Iowa is seeing a downward trend in cash rental rates for farmland according to recent survey results, while southeast Iowa bucks the trend. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach shares, the Cash Rental Rates for Iowa 2025 survey shows rates decreased on average by 2.9% to $271 per acre. This is the first decline in cash rents in Iowa since 2019.

However, in District 9 that covers southeast Iowa, there was an increase in cash rates from $247 in 2024 to $254 this year. The district includes Washington, Louisa, Des Moines, Lee, Henry, Keokuk, Jefferson, Van Buren, Mahaska, Wapello, and Davis counties. District 9 was the only one in the state to see an increase.