Where Do Peanuts Grow in the United States?

The United States is one of the world’s top peanut producing countries. Several states, primarily in the South, have ideal warm climates and soil for growing peanuts. While a handful of states grow over 90% of all U.S. peanuts, commercial production occurs in 13 states stretching from the Carolinas to New Mexico.

The Top U.S. Peanut Producing States

The majority of peanut production in the U,S is concentrated within six states

• Georgia – The leading peanut producing state growing nearly 50% of the total U.S. peanut crop.

• Florida – Grows over 11% of U.S. peanuts. Has seen large increases in production over the past decade.

• Alabama – Produces over 10% of the nation’s peanut crop.

• Texas – Contributes over 9% of U.S. peanut production. Major acreage increases in recent years.

• North Carolina – Produces over 8% of the total peanut harvest.

• South Carolina – Grows over 4% of America’s peanuts.

Together these six states account for over 92% of the total peanut production in the United States. The remaining 8% comes from seven other states with smaller but still significant contributions:

• Mississippi
• Virginia
• Oklahoma
• Arkansas
• New Mexico
• Louisiana
• Missouri

There are approximately 7,000 peanut farms across the major peanut producing regions. While production is concentrated in key states, nationwide there are peanut farms stretching across the southern half of the U.S. from the Atlantic to New Mexico.

U.S. Peanut Production by Region

The 13 peanut growing states are grouped into three production regions:

Southeast Region

The Southeast region includes Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. This region produces about 65% of the total American peanut crop. Georgia and Florida together grow over 60% of U.S. peanuts.

Virginia-Carolina Region

This region contains Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. It accounts for close to 13% of the country’s peanuts.

Southwest Region

The Southwest peanut region includes Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, and Louisiana. It produces over 17% of the national peanut harvest, with heavy production in Texas.

Ideal Conditions for Peanut Agriculture

Specific warm climatic conditions and soil characteristics make certain states so suitable for growing peanuts:

• Temperature – Peanuts need hot summer temperatures between 70-90°F to properly mature. Cooler regions have insufficient heat.

• Rainfall – 20-40 inches of rain during the growing season keeps plants hydrated without waterlogging.

• Soil – Peanuts thrive in well-drained, sandy loam soil high in organic matter.

• Growing Season – Long summer growing seasons with at least five months of frost-free weather are required.

States like Georgia, Florida, and Texas offer these ideal peanut growing conditions. Irrigation enables dry states like New Mexico to also produce substantial peanut tonnage.

U.S. Peanut Production Statistics

According to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the 2022 U.S. peanut harvest is projected to reach nearly 5.57 billion pounds. This would exceed the 2021 crop of 5.53 billion pounds.

The planted peanut acreage for 2022 is estimated at 1.52 million acres, up 4% from 2021. Average peanut yield is forecast at 3,660 pounds per acre, which would set a new record high for peanut productivity.

Strong domestic and international demand for U.S. peanuts has driven increased acreage and production over the past decade. Advancements in peanut varieties and farming methods have also boosted yields.

While peanuts grow in pockets across 13 states, the southern U.S. accounts for the vast majority of production. Favorable climate and soils enable Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Texas, North Carolina, and South Carolina to dominate as the powerhouse peanut producers of America.

Frequency of Entities

• U.S. – 22
• Georgia – 7
• production – 7
• peanuts – 6
• states – 6
• Florida – 5
• Texas – 5
• region – 4
• Alabama – 4
• acreage – 3
• suitable – 2
• conditions – 2
• cultivation – 2
• yield – 2
• Virginia – 1
• rainfall – 1