The Largest Landowner in Arizona Owns an Ridiculous 750,000 Acres

Across the 50 states comprising America, Arizona is the cheapest state to buy land in. The median price per acre is around $4,100. The next closest state is New Mexico, which is $6,000. The federal government and the state department own roughly 41 million acres of land in Arizona. This land houses national parks, public schools, and historic sites among other things.

The biggest plot of land that is not owned by the state or government is owned by a private, family-owned business.

Babbitt Ranch, Flagstaff, Arizona

This family-owned business was founded in 1886 by five brothers from Cincinnati, Ohio. Located in Flagstaff, Arizona, this family business and pioneering land company raises livestock, manages natural resources, and promotes science. Babbitt Ranches also raises calves with approximately 8,000 head of grass-fed, open-range, Hereford cattle grazing on 700,000 acres of private, federal, and state land, which include the CO Bar, Espee, and Cataract ranches.

This company prides itself on its ecological, economic, organizational, and community values. Not only that, but Babbitt Ranch also develops different programs to help and aid individuals in understanding land stewardship, business diversity, industry employment, and infrastructure. The Cowboy Essence and culture have been a long-standing quality that the ranch has lived up to since the beginning. The character qualities that make up Cowboy Essence are defined in The Constitution of Babbitt Ranches and are reflected in the Babbitt Ranches’ core values. 

The Arizona Farming and Ranching Hall of Fame

In 2022, Babbitt Ranches was inducted into the Arizona Farming and Ranching Hall of Fame. This particular honor recognizes the ranch’s 136 years of service and operation in the state of Arizona. Throughout this time, Babbitt Ranch has contributed significantly, not only to the land but also to the agriculture industry.

The family has also turned this business into a nonprofit organization called The Babbitt Brothers Foundation. This allows people to participate in the health, education, science, arts, and historic preservation of Northern Arizona communities. It acts as a way of meeting needs, giving back, and enhancing the quality of life. Moreover, the family focuses on communities where Babbitt Ranches does business. The Foundation participates with individuals, organizations, businesses, and foundations sharing common interests. They support activities such as food drives, fitness walks/runs, science research, student scholarships, and conservation projects. They also support the promotion and protection of the arts and historic preservation.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Sean Pavone from Getty Images Pro/ via Canva.com