Average cotton field size in Tennessee
How big a typical Tennessee cotton operation is, what it costs to spray a field that size by drone, and how to measure your own.
Average cotton per operation · Tennessee
624 acres
USDA Census of Agriculture 2022 · 532 operations · 331,791 acres of cotton total. This is the average across whole operations — a single field is usually smaller, since most farms are split into several fields.
Cost to spray a 624-acre cotton field
Pre-filled to Tennessee’s average cotton acreage — adjust the acres, passes, carrier volume, or restricted-use toggle for your job.
Estimated cost in Tennessee
$5,616–$10,608
$9–$17/acre × 624 acres
What’s driving this
- Tennessee base rate
- $9–$17/acre (row crop)
- Gallons per acre
- 2 GPA → ×1.00
Application only — product & chemical extra.
Sources & how this is estimated
Estimate only — actual rates vary by field size, terrain, and product. Application only; product/chemical extra. Data as of 2024.
Sources: UT Extension 2024 Field Crop Budgets D33 (self-propelled boom sprayer ~$11.13/acre custom spray operation); UT Extension Ag & Resource Economics budgets index; University of Kentucky 2024 Custom Machinery Rates (Aerial Application $9.50-$11.50-$14.50/acre) - regional analog
Drone-spraying cost by field size in Tennessee
| Field size | Cost per application |
|---|---|
| 40 acres | $360–$680 |
| 80 acres | $720–$1,360 |
| 160 acres | $1,440–$2,720 |
| 320 acres | $2,880–$5,440 |
| 624 acresTN average | $5,616–$10,608 |
| 640 acres | $5,760–$10,880 |
Single application, application only (product/chemical extra). Carrier volume ≈ 3–5 GPA; typical passes Multiple (PGRs, insecticide, harvest-aid defoliation). Estimates — request quotes for exact pricing.
Measure your actual cotton field
Averages are a planning starting point — your field is its own size. The field mapper turns satellite imagery into exact acreage in four steps:
- Open the field mapper. Go to the Ag Drone Sprayers field mapper and search your address in Tennessee or pan the satellite map to your field.
- Trace the boundary. Tap each corner of your field to drop pins; the tool closes the polygon and computes geodesic acreage.
- Read acreage and cost. See your field's exact acreage and an instant drone-spraying cost estimate for cotton in Tennessee.
- Request free quotes. Send your mapped field to drone operators serving Tennessee to receive real, no-obligation quotes.
Sources & method
Field size: USDA Census of Agriculture 2022 — average acres of cotton per operation (331,791 acres ÷ 532 operations). Average acres per operation is a proxy for typical field size; a farm usually contains several fields. Cost: researched per-acre drone-spraying rates for Tennessee (application only).
Compare drone operators serving Tennessee and request free quotes for cotton.
Find operators in TennesseeField size & cost in Tennessee
Cotton field size in Tennessee: FAQs
- How big is the average cotton operation in Tennessee?
- USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture reports about 624 harvested acres of cotton per operation in Tennessee, averaged across 532 farms (331,791 acres total).
- Is average operation size the same as field size?
- No — and it's the most common mix-up. The 624-acre figure is the average cotton acreage per farm; most farms split that across several fields, so a single field is typically smaller. For a real field boundary, trace it on satellite with the field mapper.
- How much does it cost to spray a 624-acre cotton field by drone in Tennessee?
- Roughly $5,616–$10,608 for a single application (about $9–$17/acre, application only — product is extra). Extra passes, higher carrier volume, or restricted-use products raise it. Use the calculator above to adjust.
- How do I measure my exact cotton field?
- Open the field mapper, trace your field on satellite imagery, and you'll get its exact acreage, an instant Tennessee cost estimate, and free quotes from drone operators serving your area — no app to install.