These States Have The Most Foreign-Owned Land

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• Foreign land ownership in the U.S. rose 23.3% over the past decade, from 25.9 million acres in 2013 to 32.0 million acres in 2023.
• While some states have limited foreign land ownership, more than 50% of land in several counties are owned by foreign entities.
• The counties with the greatest proportions of foreign land ownership are in the South and Midwest, but the state with the highest share is in the Northeast.
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Concerns over foreign land ownership are as old as the Declaration of Independence. As foreign land ownership increased 23.3% over the past decade, from 25.9 million acres in 2013 to 32.0 million acres in 2023, several states enacted bills limiting foreign ownership of U.S. land or mandating stricter reporting requirements.

While foreign-owned parcels amount to just 1.4% of total land area in the United States, some states have sold significant portions of their land to foreign entities. While at the county level foreign landownership is highest in the South and Midwest, the state with the greatest amount of land owned by outside entities is in the Northeast. A closer look at the data reveals the states where the most land area is owned by foreign countries.

To determine the states with the most land area owned by foreign countries, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on U.S. landholding estimates by country from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act database. States were ranked based on the percentage of land area owned by individuals and entities from foreign countries as well as by the interests of U.S. corporations with foreign shareholders as of December 31, 2023. All data is from the USDA.

50. Alaska

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: <0.1% (270 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (98 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $307,000
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, United Kingdom, Sweden, Sweden

49. Rhode Island

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: <0.1% (17 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: N/A
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $600,000
• Largest landowner countries: Austria

48. Connecticut

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: <0.1% (452 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (170 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $665,766
• Largest landowner countries: Cayman Islands, United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, Lebanon, Venezuela

47. New Hampshire

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.1% (3,049 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (2,347 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $3.7 million
• Largest landowner countries: United Kingdom, Bahamas, Panama, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Spain, Canada, Netherlands, Japan

46. Massachusetts

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.1% (3,975 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (3,620 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $4.1 million
• Largest landowner countries: Netherlands, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Virgin Islands (British), Japan, Italy

45. Nevada

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.1% (65,334 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Pasture (53,882 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $14.5 million
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Virgin Islands (British), Hong Kong, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, France, Japan, Portugal, United Kingdom

44. New Jersey

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.1% (5,541 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (1,595 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $77.6 million
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Germany, Netherlands, France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Morocco, Belgium, Japan, Jordan

43. Idaho

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.1% (62,623 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Pasture (28,866 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $161.6 million
• Largest landowner countries: France, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, Mexico, Denmark, Turks And Caicos Islands, Ireland

42. Utah

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.2% (86,985 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Pasture (21,778 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $197.5 million
• Largest landowner countries: China, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy, Canada, France, Mexico, Sweden, Luxembourg, Panama

41. Arizona

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.2% (178,675 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (103,663 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $534.2 million
• Largest landowner countries: Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, Luxembourg, Japan, Egypt, Bahamas, Italy, Netherlands, Germany

40. Kentucky

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.3% (72,045 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (31,134 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $687.2 million
• Largest landowner countries: United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, France, Denmark, United Arab Emirates, Ireland, Netherlands

39. Delaware

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.4% (5,102 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (3,003 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $41.4 million
• Largest landowner countries: Netherlands, Israel, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, Italy, France, United Kingdom

38. Wyoming

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.5% (337,404 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Pasture (235,117 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $109.4 million
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, United Kingdom, Portugal, Germany, France, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Chile, Netherlands, Italy

37. Montana

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.7% (631,386 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Pasture (334,657 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $191.0 million
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Belgium, Japan, Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Venezuela, France, Portugal

36. Maryland

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.7% (44,445 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (26,734 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $142.4 million
• Largest landowner countries: Germany, Canada, France, Japan, Netherlands, Italy, Bermuda, Liechtenstein, Spain, Australia

35. Minnesota

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.7% (367,129 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (271,066 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.8 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Finland, United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland

34. Virginia

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.8% (199,517 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (131,007 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $493.4 million
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Denmark, Spain

33. California

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.9% (854,709 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (334,887 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $4.8 billion
• Largest landowner countries: United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands, Japan, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Panama, Switzerland, Cayman Islands

32. Vermont

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 0.9% (54,685 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (37,810 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $37.6 million
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Venezuela, Bermuda, Liechtenstein

31. South Dakota

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 1.0% (462,763 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (278,609 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $701.7 million
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Bahamas, Italy

30. Oregon

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 1.0% (600,089 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (406,350 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.6 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Luxembourg, United Kingdom, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Japan

