For me there is no $$ return on my tractor investments. They currently lose me money, though they give me and my two grandsons a GREAT deal of pleasure.
I have three, including my MILs since she is 77 and will never operate it, it might as well be mine. I have a dedicated ZTR for mowing, I do bushhog with my small tractors sometimes because they are easier to get in tighter spots than the MILs large tractor. I also just enjoy bushhogging in the open air (no cab), even if it takes longer.
I don't put a lot of hours on a tractor and I have bought tractors, used them for a year, two or five and sold them for almost what I paid for them. So that is a pretty good investment if you ask me. They save my back, my time and $$ since I don't have to hire a lot of things done.
Also, I get to help all of my tractorless neighbors out here, they get snowed in at least once or twice a year and I take my MILs heated cab tractor and dig them out. She likes that she feels like she is helping her neighbors at 77 years old, she just uses me to do it, and I'm happy to oblige. : )
When we tell people we live in the country on 5 acres they say "oh that would be so nice". They never think of what it takes to maintain acreage. But we really maintain more like 8 acres with my MILs property and a couple hundred acres (rented out as farmland) but my wife and I maintain barns, waterways, ditches, large driveways, and the equipment to maintain all of that. It is a Lot of work, sometimes I do complain that the list never ends.. but I wouldn't trade it.
It would not be possible without the tractors and with all of that said, I still do not put more than probably 160 hours a year on all combined tractors. That does not include the two ZTRs we use to mow ditches, yards and barn lots. Probably another 150 hours a year on those.