< >

U.S. farm indicators

+ Add to Favorites

This page provides data on milk production and farms indicators the United States.

Milk production and the number of dairy cows are reported quarterly for all 50 states and organized by region (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, South Central, Southwest, Northwest, Alaska, and Hawaii) according to USDA classifications. For some states, monthly data are also available. Monthly information on milk quality, including fat and protein content, is provided as well.

A table showing milk yield per cow (in pounds) allows you to monitor productivity on a monthly basis across many U.S. states.

Farm indicators data are presented annually, including the number of farms, total usable land area, and average land per farm. Data specifically for dairy farms (those with at least one dairy cow) are based on census information and provide detailed insights into this subset of farms.

Analysis on Costs and Income of U.S. Dairy Farms »


 
2024
MILK PRODUCTION (quarterly and monthly) 2025 - Tons
Regions and States Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Tot. 2025 ± on
2024 *
MIDWEST U.S. 8.993.468 -0,8% 9.314.161 +1,4% 9.269.255 +2,3%   27.576.885 +1,0%
SOUTHWEST U.S. 5.452.236 -4,0% 5.655.448 +0,4% 5.510.297 +3,7%   16.617.981 0,0%
SOUTH CENTRAL U.S. 3.988.479 +3,3% 4.130.455 +7,5% 4.105.960 +7,0%   12.224.893 +5,9%
NORTHEAST U.S. 3.382.473 -3,0% 3.463.667 -2,0% 3.449.152 -0,1%   10.295.292 -1,7%
NORTHWEST U.S. 2.921.165 +0,6% 3.034.564 +1,5% 3.109.861 +2,7%   9.065.590 +1,6%
SOUTHEAST U.S. 778.372 -6,3% 791.980 -3,2% 745.260 -0,5%   2.315.613 -3,4%
OTHER STATES 235.916 +30.494,1% 234.600 +24.528,6% 219.087 +22.900,0%   689.604 +25.667,8%
National Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Total
US 2025 25.752.109 26.624.875 26.408.872   78.785.857
Variation on 2024 -0,3% +2,4% +3,8%   +2,9%
US 2024 25.829.357 26.005.851 25.440.125 25.177.674 102.453.007
* % change from same period of previous year.
Other States includes Alaska and Hawaii.
Source: USDA
2024
MILK PRODUCTION / COW (monthly) 2025 - Pounds
Regions and States Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tot.
2025
± on
2024 *
MIDWEST U.S. 2.100 1.925 2.154 2.101 2.182 2.084 2.138 2.122 2.055       18.861 +0,5%
SOUTHWEST U.S. 1.979 1.864 2.095 2.042 2.092 2.007 2.035 1.981 1.914       18.010 -0,6%
SOUTH CENTRAL U.S. 2.160 2.001 2.235 2.151 2.217 2.110 2.154 2.138 2.077       19.242 +0,7%
NORTHEAST U.S. 2.012 1.850 2.072 2.015 2.068 1.987 2.040 2.027 1.953       18.024 +1,2%
NORTHWEST U.S. 2.070 1.891 2.096 2.063 2.153 2.088 2.154 2.144 2.064       18.723 +0,8%
SOUTHEAST U.S. 1.924 1.798 2.001 1.940 1.951 1.841 1.827 1.788 1.736       16.808 +3,6%
National Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tot. 2025
US 2025 2.064 1.906 2.132 2.076 2.144 2.053 2.100 2.077 2.009 - - - 18.561,44
Variation on 2024 -0,3% -3,2% +0,2% +0,5% +0,8% +1,6% +2,1% +1,2% +1,5% - - - +0,5%
US 2024 2.070 1.969 2.128 2.066 2.127 2.021 2.057 2.052 1.980 2.032 1.949 2.030 24.480
* % change from same period of previous year.
Source: USDA
  Min Production / Cow
  Max Production / Cow
2024
NUMBER OF DAIRY COWS (quarterly and monthly) 2025
Regions and States Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec 2025 ± on 2024 *
MIDWEST U.S. 3.226.000 -11.000 3.243.000 +12.500 3.261.000 +40.500   3.261.000 +1,3% +40.500
SOUTHWEST U.S. 2.025.000 0 2.030.000 +8.000 2.046.000 +25.000   2.046.000 +1,2% +25.000
SOUTH CENTRAL U.S. 1.412.000 +46.700 1.441.000 +75.500 1.463.000 +71.500   1.463.000 +5,1% +71.500
NORTHEAST U.S. 1.269.000 -49.100 1.274.000 -40.100 1.283.000 -30.000   1.283.000 -2,3% -30.000
NORTHWEST U.S. 1.066.000 +9.000 1.065.000 +2.500 1.082.000 +16.500   1.082.000 +1,5% +16.500
SOUTHEAST U.S. 303.000 -32.000 307.000 -27.000 309.000 -20.000   309.000 -6,1% -20.000
OTHER STATES 99.800 +99.000 98.300 +97.400 95.800 +94.900   95.800 +10.544,4% +94.900
National Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec 2025
US 2025 9.400.800 9.458.300 9.539.800   9.539.800
Change n ° heads on previous quarter +41.000 +57.500 +81.500   +81.500
Change n ° heads on 2024 +62.600 +128.800 +198.400   +198.400
US 2024 9.338.200 9.329.500 9.341.400 9.359.800 9.359.800
* % change from same period of previous year.
Other States includes Alaska and Hawaii.