29. North Dakota

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 1.0% (441,928 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (323,530 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $563.4 million
• Largest landowner countries: Italy, United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, Spain, France, Netherlands, Norway, Australia, Germany

28. Ohio

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 1.0% (267,841 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (240,035 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.7 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Denmark, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Japan, United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, France

27. Missouri

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 1.0% (453,329 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (237,435 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $865.0 million
• Largest landowner countries: Italy, Canada, China, Netherlands, New Zealand, Germany, Switzerland, France, United Kingdom, Japan

26. Pennsylvania

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 1.0% (300,672 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (248,189 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $713.3 million
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, France, Australia, Denmark, Portugal

25. New Mexico

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 1.1% (833,291 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (464,911 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $610.2 million
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Netherlands, Liberia, Luxembourg, Switzerland

24. Iowa

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 1.3% (453,058 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (365,247 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.9 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom, Cook Islands, Denmark, Netherlands

23. Tennessee

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 1.3% (337,784 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (295,035 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $392.5 million
• Largest landowner countries: Netherlands, Denmark, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Bahamas

22. Wisconsin

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 1.6% (569,697 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (445,287 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $903.8 million
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Denmark, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Portugal, United Kingdom, Finland, Singapore, Germany, Sweden

21. Indiana

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 1.7% (385,937 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (309,138 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.5 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Portugal, Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Israel, United Kingdom, Austria, Denmark

20. West Virginia

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 1.8% (277,173 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (190,526 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $120.1 million
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Netherlands, Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Spain

19. Nebraska

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 1.9% (917,443 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (888,142 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.1 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Italy, United Kingdom, Denmark, Switzerland, France, Netherlands, Virgin Islands (British), Spain, Cayman Islands

18. North Carolina

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 2.0% (613,619 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (504,723 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.4 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, China, Denmark, France, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg

17. Illinois

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 2.1% (733,503 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (704,367 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $4.6 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Italy, Portugal, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Netherlands, Denmark, Venezuela, Brazil

16. Georgia

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 2.3% (855,366 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (775,796 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $2.8 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Germany, Canada, Ireland, Austria, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Australia, Switzerland

15. Florida

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 2.4% (817,498 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (590,730 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.9 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Ireland, Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, Panama, Denmark, Cayman Islands, United Kingdom, Switzerland

14. Kansas

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 2.4% (1,273,953 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (919,128 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.2 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Italy, Denmark, Portugal, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Mexico, Saudi Arabia

13. Mississippi

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 2.4% (733,939 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (609,143 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.3 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, Denmark, Germany, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Argentina, Belgium, Australia

12. Texas

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 2.5% (4,169,396 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (1,520,359 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $9.8 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Mexico, Italy, France, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Portugal

11. New York

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 2.6% (783,122 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (531,215 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $844.6 million
• Largest landowner countries: Denmark, Canada, Cayman Islands, Germany, United Kingdom, Portugal, Austria, Liechtenstein, Spain, Belgium

10. Washington

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 2.6% (1,119,195 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (576,940 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.9 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Portugal, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Australia

9. Colorado

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 3.3% (2,187,274 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (1,343,218 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.3 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Japan, France, Sweden

8. Hawaii

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 3.9% (160,016 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (80,796 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $437.9 million
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom, South Korea, China, Switzerland, Australia

7. Oklahoma

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 4.0% (1,737,549 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Cropland (1,125,544 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.6 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, France, United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia

6. South Carolina

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 4.1% (781,278 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (732,159 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.7 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Netherlands, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Ireland, Japan, Virgin Islands (British), United Kingdom

5. Michigan

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 4.1% (1,495,606 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (1,271,319 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $1.4 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Singapore, Netherlands, Canada, Virgin Islands (British), Cayman Islands, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, Liechtenstein

4. Arkansas

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 4.4% (1,472,319 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (1,137,517 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $2.6 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Cayman Islands, Sweden, Argentina, Luxembourg, Italy

3. Alabama

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 4.8% (1,553,665 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (1,497,469 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $3.4 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Netherlands, Canada, Ireland, Denmark, Luxembourg, United Kingdom, Cayman Islands, Austria, France, Germany

2. Louisiana

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 5.5% (1,531,306 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (1,337,510 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $2.3 billion
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Netherlands, Cayman Islands, United Kingdom, Singapore, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Sweden

1. Maine

• Percentage of state owned by foreign entities: 15.3% (3,017,404 acres total)
• Primary landholding type: Forest (2,964,036 acres)
• Total value of foreign-owned land: $682.7 million
• Largest landowner countries: Canada, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Portugal, Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Liberia, Sweden, France

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