Will County, Illinois
2024 Land Sales Report
After several strong years, Will County saw another increase in per-acre land values in 2024, but recent data hints at a possible cooling in 2025.
If you’d like to get specific land values on your own property or a farm near you for 2025, please contact Jeremy Thompson at (815) 351-5572.
Request a Land Values ReportAverage Price of Land*
$12,348/acre
Jan. – Dec. 2024*
As high as $13,471/acre
in 2024*
Land Market Commentary & Local Trends
Overall, the average price of farmland was $12,348/acre and the price per productivity index point was $99.95 in 2024 based on the sales data. It is important to note that in 2024 there have been farmland sales as high as $13,471 per acre.
Since 1977, the Geswein Farm & Land Team has been advising landowners to be stewards of the land and make decisions based on most current, accurate, and relevant data. The information in this report can provide you with a rough estimate of your property’s value; however, understanding the specific characteristics of your property and how they compare to the other sales will provide the most accurate value of your property. Additionally, properties sold by land brokers via auctions or listings consistently outperformed individual to individual transactions and properties sold by traditional home realtors.
By The Numbers
According to Land.com, Will County has been seeing a lot of activity in the land market lately, with nearly 5,000 acres of farms and rural properties listed for sale. Altogether, these listings added up to a significant chunk of value, and it’s enough to rank Will County third out of all 102 counties in Illinois when it comes to total acreage currently on the market. A couple of properties were also recently sold through the Land Network Comparable Sales Program. Among all the areas in the county, Frankfort stood out with the most land available. Will County itself is the 14th largest in the state, covering about 849 square miles, and sits right in the heart of the Chicagoland region.
The most recent USDA farmland census reveals that Will County, Illinois, is home to 780 farms spanning a total of 241,269 acres, with average farm covering around 309 acres–marking an 11% increase in land in farms compared to 2017. Nearly all of that land is cropland–over 228,000 acres–alongside smaller areas dedicated to pasture, woodland, and other uses. Farmers are using a mix of soil-health practices: 36% use no-till, 23% reduced tillage, 26% intensive tillage, and 9% employ cover crops to boost sustainability.
Overview of Will County Agriculture
Location and Geography: Will County is located in northeastern Illinois and is part of the greater Chicagoland region. The county features a mix of urban, suburban, and rural landscapes, with rich, fertile soils and relatively flat terrain that make it well-suited for agriculture.
Major Crops:
- Corn: the leading crop in Will County, widely grown for grain and used in everything from livestock feed to ethanol production.
- Soybeans: another top crop, valued for their versatility and commonly rotated with corn to maintain soil health.
- Wheat: winter wheat is grown on a smaller scale in Will County, often used as a cover crop or for grain production.
- Hay: produced primarily for feeding livestock, especially in areas of the county where pastureland is more common.
Agriculture in Will County, Illinois remains a vital part of the local economy and landscape, even as suburban growth continues to expand outward from the Chicago metropolitan area. The county’s fertile soils support a strong mix of traditional Midwest crops, with corn and soybeans leading the way. Farmers here benefit from access to major transportation networks and agricultural infrastructure, which helps support productivity and market access. Despite increasing development pressure, many areas of Will County are still actively farmed, with some landowners integrating conservation and crop rotation practices to sustain long-term land health.
With Will County’s proximity to Chicagoland, the land market has remained active, especially as buyers seek both investment opportunities and transitional land with future development potential. Farmland that is still in production is highly sought after, not just for its agricultural value, but also for its potential as rural residential, commercial, or recreational property. As a result, the local land market reflects a mix of interest from traditional farmers, investors, and developers alike contributing to consistent demand across the region.
History & Background of Will County, Illinois
County Seat: Joliet
Townships: Channahon / Crete / Custer / DuPage / Florence / Frankfort / Green Garden / Homer / Jackson / Joliet / Lockport / Manhattan / Monee / New Lenox / Peotone / Plainfield / Reed / Troy / Washington / Wesley / Wheatland / Will / Wilmington / Wilton
History: Established in 1836; Named for parts of Cook and Iroquois Counties, and named in honor of Conrad Will, a key figure in early Illinois governance.
Population: 700,728
Cities & Towns: Joliet / Aurora / Braidwood / Crest Hill / Lockport / Wilmington / Naperville / Beecher / Bolingbrook / Channahon / Crete / Diamond / Elwood / Frankfort / Godley / Homer Glen / Lemont / Manhattan / Minooka / Mokena / Monee / New Lenox / Orland Park / Oswego / Park Forest / Peotone / Plainfield / Rockdale / Romeoville / Sauk Village / Shorewood / Stegar / Symerton / Tinley Park / University Park / Woodridge
Acreage: 535,680
According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the following crop statistics have been reported for Will County, Illinois.
The 2022 Ag Census for Will County, Illinois, reported the following crop statistics:
Number of farms: 780
Land in farms (acres): 241,269
Average farm size (acres): 309
Total market value of products sold: $234,726,000
Government payments: $3,210,000
Farm-related income: $10,100,000
Total farm production expenses: $159,636,000
Net cash farm income: $88,400,000
Sources / Citations:
Source 1:
“United States Department of Agriculture.” USDA, www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Illinois/Publications/County_Estimates/index.php#:~:text=Access%20Quick%20Stats%20Lite,to%20NASS%20Surveys%20and%20Programs. Accessed 2 July 2025.
Source 2:
“USDA.” 2022 Census of Agriculture County Profile, www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/Illinois/cp17197.pdf. Accessed 2 July 2025.
*The transaction and land sales data/information contained in this report was obtained from publicly available sources and sales disclosures deemed accurate and reliable but not guaranteed, no liability for accuracy, errors or omissions is assumed by Geswein Farm & Land Realty, LLC
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