How Much Does a Small Used Tractor Cost?

Deciding that it’s time to purchase your next tractor (or perhaps your first one) is a big decision. Price is likely a large factor when deciding what to buy, and most people have a specific budget dedicated to this major purchase. Purchasing used tractors has become increasingly popular due to the availability of parts and, of course, the cost savings. New equipment can be extremely expensive and many farmers are unable to afford the top-of-the-line new models. When it comes time to purchase your used tractor, how do you know what size budget is appropriate? How much money should you earmark for your next tractor purchase?

We’re exploring these questions in this guide to help you understand how much used tractors cost and why, and the best way to find the current market prices.

The reality is that used tractor prices have a huge range depending on an incredibly wide number of factors. These prices will vary based on things like: 

Because there are so many different factors that influence the price, it’s impossible to list one price that will be applicable in all situations. However, we’ll cover how you can find the current market price of a used tractor later in this guide. 

Small used tractors can range anywhere from $3,000 for the smallest under 40 hp tractors to $90,000+ for a deluxe tractor with 99 hp. In general, nailing down a small tractor cost will have you running into the same issues as finding the price for a used tractor in general. The setup of each tractor varies, similar to options on a car, but much with more variance. Along with setup, there are many different variables that affect the pricing, and there isn’t an easy answer.  

Not really. There are different guides to pricing farm equipment that exist, put out by various companies, but there is not one definitive guide similar to the Kelley Blue Book for the automotive industry. Many people will look at recent auctions to find comparative prices. However, one issue with this is that the setup on one tractor can be vastly different from a tractor of the same make and model—for example, some tractor manufacturers offer economy or value models, mid-spec models, and premium or deluxe offerings. 

So with such a wide variety of factors, how can you know what prices to expect? It would take hours to comb through the results from googling “used tractors for sale by owner near me” just to find a general range. Luckily, there’s another option. You can use MachineryPete.com to help you understand the current market and to check on prices. 

If there is a specific model that you are looking for, you can type it into the search on MachineryPete.com, and sort by price. You can also use our filters to compare setup options to ensure you are comparing apples to apples, instead of trying to compare the prices of vastly different pieces of equipment. 

Our easy-to-use filters make searching and finding prices a snap.

As you can see, you can easily find the tractor listings that are relevant to your needs, and quickly find the current market prices for the equipment you are looking for. If you don’t have a particular preference, you can also try searching our general categories to look at a wide variety of listings by horsepower (HP).

Machinery Pete includes auctions, dealers, and for sale by owner listings so you aren’t limited in your used tractor searches. With used tractors, you will most likely run into fixes and repairs you’ll have to take care of yourself. Some people may prefer finding parts on their own, while others find working with a dealer more convenient. Buying through a dealer gives you ongoing service and help with parts to get your new-to-you tractor up and running smoothly. 

Trying to find the most accurate prices is where Machinery Pete got its start. We started because Greg Peterson, Founder of Machinery Pete, began passionately researching, tracking, and reporting on auction prices from his home office in 1989. This passion has turned into the fastest growing marketplace for buyers and sellers of used farm equipment. Our vast selection of equipment listings in one place make it fast and easy to find what you need, especially with our innovative search tools. Find your small used tractor today at MachineryPete.com.