Possibly a stupid question (warning: newbie)

[Tom]

I'm not into real estate enough to be giving too much advice but, there are States that have, in the past, been known for affordable land.  There are reasons for it, so you must do your homework.  Some states tax so bad that folks are trying to leave. They will almost give the land to you to get away.  You get stuck with high taxes.  (not just land taxes)  Some States are "Poor" and have no jobs for young fellows. Some States have such low population that the land is not accessible to towns.  Like I said, you have to do your homework.

States with reputations for available land at decent prices are Arkansas, Alabama, West Virginia, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, Kansas, North Dakota and South Dakota to name a few.   Just keep in mind that there is a "reason" that people sell anything cheap.  You also have to compare "cheap" with the other things of the same nature in that place. Cheap to you might be a pretty ritzy price to them.

[SwampDonkey]

When your talking farmland and pasture, that's a different language than woodland. Farmland here sells for $2000 to $4000 per acre and house lots are $7,000 to 20,000 depending on location. You folks looking for a piece of land, look for about 5 or 10 acres and don't mention anything about a house. ;) That word causes $$ to appear in realtors eyes. ;)

[pappy]

Two years ago the young couple across the road from us bought plus -- minus 90 acres for $25,000 -- and the Soil Conservation Service pays them $50/acre to mow about 70 of it every two years  

There are still some good deals up here.  ;) but who wants to live way up here anyway ??  It's just peaceful and mostly quiet and the nearest Wally World is 60 miles from us.   :D :D :D  

But a one acre lot on one of the lakes around these parts can cost around 50 grand !!  

[Norwiscutter]

The UP of michigan is one of the last places to go for reasonable land prices in the midwest.  Just think, as muck land as you want for 750-1000 per acre. I got a friend that is a realter and is selling 10,000 acres in the far north of the UP (Copper Harbor area)  Some really beautiful forties, cut to 70% basil. There is also about 600 acres he is selling at 500/acre but they are clear cut.  Great place... for 4 months of the year.  The rest of the time there is like 10 ft of snow. Hope you like snowshoeing. ;D ;D

[Sawyerfortyish]

I have to laugh about land value around here. 18 yrs ago a friend sold his 40 acre farm and went to west virgina. He sold it for about 280,000. Ten yrs ago it sold again for a half million. About 2 months ago it sold for 1.2 million. My friend in west virgina is back here looking for work. If he could have held on and stuck it out he could have sold his farm and retired.
  A couple yrs ago my brother and I bought dad a new riding lawn tractor 16 hp . It cost 1000.00 more than granpa paid for the 144 acre farm . There is only so much land and in this area it only seems to go up