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Buying land in Buchanan County, Missouri: what to check

Buchanan County covers 408 square miles of land and 7 of water in Missouri, with about 83,574 residents in 2024 (down 1.4% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 90% of its land as rural and 86% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 54% of the county's land. Below: how much of Buchanan County floods, what its soils allow, what farmland is worth and how often it's in drought, from free public data with every source linked.

Check a location in Buchanan CountySee a sample report

Buchanan County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

8.8%

Above the state's county median (8.3%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

18%

Above the state's county median (8.4%)

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

59%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$5,382/acre

Above the state's county median ($4,462)

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

2.7%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

90%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Buchanan County

Ordered by what Buchanan County's numbers point to. Every parcel differs, so treat this as where to look first.

  1. 1.Get a perc test before you close

    USDA rates 59% of Buchanan County's mapped soils "very limited" for conventional septic absorption fields and 0% "not limited".

    Without city sewer you need a septic permit from the county or state health department. Make the offer contingent on a passing soil or perc test; mound and aerobic systems can cost several times a conventional one.

    Guide: Perc tests and septic systems

  2. 2.Put flood checks first in Buchanan County

    8.8% of the county's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain FEMA's National Risk Index uses for inland flooding; 18% of its mapped soils flood occasionally or frequently.

    Look up the FEMA flood zone at the pin, not the parcel's address. If any of the land is in zone A or V, price flood insurance before you offer, ask for an elevation certificate, and check whether the access road floods too.

    Guide: Flood zones before buying land

  3. 3.Expect wetlands; map them before you plan

    About 18% of Buchanan County's mapped soils are hydric (formed under saturated conditions, a federal wetland indicator) and 14% are poorly or very poorly drained (USDA SSURGO).

    Open the National Wetlands Inventory mapper at the parcel. Filling or draining a wetland can need a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit, and wet ground limits septic fields and building pads.

    Guide: Wetlands on land for sale

  4. 4.Check the soils if you plan to farm, graze or garden

    Farm real estate in Buchanan County averaged $5,382 an acre including buildings in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, and 54% of its mapped soils are prime or of statewide importance.

    Compare the asking price with recent sales of similar tracts, not the county average, which mixes cropland, pasture, timber and homesites. If an ag tax valuation applies, ask what the rollback taxes would be if you change the use.

    Guide: Land due diligence checklist

  5. 5.Confirm legal road access and power

    The 2020 Census classified 90% of Buchanan County's land area as rural.

    Rural tracts are often sold without recorded access or a power line nearby. Get the title company to confirm a recorded easement or public road frontage, and ask the electric co-op what a line extension costs.

    Guide: Road access and landlocked land

  6. 6.Check wildfire exposure and insurance

    FEMA rates Buchanan County's wildfire risk very low, and 18% of the county's area is in the wildfire exposure zone the National Risk Index uses.

    Ask an insurer for a quote early; some carriers won't write new policies in high-hazard areas. Check access for fire trucks, nearby fire stations and the vegetation around the building site.

    Guide: Wildfire risk for rural land

Flood zones, wetlands and water in Buchanan County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
8.8%, 54th highest of 115 in Missouri FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
18% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
18% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
14% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
7 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
0% moderate or worse, 0% severe or worse U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

The floodplain share is the area FEMA's National Risk Index counts as exposed to inland flooding, mostly mapped 100-year flood zones. It says how common flood-prone land is in Buchanan County, not whether a given parcel floods. For that, look up the zone at your exact point on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or run the free check.

Soils and terrain

Prime farmland
12% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Prime only if drained, irrigated or protected
18% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
42% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
15% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
59% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Buchanan County's soil-surveyed land (about 261,521 acres, open water excluded), using each map unit's dominant condition in USDA's SSURGO soil survey. Soils change within a few hundred feet, so the soil at your building site is what matters.

Farms and land use

Farms (2022)
619 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
54% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
227 acres (median 80) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$5,382 per acre, 30th highest of 114 in Missouri USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
99,276 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
22,897 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
10,008 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
1,319 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

FEMA's National Risk Index rates each hazard for Buchanan County relative to every other U.S. county. Overall risk: Relatively Low.

  • Strong windRelatively High
  • DroughtRelatively Moderate
  • HailRelatively Moderate
  • Heat waveRelatively Moderate
  • LightningRelatively Moderate
  • TornadoRelatively Moderate
  • Winter weatherRelatively Moderate
  • River and inland floodingRelatively Low
  • LandslideRelatively Low
  • EarthquakeVery Low
  • WildfireVery Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Buchanan County

How much of Buchanan County, MO is in a flood zone?

About 8.8% of Buchanan County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 54th highest of 115 counties in Missouri. Whether a given parcel is in a flood zone depends on its exact location, so check the FEMA map at your pin.

How much does land cost per acre in Buchanan County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Buchanan County at $5,382 an acre, 30th highest of 114 counties in Missouri (the median Missouri county was $4,462). It's a self-reported average across farms, so small homesites and recreational tracts often sell for more per acre.

Will a septic system work on land in Buchanan County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 59% of Buchanan County's mapped soils very limited for conventional septic absorption fields, usually because of wetness, slow permeability, shallow rock or flooding. A perc or soil test on the parcel decides what system the health department will permit.

Is there good farmland in Buchanan County?

12% of Buchanan County's mapped soils are prime farmland, 18% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 42% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 619 farms averaging 227 acres.

How often is Buchanan County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 2.7% of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought in 0%. On 2026-10-27, 0% of the county was in moderate drought or worse.

Can I check a specific property in Buchanan County?

Yes. Enter the address or drop a pin anywhere in Buchanan County on the free check. It shows which checks return data at that exact point, and the full report costs $29: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power lines, wildfire and more, each with its source. It is a screen of public maps, not a survey, title search or perc test.

Check the parcel, not just the county

County numbers tell you what to look for. The free check looks at your exact point in Buchanan County: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power and more. The full report is $29.

Check a location in Buchanan County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Buchanan County as a whole; a parcel can be entirely in or out of a flood zone, wetland or poor soil.
  • It doesn't look at the whole parcel, its boundaries, title, easements, zoning or permits.
  • It isn't a survey, appraisal, elevation certificate, soil or perc test, or Phase I environmental site assessment.
  • It can't see local distribution power lines, driveways, legal access, wells or mineral rights.
  • Maps lag behind the ground, and distances are straight-line, not driving distance.

Sources and vintages

Summarized per county by our build script on 2026-10-31. County figures cover the whole county; checks on the report are at your point.