Source: USDA
NUMBER OF FARMS - yearly
Regions and States 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 ± on 2019
MIDWEST U.S. 648.400 645.400 641.200 634.700 624.500 622.300 616.700 -4,4% (-28700 farms)
SOUTHWEST U.S. 109.700 108.700 107.500 104.900 100.300 99.800 98.000 -9,8% (-10700 farms)
SOUTH CENTRAL U.S. 609.000 604.500 599.300 588.400 564.700 563.400 559.800 -7,4% (-44700 farms)
NORTHEAST U.S. 142.900 141.800 140.900 138.850 135.150 135.150 133.900 -5,6% (-7900 farms)
NORTHWEST U.S. 135.800 134.400 133.300 130.900 125.300 124.900 124.100 -7,7% (-10300 farms)
SOUTHEAST U.S. 369.100 364.500 361.800 353.800 342.900 341.600 339.800 -6,8% (-24700 farms)
ALASKA 1.000 1.100 1.100 1.100 1.200 1.200 1.200 +9,1% (+100 farms)
HAWAII 7.300 7.200 7.100 6.900 6.600 6.600 6.500 -9,7% (-700 farms)
National 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
US 2.023.760 2.008.190 1.992.820 1.960.220 1.901.380 1.896.750 1.881.690
Variation on previous year -0,9% -0,8% -0,8% -1,6% -3,0% -0,2% -0,8%
Source: USDA
LAND IN FARMS (1000 Acres) - yearly
Regions and States 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 ± on 2019
MIDWEST U.S. 111.791 111.427 111.184 110.577 109.444 109.444 109.282 -1,9%
SOUTHWEST U.S. 27.189 27.149 27.108 27.027 26.744 26.380 26.339 -3,0%
SOUTH CENTRAL U.S. 132.911 132.142 131.900 131.333 129.755 129.674 129.229 -2,2%
NORTHEAST U.S. 8.622 8.569 8.521 8.456 8.310 8.310 8.310 -3,0%
NORTHWEST U.S. 52.355 52.112 52.032 51.829 51.425 51.425 51.303 -1,6%
SOUTHEAST U.S. 30.021 29.900 29.819 29.617 29.455 29.455 29.374 -1,8%
ALASKA 344 344 344 344 352 352 352 +2,4%
HAWAII 445 445 445 425 425 425 425 -4,5%
National 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
US 363.764 362.178 361.458 359.718 356.036 355.660 354.814
Variation on previous year -0,1% -0,4% -0,2% -0,5% -1,0% -0,1% -0,2%
Source: USDA
AVERAGE FARM SIZE (Acres) - yearly
Regions and States 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 ± on 2019
MIDWEST U.S. 172 173 173 174 175 176 177 +2,6%
SOUTHWEST U.S. 248 250 252 258 267 264 269 +7,6%
SOUTH CENTRAL U.S. 218 219 220 223 230 230 231 +5,6%
NORTHEAST U.S. 60 60 60 61 61 61 62 +2,7%
NORTHWEST U.S. 386 388 390 396 410 412 413 +6,6%
SOUTHEAST U.S. 81 82 82 84 86 86 86 +5,4%
ALASKA 344 313 313 313 293 293 293 -6,2%
HAWAII 61 62 63 62 64 64 65 +5,7%
National 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
US 180 180 181 184 187 188 189
