North Carolina Timber Prices Q4 2025

Sawtimber markets surge while pulpwood collapses—the most significant price divergence in recent memory. Current North Carolina timber prices in late 2025 tell a tale of two industries: high-quality sawtimber commanding premium prices while low-grade pulpwood markets crater. This split reflects fundamental shifts in regional demand, Hurricane Helene’s lingering aftermath, and a wave of mill closures reshaping the Southeast’s forest products landscape. For landowners planning timber sales, understanding these dynamics is critical to maximizing value.

Pine Products Lead the Market

Pine sawtimber remains the standout performer, gaining 7.48% statewide through the first three quarters of 2025. Western North Carolina timber prices saw the most dramatic increases, with pine sawtimber surging more than 18%—a remarkable swing given the region’s traditional hardwood focus.

Product	Price Range ($/ton)	2025 Trend	Notes
Pine Sawtimber	$22–$28	↑ Strong	+7-8% YTD; Western NC +18%
Pine Chip-n-Saw	$14–$18	→ Moderate	Regional variation significant
Pine Pulpwood	$6–$10	→ Mixed	Eastern NC +11%; Western NC -12%
Pine Ply Logs	$18–$24	↓ Declining	Down 10%+ in Eastern NC

For reference, the 2024 annual average for pine sawtimber was $214.59 per thousand board feet (MBF) statewide, with Eastern NC averaging $237.03/MBF—substantially above the Southeast-wide average of $175.03/MBF. North Carolina consistently commands a premium for quality pine.

Hardwood Markets Show Extreme Divergence

The hardwood story is one of stark contrasts. Mixed hardwood sawtimber posted strong gains of 8.73% through Q3 2025, while hardwood pulpwood suffered a catastrophic 17.61% collapse—signaling severe demand destruction in low-grade markets.

Product	Price Range ($/ton)	2025 Trend	Notes
Oak Sawtimber	$35–$45	↔ Volatile	Net losses in Western NC
Mixed Hardwood Sawtimber	$25–$35	↑ Strong	+8.73% statewide
Hardwood Pulpwood	$4–$7	↓ Collapsed	-17.61% crisis

The 2024 baseline for mixed hardwood sawtimber averaged $241.94/MBF statewide (Doyle log rule), though notably below the Southeast average of $303.24/MBF. Oak markets remained volatile throughout 2025, with significant quarterly swings.

How to Estimate What Your Timber Is Worth

These North Carolina timber prices give you the market rates per unit of timber in your area, but they’re not particularly useful on their own—you need to know how much wood you actually have standing on your land.

The most accurate way to determine your timber volume is to hire a professional forester to conduct a timber cruise, which involves systematically measuring sample plots across your property. This can cost $1,000 or more depending on your acreage and timber complexity.

For a quicker, DIY estimate, you can use SilviCultural—forestry mapping software designed for small woodland owners. It includes an amateur-friendly cruise system that walks you through measuring your timber and calculating volumes by species and product class.

Once you have volume estimates (in MBF, cords, tons, etc.), you can multiply them by the stumpage prices above to get a rough sense of your timber’s market value. For example:

• 50 MBF of pine sawlogs × $400/MBF = $20,000
• 100 cords of mixed hardwood pulpwood × $15/cord = $1,500

Keep in mind: Actual sale prices vary based on access, timber quality, market timing, and logger availability. These calculations give you a ballpark figure—always consult with a forester before making harvest decisions.

Q4 2025 Softened From Strong Earlier Quarters

TimberMart-South’s Q4 2025 bulletin reported generally weaker timber markets heading into year-end. Abnormally dry conditions kept timber supply above demand, pushing stumpage prices downward across many products. However, end-product markets told a different story: southern pine lumber and plywood prices increased, softwood pulp eased upward, and hardwood pulp jumped 10%—suggesting the weakness was supply-driven rather than demand-driven.

