What Does Land Clearing Cost in North Mississippi?

By Curtis Hale, Spartan Land Works · Hernando, MS · Updated October 2026

The short answer

There's no single price per acre, because an acre of tall grass and an acre of 15-year-old cedar thicket are completely different jobs. National cost guides put the general range like this:

Source: Lawn Love land clearing cost guide, updated December 2025. These are national figures, not our price list. Your price depends on your land.

Most brushy, overgrown land in North Mississippi falls toward the lower and middle part of those ranges. Heavy timber that needs full removal, stumps pulled and debris hauled sits at the top.

Per acre or by the hour?

Contractors price clearing one of two ways:

• By the hour: you pay for machine time. This works well for smaller jobs, jobs where the scope may change, or when you want to clear "as much as we can in a day."
• By the job or acre: a fixed price for a defined area and result. Better when you need to know the total up front.

At Spartan Land Works we'll quote either way after we walk the property, and the price is in writing before we start.

What makes land clearing cost more (or less)

1. How thick the growth is

The biggest factor by far. Grass and weeds can be bush hogged quickly and cheaply. Saplings, privet and briars need a heavier brush cutter. Dense cedar and trees over 8 inches take the most time.

2. Tree size

Trees up to about 8 inches can be cut by a skid steer brush cutter in one pass. Bigger trees need felling, cutting up and moving, which is more labor and more cost. See tree removal.

3. Terrain and access

Flat, dry, open ground is fastest. Steep hills, gullies, creeks and soft clay slow things down. So does a long haul from the road to the work area.

4. What happens to the debris

Leaving shredded material on the ground is the cheapest finish. Piling it with a grapple adds some time. Loading and hauling it off adds trailer time and disposal costs and is usually the most expensive option.

5. Stumps and grading

Cutting low and leaving stumps is far cheaper than pulling or grinding them. You only need stumps out where something is going to be built or driven on.

6. Selective vs. clear cut

Saving trees takes a little more care, but it's usually worth it. Good shade trees add value to a homesite.

How to save money on land clearing

• Only clear what you need. A house site, drive and yard may be two acres of a ten-acre tract.
• Leave mulch on the ground where you can. It's cheaper and better for the soil.
• Burn or let piles rot where it's allowed, instead of hauling.
• Skip the stumps outside building and driving areas.
• Keep it mowed afterward. A couple of bush hog cuts a year costs far less than clearing again in five years.
• Mark your property lines so no time is wasted figuring them out.

Getting an accurate price

Photos help, but nothing beats walking the property. When we come out we'll look at the growth, the ground and access, ask what you want it to look like when we're done, and put a written price in front of you. No pressure and no cost for the visit.