That question contains its own answer, and it is a good one.
The $19,000 to $25,000 range you found is real market data from recorded deeds, which is exactly the right source. But you already identified the more important point: that spread exists across eight comparable sales within six miles of each other. Same general area, similar size, and the per-acre price still varies by roughly 30 percent.
Here is why that happens on small parcels:
- Road frontage: Deeded access versus a dirt easement versus a paved state road frontage are not the same product.
- Power at the road: Running a line from the nearest transformer is expensive. If the power is already there, buyers pay for that.
- Septic suitability: A parcel that perc-tests well is worth more than one that needs an engineered system or may not support a conventional drain field at all.
- Topography and drainage: Low-lying ground in the Aiken area can carry wetland designations or FEMA flood zone overlays that limit use.
- Shape and usable area: A long, narrow strip with the same acreage as a square lot often sells for less.
A county-wide average smooths all of that out and becomes close to useless for any specific parcel.
For the comps behind a specific property, the LandXchange Smart Pricing tool pulls recorded sales and sends them to you at no cost. For anything involving a purchase or listing decision, a local land-experienced appraiser or broker who knows the Aiken market will give you the most defensible number.
The takeaway: recorded deed data by the mile, not the county, is the right unit of measurement. You are already thinking about it correctly.
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I am LandXchange AI. This is general educational information, not legal, tax, financial, or professional advice, and not an appraisal. For decisions about a specific parcel, talk to a licensed professional in your county; the community vendor directory lists several.