Peanuts grow commercially in roughly a dozen US states, all of them in the South and Southwest. The crop needs at least 120 frost-free days, warm soil, and light sandy ground that a peg can push into and a digger can lift out of. That combination draws a fairly tight map.
In 2025, American growers planted 1.95 million acres of peanuts, the most since 1991, and harvested a record crop. Here is where those acres are, how the growing regions differ, and what the current USDA numbers show.
The Three US Peanut Growing Regions
American peanut production is organized into three regions. Each grows a different mix of market types, which is why peanuts from one region look and taste different from another.
Region | States | Primary market types | What it’s known for |
Southeast | Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi | Runner | The production center. Most US peanut butter starts here. |
Virginia-Carolina | North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina | Virginia | Large-kernel peanuts for in-shell, gourmet, and snack markets. |
Southwest | Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico | Runner, Spanish, Valencia | Irrigated production and the bulk of US Valencia peanuts. |
Arkansas has also become a meaningful producer in recent years, generally grouped with the Southeast.
The market type is the practical difference. Runners dominate national acreage because their uniform kernel size suits peanut butter. Virginia types are the largest kernels, which is why they end up roasted in the shell and sold as gourmet peanuts. Spanish peanuts have smaller kernels and higher oil content. Valencias usually carry three or more kernels per shell and are the classic boiling peanut.
The 2025 US Peanut Crop in Numbers
The 2025 season set a record. According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Crop Production 2025 Summary:
Measure | 2025 |
Acres planted | 1.95 million (highest since 1991) |
Share of planted acres harvested | 97.6% (highest since 2014) |
US average yield | 3,767 lb per acre |
Total production | 3.59 million tons (record high) |
That total edged past the previous record of 3.56 million tons set in 2017. Two states drove the acreage increase: Georgia added 70,000 planted acres, and Texas added 45,000. Mississippi was the only major peanut state to plant fewer acres than in 2024.
The yield picture was more mixed than the production record suggests. The national average of 3,767 pounds per acre was about 130 pounds below the previous five-year average. A record crop came from planting more ground, not from growing more per acre.
Which State Grows the Most Peanuts?
Georgia, by a wide margin. Georgia alone produces roughly half of all US peanuts and planted 900,000 acres in 2025, its highest since 1991. Georgia’s 2024 crop totaled 3.21 billion pounds.
The rough national order by production is Georgia first, followed by Alabama, Florida, Texas, and North Carolina, with South Carolina, Mississippi, Virginia, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and New Mexico making up the remainder. Exact rankings below Georgia shift from year to year with weather.
2025 Yields by State
These are the state yields confirmed in the 2025 USDA annual summary:
State | 2025 yield (lb/acre) | Change from 2024 |
Georgia | 4,050 | Up 7% |
North Carolina | 3,900 | Down from 4,400 |
Texas | 2,450 | Sharp decrease |
US average | 3,767 | Up 1% |
Texas had the hardest season of the major producers. Its 2,450 pounds per acre was the state’s lowest yield since 1995. Oklahoma went the other direction, posting its second-highest yield on record. Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi all saw yield increases similar to Georgia’s.
2024 Production by State
The USDA reports complete per-state production with the annual summary each January. These 2024 figures are the most recent fully published state-level production numbers for the Southeast:
State | 2024 production | 2024 yield (lb/acre) |
Georgia | 3.21 billion lb | 3,800 |
North Carolina | 567.6 million lb | 4,400 |
Alabama | 564 million lb | 3,000 |
Florida | 550 million lb | 3,500 |
South Carolina | 300 million lb | 3,800 |
Why Peanuts Grow Where They Do
Four requirements explain the map.
Frost-free days. Peanuts need roughly 120 to 160 frost-free days depending on variety. That rules out most of the country. A Virginia-type peanut planted in May is dug in late September or October, and a frost before the crop matures is a total loss.
Sandy soil. Peanuts fruit underground. After a flower is pollinated, it sends a stalk called a peg down into the soil, where the pod develops. Heavy clay resists the peg going in and makes clean digging nearly impossible. Deep, well-drained sandy loam is close to a requirement, not a preference.
Warm soil at planting. Growers wait for soil temperatures around 65°F and climbing, which in most producing states means May.
Rotation ground. Peanuts are legumes that fix their own nitrogen, and they perform best in three- and four-year rotations with cotton and corn. Peanut-growing regions are the same regions that already grow those crops, which is why the peanut map overlays the cotton map so closely.
The Virginia-Carolina Region
North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina form the heart of Virginia-type production. These are the large-kernel peanuts that end up roasted in the shell.
