Land for sale in Kaufman County, TX — the third-fastest-growing county in America
Kaufman County is the eastern release valve for DFW growth — and the data shows buyers and developers know it. The county ranked third in the United States for numeric population growth in 2024–2025 per the Census Bureau, adding 11,225 residents in a single year. Forney is the fastest-growing community in DFW. Land here still trades below Collin and Rockwall, but the gap is closing fast.
Overview
Kaufman County sits directly east of Dallas County along the I-20 corridor, with US-175 running through Kaufman and the county seat. The county spans 807 square miles with a population now over 209,000 — a jump of 5.67% in the year ending July 2025, the third-highest numeric growth in the country.
The growth story is a tale of three cities: Forney on the western edge has absorbed enormous master-planned community pressure from Dallas and Mesquite buyers; Terrell anchors the I-20 corridor and is the regional industrial/commercial center; and Kaufman, Kemp, and Scurry serve the southern half of the county with closer-in lake recreation around Cedar Creek Reservoir.
Average list price per acre runs around $36,925 — meaningfully below Collin ($161K) and Rockwall ($127K) but rising fast as the Dallas spillover continues east.
Price Corridors
Kaufman County has four distinct sub-markets defined by proximity to Dallas, the I-20 corridor, and Cedar Creek Reservoir.
Market Snapshot
Kaufman County is one of the fastest-appreciating land markets in the state, driven by Dallas spillover and Forney-led builder absorption.
Average list price per acre from LandSearch active listing data. Population data from U.S. Census Bureau 2024–2025 county estimates. Reflects parcels 5+ acres; excludes commercial pads and subdivided residential lots inside city limits.
Land Types
Development / Hold (Forney corridor)
Raw acreage in the direct path of Forney's growth front along FM 548, US-80, and the eastern Dallas County line. Multiple national builders are actively assembling tracts. 3–7 year horizon.
I-20 Industrial / Commercial
Frontage and near-frontage tracts along I-20 between Mesquite and Terrell. Logistics, light industrial, and travel-commercial demand from Dallas overflow.
Cedar Creek Recreational
Lakefront, near-water, and lake-view tracts on the 33,000-acre Cedar Creek Reservoir. Weekend home, second home, and recreational buyer demand from DFW.
Working Ranch / Ag
South and east Kaufman County working cattle operations, hay production, and ag-exempt tracts. Patient hold thesis with the lowest entry price in the county.
Equestrian / Estate
Lifestyle ranchettes 5–25 acres serving the executive relocation market from Dallas. Forney, Heath ETJ, and the Crandall area lead this segment.
Zoning & ETJ
Kaufman County has no county-wide zoning in unincorporated areas. The binding constraints are city ETJs — and those ETJs are aggressive and expanding.
Water & Utilities
Kaufman County has three water options that vary significantly by location.
Ag Exemptions
Ag exemption is a primary tax lever in Kaufman County — and rollback exposure near Forney is now significant as land prices rise.
Investment
Kaufman County is now an institutional land market. The Dallas spillover thesis is no longer theoretical — it is the dominant trade in the county.
Kaufman is the Collin County trade three years behind — same fundamentals (Dallas spillover, builder absorption, infrastructure investment) at roughly a third of the price per acre. The west Kaufman corridor is the highest-conviction sub-market for near-term appreciation; rural east and south Kaufman remain patient-capital plays.
Growth Outlook
The Census Bureau's 2024–2025 estimates make the Kaufman story official — third-fastest-growing county in the country by numeric growth, behind only Collin and Maricopa (Phoenix). Forney has become the new release valve for buyers priced out of Mesquite, Garland, and the Lake Ray Hubbard corridor.
The I-20 corridor is a separate story — Terrell continues to attract logistics and light industrial development, with Walmart, Amazon, and multiple distribution operators active. That diversification stabilizes the county economy beyond pure residential.
Cedar Creek Reservoir is a long-tail recreational hold. The lake is regulated by Tarrant Regional Water District and the Corps of Engineers; supply is permanently constrained. As DFW densifies, lake-adjacent land 60 minutes from Dallas becomes a more valuable lifestyle asset.
Buying Here
Order a Category 1A survey — $1,500–$4,000 — non-negotiable in Kaufman County.
Pull the Kaufman CAD record and confirm current ag exemption status and qualifying use.
Calculate rollback tax exposure specifically before closing on any ag-exempt tract in the Forney corridor.
Verify ETJ status with Forney, Terrell, Heath, Crandall, or Kaufman as applicable.
Confirm water provider and capacity at the specific property — WSC service is uneven.
For Cedar Creek tracts — verify TRWD/Corps boundary, setbacks, and allowable uses specifically.
County Facts
Land Buyer Index
FAQ
Direct spillover from Dallas, Mesquite, and the eastern DFW corridor. Forney sits exactly where buyers go when they're priced out of closer suburbs. The Census Bureau ranked Kaufman third in the U.S. for numeric population growth from 2024 to 2025.
Kaufman is functionally where Collin was in roughly 2018 — same growth fundamentals, lower price point. Collin averages $161K/acre; Rockwall averages $127K/acre; Kaufman averages $36,925/acre. The gap is closing but still substantial.
Different market. Cedar Creek is a 33,000-acre recreational reservoir straddling Kaufman, Henderson, and a sliver of Anderson counties. Waterfront and near-water trades at premium for weekend, second-home, and lake retirement demand. Different buyer profile from the Forney/I-20 corridor.
Forney is approximately 20 miles east of downtown Dallas via I-20. Terrell is 35 miles. Kemp and the Cedar Creek area run 50–60 miles depending on entry point.
Frequently severed, particularly in the southern half of the county. Always verify mineral ownership and any existing surface use agreements before closing.
Generally yes — outside city limits and ETJs, Kaufman County has no building type restrictions. Verify ETJ status carefully, especially within 5 miles of Forney, Terrell, or Heath.