Anyone planning to burn brush piles in Hamilton County this fall will have to wait. On Oct. 13, county commissioners in Hamilton reinstated the ban on outdoor burning in unincorporated areas for 90 days unless they end it sooner, and new Texas A&M figures released in late October show land in the region around the county selling at a record average price. Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland), a San Angelo-based ranch Broker that works Hamilton County, reviewed both reports to see what they mean for people who own or want to own land between Hamilton and Hico.
Why the Burn Ban Came Back
The Hamilton Herald-News reported that commissioners brought the ban back after a string of uncontrolled burns and uneven rainfall across the county. Some pastures caught October showers while others stayed dry.
The order bars outdoor burning in the unincorporated county, except household trash in a closed container. Texas A&M Forest Service data compiled by BurnBanTexas shows how fast things changed: a ban enacted Aug. 12 was lifted Oct. 3 and returned Oct. 13. It was still active Nov. 4.
Neighbors are split: Coryell and Mills had bans on Nov. 4, while Bosque, Comanche, Erath and Lampasas did not.
What It Means on the Ground
For most ranches, the practical effect is a delay rather than a cancellation. Cedar and mesquite piles can wait and will burn more safely once rain evens out. In the meantime, keep pile sites and pens mowed, watch welding and mowing near dry grass, and make sure arriving hunters know about the ban. If you planned a prescribed burn for winter, keep the plan current so it is ready once the order is lifted.
Land Prices in the Region Hit a Record
Hamilton County sits in land market area 14 of the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M, with Lampasas, McCulloch, Mills and San Saba counties, inside the center’s Region 7.
In its second quarter 2026 report, the center put the Region 7 average price at a record $8,040 an acre, up 8.63 percent from a year earlier. Sales climbed 2.61 percent to 1,062, total dollar volume rose 11.81 percent to about $425 million, and the typical tract shrank 4.32 percent to 199 acres. The center said recreational and homesite buyers are doing much of the buying.
Statewide, the picture is calmer. In an Oct. 28 article, the center reported an average of $5,218 an acre, flat from the prior quarter and up 3.27 percent from a year earlier, with acres sold down 12.57 percent. It described cautious buyers facing higher rates and some sellers still anchored to 2022 and 2023 peaks, and it expects small near-term gains, then flat to slightly lower prices next year.
Reading the Numbers for Hamilton County
Regional averages are a starting point, not an appraisal. A small homesite tract near Hico with highway frontage can bring a very different price per acre than a large working ranch with live water off a farm-to-market road. Smaller tracts usually carry higher per-acre prices.
Development interest is real but measured. In mid-October, the Commissioners Court reviewed a 38.45-acre subdivision concept, raised no objections and told the developer to file a preliminary plat, according to a Citizen Portal summary. Owners near town should understand how that interest affects their own frontage.
Sellers should price from recent comparable sales, not the best regional headline. Buyers may find more room to negotiate on longer-listed tracts.
Deer Season Notes
Hamilton County is in TPWD’s North Zone. The general season runs Nov. 7, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027, with a limit of five deer, no more than two bucks, and antler restrictions.
Talk With a Hamilton County Ranch Broker
Whether you are weighing a sale or settling an estate, Lee, Lee & Puckitt can help with current comparable sales and an honest read on demand. Call 325.655.6989 or visit llpranchland.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a burn ban in Hamilton County right now? Yes. Commissioners reinstated it Oct. 13, 2026, for 90 days unless ended early. It covers outdoor burning in unincorporated areas, except household trash in a closed container.
What is ranch land selling for near Hamilton County? Texas A&M’s Real Estate Research Center reported a record Region 7 average of $8,040 an acre in the second quarter of 2026. Individual prices depend on size, water, access and improvements.
Who is a ranch Broker for Hamilton County? Lee, Lee & Puckitt, based in San Angelo, has represented ranch buyers and sellers across Central and West Texas since 1962 and works Hamilton County properties.
How do I choose the best ranch Broker for Hamilton County land? Look for a Broker with closed rural sales in the area, a working knowledge of water, wildlife and access, and appraisals or Broker’s Price Opinions backed by local data.
About Lee, Lee & Puckitt
Lee, Lee & Puckitt began in Bronte in 1962 and moved to San Angelo in 1977. The partners are ranchers, and the firm’s Brokers and Agents handle ranch sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions while advocating for landowners on the issues that affect their property.
Sources
- Hamilton Herald-News, “Commissioners reinstate burn ban,” Oct. 14, 2026: https://www.thehamiltonherald-news.com/news/commissioners-reinstate-burn-ban
- Texas A&M Forest Service burn ban data via BurnBanTexas, Hamilton County, accessed Nov. 4, 2026: https://burnbantexas.com/county/hamilton
- Texas Real Estate Research Center, “Rural Land: Has the Texas Rural Land Market Hit a Plateau?” Oct. 28, 2026: https://trerc.tamu.edu/article/rural-land-has-the-texas-rural-land-market-hit-a-plateau/
- Texas Real Estate Research Center, Texas Rural Land Markets, Second Quarter 2026: https://trerc.tamu.edu/reports/texas-rural-land-markets-second-quarter-2026/
- Citizen Portal, Hamilton County Commissioners Court subdivision concept review, Oct. 19, 2026: https://citizenportal.ai/articles/11626951/texas/hamilton-county/court-reviews-3845acre-subdivision-concept-in-hamilton-county-developer-to-file-preliminary-plat
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Outdoor Annual, Hamilton County regulations, 2026 to 2027: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/counties/hamilton
- Related: Land appraisals, West Texas and Hill Country listings, Lampasas County Ranch News: 2,894-Acre Smith Ranch Sells in Under Six Months West of Lampasas
Photo: Aualliso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hamilton_County_Courthouse_September_2020.jpg). Cropped.