Hurricane Helene Reshaped Western NC’s Timber Economy

The defining event for North Carolina forestry in late 2024 was Hurricane Helene’s September rampage through the mountains. The storm damaged 822,000 acres of NC timberland across 17 counties, causing an estimated $214 million in timber losses. Buncombe and McDowell counties bore the heaviest damage, with some mountain counties like Avery, Mitchell, and Watauga seeing 30% or more of their forestland affected.

The market impacts continue rippling through 2025:

• Pulpwood prices remain depressed as mills process salvage timber, expected to persist through mid-2025
• Sawtimber prices rising in affected areas due to inventory shortages of quality standing timber
• Wildfire risk elevated from massive fuel loads of downed trees—Nature Conservancy estimates 800,000+ acres of debris on the forest floor
• Storm-damaged timber acceptance windows vary: 8-10 weeks for sawmills, up to 8 months for pulp mills

The USDA announced a $221 million disaster block grant for North Carolina agricultural losses in September 2025, though recovery timelines for forest resources extend years beyond agricultural crops.

Mill Closures Gut Pulpwood Demand Across the Region

The pulpwood price collapse isn’t just about oversupply—it reflects a structural market shift. The Southeast has lost nearly 50 paper mills in the past decade, with Georgia’s count dropping from 18 at its 1977 peak to just 8-9 by late 2025.

Several 2025 closures directly affect NC markets:

• International Paper shuttered facilities in Savannah and Riceboro, Georgia, eliminating 1,100 combined jobs
• Canfor closed mills in Estill and Darlington, South Carolina (290 jobs lost)
• West Fraser closed its Perry, Florida mill (126 jobs) due to high fiber costs and low lumber prices
• Georgia-Pacific closed its Cedar Springs, Georgia facility

For Western NC, the June 2023 closure of the Canton mill remains devastating. The 115-year-old Pactiv Evergreen facility consumed over 2 million tons of wood fiber annually and eliminated the primary pulpwood market within a 200-mile radius. Economic losses are estimated up to $1 billion regionally, with forestry and sawmills the most impacted industry in 11 of 18 WNC counties.

Some bright spots exist: Hampton Lumber is building its first East Coast sawmill in Fairfax, South Carolina (125 jobs), and new facilities are planned in Alabama and Mississippi.

Housing and Lumber Markets Create Mixed Signals

Lumber prices stabilized in the $500–$600 per thousand board feet range through late 2025—down 6.5% year-over-year but far from the pandemic-era crash many feared. Futures rebounded to approximately $535/MBF in January 2025 after September lows of $528.

The housing market remains the primary demand driver, but conditions are challenging:

• Single-family housing starts fell 10.2% year-over-year to 1.01 million units
• 2025 projections range from 995,000 to 1.13 million starts—all below the 1.2 million long-term trend
• Mortgage rates remain elevated above 6%, with nearly 100 million U.S. households unable to afford the median $460,000 home price
• The national housing shortage stands at 3.8–4.5 million units

Despite weak starts, over 70% of U.S. softwood lumber goes to residential construction and home improvement. Forest Economic Advisors projects lumber demand growth of just 1.6% in 2025 but accelerating to 4.9% in 2026, with housing starts potentially reaching 1.50 million.

Canadian lumber tariffs add uncertainty. Combined duties now total 45% after August 2024 increases and September 2025 Section 232 tariffs. With Canada supplying 25-30% of U.S. lumber, some analysts project 15-25% price spikes if tariffs fully bite—potentially supporting domestic timber prices.

Beetle Outbreaks and Drought Stress Southern Forests

Beyond Helene, natural factors are affecting timber supply and forest health across the region:

Southern Pine Beetle: 2024 marked the worst outbreak in over two decades, with 15,500+ spots impacting nearly 29,000 acres across four states. Alabama is experiencing its largest statewide beetle numbers since the 2000s, with elevated activity expected in 2025 for the Upstate of South Carolina and parts of Georgia. Drought-stressed trees are particularly vulnerable.

