every five years.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved through Data Commons (datacommons.org). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service. (2026). Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022) (Counties in Iowa by land in farms, 2012) [Data set]. Data Commons. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/

MLA 9

Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022), Counties in Iowa by land in farms, 2012. U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 11 Oct. 2026, https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Data Commons, https://datacommons.org. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/iowa-counties?period=2012. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2026. Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Counties in Iowa by land in farms, 2012. Dataset. Distributed by Data Commons. Accessed October 11, 2026. https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/iowa-counties?period=2012.

Harvard

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service (2026) Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022), Counties in Iowa by land in farms, 2012 [Dataset]. Via Data Commons. Available at: https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/iowa-counties?period=2012 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{department_counties_in_iowa_by_2012,
  author = {{U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service}},
  title = {{Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022): Counties in Iowa by land in farms, 2012}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  publisher = {Data Commons},
  url = {https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/},
  urldate = {2026-10-11},
  note = {Retrieved through Data Commons (https://datacommons.org). Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/iowa-counties?period=2012. Publisher attribution: Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved through Data Commons (datacommons.org). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Retrieved 2026-10-11.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service
TI  - Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022): Counties in Iowa by land in farms, 2012
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/11
PB  - Data Commons
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/iowa-counties?period=2012
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Retrieved through Data Commons (https://datacommons.org).
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/iowa-counties?period=2012.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved through Data Commons (datacommons.org). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Iowa by land in farms using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest land in farms?

Kossuth County, with 599,439 acres in 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Which county has the lowest land in farms?

Louisa County, with 168,540 acres in 2012.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Land in farms: other rankings

Counties in Iowa: more rankings