Regions
Virginia’s major land regions are the Coastal Plain (Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau.
Agriculture
Agriculture continues to be Virginia’s top private industry for the Old Dominion, generating $3.8 billion in revenues. There are approximately 43,225 farms in the state, covering 7.8 million acres. The average size farm comprises 181 acres. Agriculture makes a significant contribution to all 95 counties.
Virginia’s most valuable commodities are broilers and cattle/calves. The state also grows substantial quantities of turkeys, soybeans, and miscellaneous crops . Most of the cropland is found in the northwest region of the state.
Wildlife
Its diverse landscape from mountains to wetlands to the coast make Virginia a wildlife mecca on both land and water. Its primary wildlife include white-tailed deer, black bear, elk, racoon, fox, jackrabbit, and turkey.
Diverse fishing opportunities across the state include freshwater fish like rock bass, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and redbreast sunfish. Saltwater fishing includes Spanish mackerel, bluefish, roundhead, croaker, summer flounder, speckled trout, and red drum.
Virginia is committed to conserving its open spaces, waters, and natural habitats.
Major Rivers and Lakes
Virginia’s four longest rivers are the Roanoke River, James River, New River, and Potomac River. Their main tributaries include the Big Otter River, Dan River, Appomattox River, Jackson River, and Bluestone River.
Kerr Lake, the largest lake in Virginia, straddles the border of Virginia and North Carolina. The surface area of this lake is approximately 49,420 acres (77.22 square miles). Other significant lakes include Smith Mountain Lake and Lake Gaston, which exceed 40,780 surface area acres.
State and National Parks
Virginia has 41 state parks and 22 national parks.
National Parks:
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail
- Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
- Arlington House (Arlington National Cemetery)
- Blue Ridge Parkway
- Booker T. Washington National Monument
- Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park
- Colonial National Historical Park
- Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
- Fort Monroe National Monument
- Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park
- George Washington Birthplace National Monument
- George Washington Memorial Parkway
- Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
- Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
- Manassas National Battlefield Park
- Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
- Petersburg National Battlefield Park
- Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
- Prince William Forest Park
- Richmond National Battlefield Park
- Shenandoah National Park
| State Summary | |
| Nickname | The Old Dominion |
| Neighboring States | West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky |
| Regions | Coastal Plain (Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau |
| State Flower | Flowering Dogwood |
| State Bird | Cardinal |
| Big Game | Deer, black bear, elk, and turkey |
| Small Game | Grouse, rabbit, squirrel, woodcock, and waterfowl |
| Freshwater Fish | Rock bass, largemouth bass, redbreast sunfish, crappie, and bluegill |
| Saltwater Fish | Spanish mackerel, bluefish, roundhead, croaker, summer flounder, speckled trout, and red drum |
| Hunting Information | https://dwr.virginia.gov/hunting/ |
| Total Acreage | 27.3 million acres |
| Total Public Land Acreage | 3.7 million acres |
| Average Annual Rainfall | 44 inches |
| Farmland by Acreage | 7.8 million acres |
| Woodlands by Acreage | 16 million acres |
| Coastline | 7,213 miles |
| Conservation Program | https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/ |
| Primary Crops | Broilers, cattle/calves, turkey, and soybeans |
| Largest Lake | Lake Kerr |
| Other Lakes | Smith Mountain Lake, Lake Gaston, and Lake Anna |
| Major Rivers | Roanoke River, James River, New River, and Potomac River |
| Other Tributaries | Big Otter River, Dan River, Appomattox River, Jackson River, and Bluestone River |
Our Rural Real Estate Offices
Mossy Oak Properties Virginia began with the goal of becoming a trusted resource for folks looking to buy or sell rural land for sale in Virginia. Our land brokers and agents understand what people are looking for in rural property because we share the same lifestyle and love for the land as you do. We understand the importance of honor and integrity and that buying or selling land is an emotional and life-changing experience for consumers.
Only Mossy Oak Properties Virginia can provide the powerful combination of brand strength, local expertise, quality service, and national exposure. Whether you want to buy or sell rural real estate, a Mossy Oak Properties land specialist is a must-have on your team.
Find a Virgina land real estate agent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What regions of Virginia offer the best rural land opportunities?
Southwest Virginia has the cheapest rural land in the state with counties like Lee Scott Wise and Dickenson offering rugged mountain land at very affordable prices. The Shenandoah Valley offers incredible farm dirt with beautiful views and massive demand from people commuting out of Northern Virginia.
The Piedmont area in Fauquier Rappahannock and Culpeper counties features luxury horse farms that sell for premium prices because they sit so close to Washington DC. Southside Virginia counties like Halifax Mecklenburg and Brunswick offer great hunting and timber dirt at prices that usually beat similar land in North Carolina. Down by the coast Tidewater Virginia offers waterfront properties that carry price tags similar to Maryland.
What are typical land prices across Virginia regions?
According to the 2025 USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service report the average farm real estate value in Virginia sits around $5,590 per acre but prices change wildly depending on the region. Southwest Virginia mountain dirt in Lee Scott and Russell counties runs $1,000 to $2,500 per acre. Southside Virginia hunting and timber dirt in Halifax and Mecklenburg counties runs $2,000 to $4,500 per acre.
Shenandoah Valley farm dirt in Rockingham and Augusta counties runs $4,000 to $9,000 per acre. Piedmont horse country in Fauquier and Rappahannock counties runs $8,000 to $20,000 per acre. Rural land sitting right outside Northern Virginia commands massive price bumps from wealthy DC buyers.
What should buyers know about mineral rights in Southwest Virginia?
If you buy land in the Southwest Virginia coal counties like Wise Dickenson Buchanan Lee Scott and Tazewell you must understand that the underground mineral rights were completely separated from the surface dirt back in the early 1900s. Coal and gas companies systematically bought the underground rights from farmers and they still own them today.
If you buy surface dirt here a coal or gas company might have the legal right to mine or drill right under your feet and they can even use your surface land to get to it. Because Virginia does not use a Marketable Record Title Act these rights are controlled purely by old deed language and state laws. You absolutely must hire a lawyer to run a full mineral rights check before buying any land in Southwest Virginia.
What property taxes should Virginia rural landowners expect?
Virginia offers a fantastic tax break called the Land Use Assessment program that taxes farm timber and open space land based on what it produces instead of what it could sell for to a housing developer. Enrolling your farm or timber dirt in this program drops your yearly tax bill to a tiny fraction of the normal cost. Each county runs its own program and forces you to reapply regularly.
According to local county tax guidelines if you ever stop farming the dirt or sell it to a developer you will get hit with a rollback penalty covering up to six years of back taxes plus interest. Virginia also has absolutely zero state inheritance tax. The mix of this massive land use tax break and fair local tax rates makes holding rural land in Virginia incredibly affordable.