Variation on previous year +0,8% +0,3% +0,6% +1,2% +2,0% +0,1% +0,6%
Source: USDA
View the PDF file of dairy companies (source: USDA)
DAIRY farms with at least one milking cow (censuses)
Regions and States 2012 2017 2022 ± on 2017
MIDWEST U.S. 31.121 25.428 16.945 -33,4% (-8483 az.ag.)
SOUTHWEST U.S. 2.703 2.345 1.621 -30,9% (-724 az.ag.)
SOUTH CENTRAL U.S. 6.198 5.033 3.778 -24,9% (-1255 az.ag.)
NORTHEAST U.S. 16.490 14.173 8.546 -39,7% (-5627 az.ag.)
NORTHWEST U.S. 3.021 2.674 1.914 -28,4% (-760 az.ag.)
SOUTHEAST U.S. 4.525 4.899 3.170 -35,3% (-1729 az.ag.)
ALASKA 28 27 28 +3,7% (+1 az.ag.)
HAWAII 12 20 22 +10,0% (+2 az.ag.)
Nazional 2012 2017 2022
US 64.098 54.599 36.024
Change from previous census - -14,8% -34,0%
Source: USDA
2024
PERCENT FAT CONTENT IN MILK (monthly) 2025 - w/w
Regions and States Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Avg
2025
Avg
2024
MIDWEST U.S. 4,51 4,50 4,42 4,39 4,30 4,24 4,15 4,18         4,34 4,27
SOUTHWEST U.S. 4,34 4,26 4,24 4,18 4,10 4,02 4,04 4,07         4,16 4,11
SOUTH CENTRAL U.S. 4,45 4,41 4,31 4,26 4,19 4,13 4,08 4,09         4,24 4,14
NORTHEAST U.S. 4,44 4,44 4,40 4,33 4,24 4,20 4,10 4,14         4,29 4,17
NORTHWEST U.S. 4,55 4,52 4,42 4,37 4,28 4,21 4,21 4,25         4,35 4,29
SOUTHEAST U.S. 4,16 4,10 4,07 4,00 3,92 3,88 3,85 3,90         3,99 3,97
National Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Avg
US 2025 4,43 4,40 4,33 4,29 4,20 4,14 4,09 4,12 4,23
US 2024 4,34 4,29 4,26 4,22 4,14 4,08 4,04 4,07 4,13 4,24 4,36 4,43 4,20
Source: USDA
2024
PERCENTAGE OF TRUE PROTEIN IN MILK (monthly)2025 - w/w
Regions Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average
2025
Average
2024
UPPER MIDWEST 3,37 3,36 3,32 3,32 3,27 3,22 3,14 3,20 3,26       3,27 3,27
SOUTHWEST 3,51 3,50 3,44 3,40 3,40 3,35 3,30 3,32 3,43       3,41 3,38
CENTRAL 3,45 3,45 3,38 3,36 3,32 3,27 3,20 3,23 3,30       3,33 3,32
NORTHEAST 3,32 3,31 3,28 3,27 3,24 3,19 3,13 3,18 3,26       3,24 3,21
MIDEAST 3,39 3,38 3,34 3,31 3,27 3,20 3,16 3,20 3,29       3,28 3,25
PACIFIC NORTHWEST 3,51 3,52 3,46 3,43 3,33 3,32 3,32 3,34 3,36       3,40 3,43
Nazional Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average
US 2025 3,41 3,40 3,36 3,34 3,30 3,25 3,20 3,24 3,30 3,31
US 2024 3,36 3,33 3,32 3,30 3,26 3,20 3,17 3,21 3,26 3,33 3,40 3,41 3,30
Source: USDA
Note: The true protein test for cow's milk determines the actual protein content by subtracting the non-protein nitrogen from the total protein measurement.