feeguides.comFees made clear.

How much does it cost to clear land?

Clearing land costs $1,403 to $6,211 for most jobs in 2026. What changes your price is below.

Bob Vila says lightly wooded land costs $500 to $2,000 an acre and heavily wooded land $3,000 to $5,600 an acre.

Clearing land costs $1,403 to $6,211 for most jobs in 2026

Estimate the cost to clear land

Pick what you need and add your ZIP. The price updates as you go. Got a price already? Check it in the last step.

1Which one do you need?
2Debris
3What is your ZIP?
Local prices not added yet.
4Got a price?
Optional. We check it.

Is this price fair?

A fair price is $1,400 to $6,200.

Type a price above to check it.

Low$3,800High
Your estimateUS average
$1,400to$6,200

Middle of the range: $3,800

$0$4,190$8,380
Normal range Middle

What you are paying for

Typical jobUS range for this job.$1,400 to $6,200
Mulched on siteDebris.Base price
US averageLocal prices not added yet.US price
Middle of rangeHalfway between low and high.$3,800
How we calculate this

    Prices are for the United States in 2026 from published cost guides, checked September 2026. This is an estimate, not a quote.

    Middle $3,800$1,400 to $6,200

    How much does it cost to clear land per acre?

    Average job$3,803 (Angi).
    Lightly wooded, per acre$500 to $2,000.
    Heavily wooded, per acre$3,000 to $5,600.
    Light vegetation, per acre$250 to $1,000 (Bob Vila).
    Clearing for construction, LawnStarter$1,266 to $3,900, average $2,581.
    Contractor hourly rate$110 to $250 (Angi).
    Tree removal add on$200 to $2,000 per acre.

    What pushes a quote up

    DensityMore trees mean more hours.
    StumpsGrinding or pulling stumps adds cost.
    DebrisHauling away costs more than mulching on site.
    Slope and wet groundSlow machines down.
    PermitsSome towns require them.

    Land clearing cost by region

    Lower cost states$1,125 to $5,000. Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia and most rural areas.
    Average cost states$1,403 to $6,211. Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and most mid size cities.
    Higher cost states$1,825 to $8,100. California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington, plus big metros such as Chicago, Denver and Washington DC.

    These rows are our estimate. We took the typical national range and adjusted it for local labor costs, which run about 20 percent lower in the cheapest states and about 30 percent higher in the dearest ones. Land clearing prices vary by region and by how far the crew hauls debris.

    How much does it cost to clear one acre?

    One acre of lightly wooded land costs about $500 to $2,000 to clear. A heavily wooded acre costs $3,000 to $5,600. Brush only, with a few small trees, can cost less.

    Ask what happens to the debris. Mulching on site is often cheapest. Hauling logs and brush to a dump adds trucking and tipping fees.

    Clearing is not grading

    Removing trees and brush is one job. Leveling the ground and preparing a building pad is another, priced separately.

    Why this costs more in 2026

    Heavy machines burn diesel, so clearing costs more in 2026.

    Every truck trip costs more now. Diesel passed $6 a gallon in September 2026 (CBS 8 reporting AAA), and material costs rose 4.8 percent in a year (Roofing Contractor). Quotes may only hold for a few weeks.

    How to judge the quote in your hand

    Ways to pay less