Brown Spot Needle Blight: This emerging disease is spreading through loblolly pine stands across nine southeastern states, adding another stress factor to the region’s dominant commercial species.

Drought conditions: Q4 2025 saw “abnormally dry conditions” that kept timber supply high by enabling continued harvesting operations. While good for supply, extended drought increases beetle susceptibility and fire risk.

Understanding NC’s regional market differences

North Carolina’s timber markets vary significantly by geography, a critical factor for landowners pricing timber sales.

Eastern NC (Coastal Plain): Commands the highest prices for most products. Pine sawtimber averaged $237/MBF in 2024—24% above the Southeast average. The region benefits from intensive loblolly pine plantations, strong mill infrastructure, and proximity to wood pellet facilities and export ports. Forest industry controls 22-25% of timberland here.

Western NC (Mountains): Traditionally hardwood-focused with the highest standing inventory per acre but limited market access. The Canton mill closure devastated pulpwood markets, but pine sawtimber has surged 18%+ as supply constraints bite. Only 3-5% of timberland is industry-controlled, and 27% is publicly owned—the highest share in the state.

Piedmont: The transition zone between plantation pine and natural hardwoods, with strong sawmill presence and better growth rates than the mountains. Development pressure is highest here.

The economic engine behind NC forestry

North Carolina’s forest products industry contributes $40.5–$42.5 billion annually to the state economy—making forestry the largest manufacturing sector in the state. Key statistics:

• 18.6 million acres of forestland (60% of state land area)
• 143,600–151,700 jobs supported (direct, indirect, and induced)
• $7.4–$10.1 billion in labor income
• $1.72 billion in international exports
• 469,000+ family forest owners control 61% of timberland

Private ownership dominates at 83-86% of timberland, though 70%+ of harvests come from the 25% held by corporate and institutional owners like Weyerhaeuser (560,000 acres in NC) and timber investment management organizations (TIMOs).

For landowners, North Carolina’s Present-Use Value (PUV) taxation program offers significant benefits—potentially 90% reduction in property taxes for qualifying forestland with 20+ contiguous acres and a sound management plan. Standing timber is also exempt from property taxation under state law.

What landowners should watch heading into 2026

Several factors will shape NC timber prices in the coming quarters:

Positive signals: Housing demand has significant pent-up potential (3.8-4.5 million unit shortage), lumber prices are expected to rise 8-16% by 2026, and sawtimber inventories in hurricane-affected areas are constrained. Canadian tariffs may boost domestic timber demand.

Headwinds: Mill capacity utilization remains low at just 64%, pulpwood markets face structural demand decline, and interest rates continue pressuring housing starts. More paper mill closures appear likely.

Bottom line: Focus on quality over volume. The 2025 data shows clear value migration from low-grade to high-quality timber. Landowners with mature sawtimber should find receptive markets, especially in Western NC where supply constraints are acute. Those with primarily pulpwood-sized stands face a more challenging environment—thinning operations may need to be delayed until pulp markets stabilize.

Conclusion: A market in transition

Current North Carolina timber prices reflects deeper structural shifts beyond normal cyclical patterns. The sawtimber-pulpwood divergence—with high-grade prices rising while low-grade collapses—signals a fundamental reordering of value in Southern forestry. Hurricane Helene’s aftermath, ongoing mill consolidation, and chronically weak housing starts are reshaping where and how timber finds markets.

For the state’s 469,000 family forest owners controlling 10.9 million acres, these trends demand strategic thinking. Quality timber retains strong value; low-grade markets require patience. The next few quarters will reveal whether pulpwood stabilizes or continues its decline—and whether housing finally responds to the nation’s massive shortage. Monitor NC State Extension’s forthcoming Q4 2025 price report (expected late January 2026) for official figures, and consult a registered forester before major timber sales to navigate this complex market environment.