Indiana Farm Near Tech Corridor Sells for Over $19,000 Per Acre
- Brooke Bouma Kohlsdorf
- 53 minutes ago
- 3 min read
A large farm with high-quality soil located in west-central Indiana drew a lot of interest at auction this spring, but it wasn’t just soil and size driving the price.
Its position inside one of the Midwest’s growing high-tech corridors helped push the sale well above typical farmland values.
The nearly 602-acre property, marketed by Geswein Farm & Land, sold March 31st for an average of $19,259 per acre, totaling $11.59 million.
The farm was offered in seven tracts using a buyer’s choice auction format, ultimately attracting 54 registered bidders and a standing-room-only crowd.
While strong soil and scale were key, the farm’s proximity to what’s being called “America’s Hard Tech Corridor” and the “Silicone Heartland” added a layer of demand not often seen in traditional farmland sales.
Location Drives Attention
The land sits between Indianapolis and Purdue University. This corridor has gained momentum in recent years with the development of the LEAP district in nearby Lebanon.
According to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the 9,000-acre LEAP district is designed to attract advanced manufacturing and high-tech companies. One of the most notable projects is a planned $10 billion data center campus by Meta.
“This is a tightly held area,” said Johnny Klemme, co-owner of Geswein Farm & Land.
RELATED: Johnny Klemme is also the author of a book title, “American Family Farmland.” Hear more about his motivation to help landowners who inherit the family farm.
The farm’s tracts are located across Tippecanoe, Clinton, and Montgomery counties, all within a short distance of major transportation routes including U.S. Highway 52 and Interstate 65. The area provides key links between Indianapolis and Chicago.
Local Buyers Lead the Way
Despite interest from institutional investors and bidders across seven states, the winning buyers were no strangers to this area.
“The local market spoke pretty loudly,” Klemme said. “All of the buyers were hyper local and at the most, no more than an hour from the farm.”
In all, five buyers purchased one or two tracts each. Most of the land is tillable, with nearly 596 acres classified as cropland under United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency records.
Size and Soil Still Matter
Even with its strategic location, the farm’s fundamentals played a major role. At 602 acres, it represents a rare large-scale offering in Indiana, particularly in a region where land is tightly held.
The farm’s soil quality was also important. The property carries a Weighted Average Productivity Index (WAPI) of 172.6. That’s a high rating on the 200-point scale used in Indiana to measure soil productivity.
“It’s one thing to have size or location,” Klemme said. “But to have both of those along with that level of soil quality, that’s rare.”
Individual tracts sold for between $13,800 and $20,100 per acre, with top-performing parcels benefiting from strong soils, road frontage, and drainage improvements.
Market Context
The sale price significantly exceeded statewide averages. According to the 2025 Purdue University Farmland Values Survey, average Indiana farmland values reached $14,826 per acre in 2025, with west-central Indiana slightly lower at $14,388.
Klemme said the auction results reflect what he describes as “selective strength” in today’s market.
“Class A farms are almost their own asset class,” he said. “There’s still strong demand for high-quality land.”
