Hood County Land & Ranch Market Report

What we're seeing in Hood County - Q3 2026

We regularly monitor the 100+ acre land and ranch market conditions in Hood County. Within Hood County there are 10 properties listed for sale, 1 property is under contract or pending, and 2 properties have sold. The average price per acre is $14,171 per acre and average days on market is 360 days for the two sales. The average list price per acre for properties that are available for sale is $27,846/acre, and excluding the high and low price per acre brings the average down to $24,958/acre. 

About Hood County

Hood County is in the Western Cross Timbers region about 40 miles southwest of Fort Worth, with Granbury as the county seat on U.S. Highway 377. It was formed in November 1866 (mainly from Johnson and Erath country) and named for Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood; the county seat was named for Gen. Hiram B. Granbury. Choosing where the Hood County seat would sit sparked a long fight (across three elections). Granbury started on 40 acres of land donated by the Nutt brothers overlooking the Brazos. Hood County's Southern residents who lost the fight to locate the county seat further south later helped carve out Somervell County in 1875.

The Brazos and Paluxy rivers run through the county; elevations generally range from about 600 to 1,000+ feet. Lake Granbury, impounded on the Brazos in 1969 (~8,700 surface acres and more than 100 miles of shoreline), turned Hood into a recreation, retirement, and weekend destination for the Metroplex and fueled a growth surge from the 1970s onward. Average rainfall is about 35 inches a year. Agriculture is still part of Hood County's story — cattle, hay, pecans, and pasture — alongside tourism around the historic Granbury square, lake living, and a large share of residents who commute toward Fort Worth.

Recent headlines

• Data centers - Hood County is one of the more prominent North Texas examples of the AI-era land rush. By mid-2026, developers had floated roughly eight large data-center proposals covering more than 7,600 acres (about 12 square miles) in and around the county — including the high-profile Comanche Circle campus (~2,100+ acres near Tolar) and other projects that drew packed commissioners meetings, resident groups like Protect the Paluxy Valley, and repeated debates over water, power, noise, and rural character. 

• Transmission lines - Hood County is on the eastern end of Oncor's Dinosaur-Longshore 765 kV transmission line, with Hood as one of the 13 counties. The structures will have a permanent 200' right of way and the 765 kV line will be Texas' largest line helping move power towards West Texas.

Standout Properties

If you’re looking to buy in Hood County, our recommendation is to wait and monitor new properties as they are made available for sale. In our opinion, the price to value of the properties currently on the market is too heavily skewed towards sellers and industrial users. 

Guidance for Buyers

Hood County still rewards people who want lake access, elevation changes with scenic views, and close proximity to Fort Worth and Glen Rose — but the map is changing. Be discerning about where you buy and what kind of property you want, and start your research before you ever drive the gates. While no one has perfect foresight, know which large tracts could be data-center targets, what infrastructure is available around them (power corridors, natural gas pipelines, substations, water, and highway access) to support that use, and where Oncor’s approved 765 kV sits. With data centers, other North Texas counties — including Hill — have already shown a land-and-expand pattern: once an initial campus clears review, buyers often move quickly on surrounding acreage.

Match the property to the use. A homesite or recreational tract near Lake Granbury or the historic square is a different type of property than a big contiguous ranch west of town. Ask hard questions on access, water (well, rural water district, or municipal), flood and drainage, fences, and whether a high-voltage corridor or industrial concept plan sits next door or on the next ridge. Confirm zoning or county rules if you’re inside Granbury; unincorporated tracts have fewer local brakes. Then look at comps for similar acreage — not headline prices driven by energy or industrial speculation.

Do the research first, then go look. Pull the appraisal district map, the approved transmission centerline, and any public concept plans or PUC/Oncor notices before you fall in love with a view.

Guidance for Sellers

Hood County still brings solid prices when the land is right, but this is not 2021–2022. Inventory has moved slower for several years, buyers are more selective, and days on market stretch when a list price isn't realistic. In our view, price to today’s comps from the start (and know what prices are what we call 'make me sell' prices). The “we can always come down” approach usually costs more: stale listings get shopped hard, offer quality drops, and you often net less than if you’d priced it cleanly on day one.

Lead with what sells here — usable access, water, pasture or homesite quality, and a clear lifestyle or ranch story — and photograph it well. Don’t count on data-center or transmission line money unless you already have something in writing as most end users recreational buyers cannot compete with industrial pricing an industrial premium. Know where your tract sits relative to proposed campuses and the 765 kV corridor so you can answer questions straight, not after a bad showing. If the goal is a timely close at a fair number, set the price to the market you’re in now, prepare the property, and let serious buyers find you.

About Story Group Land & Ranches

Story Group Land & Ranches has more than 25 years of experience helping buyers and sellers navigate Texas land and ranch markets through every type of market condition. We focus on clear representation, local market knowledge, and a straightforward process from first conversation through closing. As landowners, we understand that your property is more than just an investment - it's where your grandson took his first deer, late night campfire stories were told, your granddaughter learned to drive the tractor, where you sat back and watched the sunset over the pond, and all the moments that mattered in between. Our goal is to capture these memories and facilitate a smooth transition to the next owner.

As realtors, we understand and specialize in the business aspect of real estate. We understand how various factors like flood plain, road frontage, size and shape of a property, minerals, water availability, and many others affect the value of your property. When we represent you, we take the time to carefully research, document, and explain our recommendations to you as well as potential buyers.

Above all, you can expect honesty and integrity in all that we do. We put our family name on our business, which means everything to our legacy.

Service areas:

• Bosque County

• Denton County

• Erath County

• Hill County

• Hood County

• Johnson County

• Limestone County

• McLennan County

• Navarro County

• Somervell County

• Tarrant County

• Wise County

Questions about land in your county? Visit storygroupland.com or reach out to us today.