North Carolina farming statistics (2022)
North Carolina had 42,817 farms working 8,128,136 acres of land in farms in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, with an average farm size of 190 acres, according to USDA NASS. Number of farms is the count of operations from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the census year. Among the 50 states, North Carolina ranks 18 of 50 by number of farms.
Quick answer
North Carolina had 42,817 farms in 2022 (USDA NASS) — about 2.3% of all US farms — across 8,128,136 acres of farmland, averaging 190 acres per farm. Average farm size is land in farms divided by the number of farms, as published.
Farms
42,817
2022 census count
Land in farms
8,128,136
acres, 2022
Avg farm size
190
acres, 2022
Rank by farms
18 / 50
among US states
How North Carolina compares
States ranked nearest to North Carolina by number of farms (2022 Census of Agriculture).
| # | State | Farms | Avg size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Michigan | 45,581 | 208 acres |
| 16 | Florida | 44,703 | 217 acres |
| 17 | Nebraska | 44,479 | 989 acres |
| 19 | Georgia | 39,264 | 253 acres |
| 20 | Virginia | 38,995 | 187 acres |
| 21 | Arkansas | 37,756 | 363 acres |
Source: USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture, Vol. 1 Ch. 2, Table 1. U.S. Public Domain.
Frequently asked questions
- How many farms are there in North Carolina?
- North Carolina had 42,817 farms in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, working 8,128,136 acres of land in farms, according to USDA NASS. That ranks 18 of 50 states by number of farms.
- What is the average farm size in North Carolina?
- The average farm size in North Carolina was 190 acres in 2022 (USDA NASS) — total land in farms (8,128,136 acres) divided by the number of farms (42,817), as published.
- What reference period and source does the North Carolina figure use?
- The figures relate to the 2022 Census of Agriculture (the latest; conducted every five years) and are taken from USDA NASS, Volume 1, Chapter 2, Table 1 (State Summary Highlights). U.S. Public Domain. Verified 2026-06-27.
Source & licence
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) — 2022 Census of Agriculture — Volume 1, Chapter 2: State Level Data, Table 1. State Summary Highlights: 2022 (st99_2_001_001). U.S. Public Domain (17 U.S.C. § 105).
Works of the U.S. federal government (USDA NASS) are not subject to copyright (17 U.S.C. § 105). Figure verified 2026-06-27.