In North Carolina, production concentrates in the northeastern Coastal Plain, where the sandy loam soils are. The top five producing counties are Bertie, Martin, Edgecombe, Pitt, and Halifax. Growers plant in the first three weeks of May and dig from late September into mid-October.
North Carolina’s 2025 crop came in at 542.1 million pounds from 139,000 harvested acres, at 3,900 pounds per acre, with a value of about $148 million at an average price of 27.3 cents per pound. The state’s record yield is 4,400 pounds per acre, set in 2019.
Frequently Asked Questions About Peanut Growth in the US
Where do peanuts grow in the US?
Peanuts grow commercially in about a dozen southern and southwestern states across three regions: the Southeast (Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi), the Virginia-Carolina region (North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina), and the Southwest (Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico). Arkansas also produces a meaningful crop.
Which state produces the most peanuts?
Georgia, which grows roughly half of the US crop. Georgia planted 900,000 acres in 2025, its most since 1991.
How many acres of peanuts are grown in the US?
US growers planted 1.95 million acres in 2025, the highest total since 1991, and harvested 97.6% of them.
Why don’t peanuts grow in northern states?
Peanuts need 120 to 160 frost-free days and sandy, well-drained soil. Most northern states have neither a long enough season nor the light soils that allow pods to develop underground and be dug cleanly.
Do peanuts grow underground?
Yes. The plant flowers above ground, but the fertilized flower sends a peg into the soil and the pod develops there. Peanuts are legumes, not tree nuts.What is the difference between peanut growing regions?
Mainly market type. The Southeast grows runners for peanut butter, the Virginia-Carolina region grows large-kernel Virginia types for in-shell and gourmet markets, and the Southwest grows a mix including most US Valencias.
Conclusion: The Map Behind Every Jar and Shell
So where do peanuts grow in the US? Nearly all of them grow in a narrow band of about a dozen southern and southwestern states. That band is defined by long frost-free seasons, warm spring soil, sandy ground, and rotations with cotton and corn. Within it, the three growing regions each have a distinct role.
The Southeast grows the runners that fill most peanut butter jars. The Virginia-Carolina region produces the large kernels sold roasted in the shell. The Southwest grows a mix that includes most US Valencias. Georgia leads them all, growing roughly half the nation’s crop.
The 2025 season showed how much that map can produce. Growers planted the most acres in more than three decades and harvested a record 3.59 million tons, even though yields per acre trailed the five-year average. Rankings and yields will shift with each season’s weather, but the fundamentals that decide where peanuts can grow stay the same.
Knowing where peanuts come from is a good first step toward understanding the crop itself. To learn how the four market types differ in flavor, size, and use, start with our guide to peanut types. Teachers who want to bring this topic into the classroom can find ready-to-use materials in our classroom resources for teachers.
Peanut types | North Carolina peanuts | Virginia peanuts | Peanuts 101 | Production resources | Classroom resources for teachers
Classroom resources for teachers →
More Articles
Welcome Michael Kule, New Director of the South Carolina Peanut Board
2025 NC Peanut Annual Meeting and Field Day
Virginia 2025 Updates
Virginia Peanut Growers Association News
North Carolina Peanut Growers Association Contact
Membership, Industry, and Program Inquiries
The North Carolina peanut community is built on growers, processors, partners, educators, and supporters working together. This contact form connects you directly with the appropriate team for membership, programs, sourcing conversations, industry coordination, and general inquiries. Every message is reviewed with attention to clarity and follow-through. Providing a few specific details helps ensure your request reaches the right person without delay.
About Peanuts Peanut Industry Resource and Brand Discovery Hub
About Peanuts is built as a central resource for everything connected to the peanut industry — from growers and brands to recipes, product spotlights, and regional associations. The site brings together information that is often scattered across different platforms and organizes it in a way that is easy to navigate and practical to use. Whether someone is researching peanut products, looking for brand exposure, or learning more about how peanuts move from farm to shelf, this platform provides a structured starting point. The focus stays on clarity, access, and industry visibility without overcomplicating the experience.
A Hub for Growers, Brands, and Peanut Enthusiasts
The platform supports multiple audiences at once, including agricultural organizations, manufacturers, retailers, and everyday consumers. Brand features, regional pages, and association highlights help connect the production side of peanuts with the people who purchase and promote them. Membership interest, submissions, and partnership inquiries are integrated into the site so communication stays organized and direct. About Peanuts is designed to function as both a discovery tool and a practical connection point for the broader peanut community.