Landscaping industry statistics 2024
Whether it’s to improve curb appeal, perform regular maintenance, or upgrade a lawn, homeowners rely on landscaping to preserve the livability and appearance of the land surrounding their houses.
The multibillion-dollar landscaping industry involves a broad range of work, from lawn care and maintenance to irrigation and water management to the design and construction of residential and commercial outdoor spaces.
There were nearly 1.3 million people working in the U.S. landscaping industry as of 2023.
Jump to insightThe median pay for landscaping and grounds maintenance workers in May 2023 was $17.96 per hour, more than $5 less per hour than the average U.S. worker earned that year.
Jump to insightThere were nearly 642,000 landscaping businesses in the U.S. as of 2023.
Jump to insightDespite ranking third in population, Florida was home to the most landscaping businesses of any state in 2023, with nearly 62,000.
Jump to insightThe market size of the U.S. landscaping services industry was $176 billion in 2023.
Jump to insightLandscaping industry statistics
The landscaping services industry has seen continued growth in recent years, fueled in part by a boom in residential construction during the COVID-19 pandemic that has since slowed down amid rising interest rates.
Between 2018 and 2023, the industry's market size has grown by about 8% annually.
While the types of landscaping businesses can vary significantly, from groundskeepers focused primarily on property upkeep to tree trimmers, also known as arborists, landscapers who provide general services to commercial and residential properties make up the largest share of workers in the industry.
Landscaping industry market size
The market size of the country’s landscaping industry, measured in annual revenue, was more than $176 billion in 2023. That amount has more than doubled from where it stood in 2013 at just $83 billion, as the country’s population and housing market have continued to grow.
For multiple years, Pennsylvania-based commercial landscaping company BrightView has been the industry’s leader in annual revenue, bringing in more than $2.5 billion in 2022.
Landscaping industry by state
Florida is home to the country’s largest landscaping industry, with more landscaping service businesses than any other state. The southeastern state is the nation’s largest producer of tropical foliage and houseplants. A state-level industry study from 2022 found the Florida nursery and landscaping industry provided for 266,000 jobs statewide.
National data from May 2023 indicates that California had the most landscaping and groundskeeping workers, followed by Florida and Texas. Hawaii recorded the highest rate of landscaping employment for every 1,000 jobs in the state, followed by Rhode Island and Vermont.
The mean hourly wage for landscaping and groundskeeping workers was highest in Massachusetts at $23.44 per hour, followed by the District of Columbia and Washington. The only other state where landscaping workers recorded a mean hourly wage of $22 or higher was Alaska.
Landscaping industry employment statistics
Workers in the landscaping industry are overwhelmingly male. According to a 2021 demographic study of 272 companies representing more than 40,000 employees conducted by the National Association of Landscape Professionals Foundation, they are also likely to be of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.
While women made up 47% of the country’s civilian labor force at the time of the survey, they represented just 8% of the landscaping industry workforce surveyed.
More than 60% of industry workers identified as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin — a significantly higher share than in the U.S. population (less than 20%).
However, despite making up a large share of the workforce, the survey found that just 6% of owners and executives were identified as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.
The survey also found that 12% of the industry workforce was Black or African American, and 56% of workers were white, a share that includes workers of Hispanic or Latino origin and not.
Landscaping industry wages per position
While landscapers have generally reported lower wages than the national average, specialized landscaping workers see higher earnings. Tree trimmers and pruners earned a median hourly wage of $23.59 in May 2023, slightly above the national median wage of $23.11 per hour.
Pesticide handlers, a subgroup that includes about 24,000 jobs, followed with a median hourly wage of $21.192.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers, the largest group within the general grounds and landscaping industry, reported the lowest earnings at a median of just $17.96 per hour.
Wages also varied for landscaping workers depending on the type of services they provided. The largest group, who provided services to buildings and residences, earned a mean wage of $19.46 per hour. Government landscapers earned $20.08 hourly. At the bottom of the list, landscaping and groundskeeping employees who worked in the amusement, gambling, and recreation industries reported a mean hourly wage of $16.53.
Landscaping projects
The value and cost of a landscaping project can vary significantly depending on the type of work performed and the scope of the project.
Standard lawn care service on 5,000 square feet of lawn had an estimated value of $415 in 2023, according to an annual report from the National Association of Realtors and the National Association of Landscape Professionals. That type of service had a cost recovery of 217%, making it well worth the cost compared to other types of landscaping, such as an in-ground pool addition.
The pool addition, with an estimated value of $90,000, provided just $50,000 in value in return, according to the Realtors.
The addition of a new patio, by comparison, nearly had a break-even value, with a cost of $10,500 and a return value of $10,000.
Landscaping industry future outlook
Between 2022 and 2032, employment growth in the landscaping industry is projected to keep in line with the national average. Across all types of grounds maintenance workers, employment is projected to grow from 1.28 million in 2022 to nearly 1.33 million in 2032, a growth rate of about 3%.
FAQ
How big is the U.S. landscaping services market?
The market size of the U.S. landscaping services industry was $176 billion in 2023. The industry has more than doubled in revenue over the past decade, growing from a market size of $83 billion in 2013.
How many landscapers are there in the U.S.?
There were nearly 1.3 million people working in the U.S. landscaping industry as of 20231, as well as nearly 642,000 landscaping businesses.
Which state has the biggest landscaping industry?
Florida was home to the most landscaping businesses of any state in 2023, with nearly 62,000. The state also had the second-most landscaping workers of any state as of May 2023.
How much do landscapers earn?
The median pay for landscaping and grounds maintenance workers in 2022 was $17.96 per hour, more than $5 less per hour than the average U.S. worker earned that year. Some specialized landscaping roles, such as tree trimmers, have reported earning higher wages.
References
- IBISWorld. “Landscaping Services in the US - Employment Statistics 2005–2029.” IBISWorld. Evaluated March 27, 2024.Link Here
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Evaluated April 3, 2024.Link Here
- IBISWorld. “Landscaping Services in the US - Number of Businesses.” IBISWorld. Evaluated March 27, 2024.Link Here
- U.S. Census Bureau. “Population estimates, July 1, 2023, (V2023).” U.S. Census Bureau. Evaluated March 27, 2024.Link Here
- Statista. “Market size of landscaping services in the United States from 2013 to 2023.” Statista. Evaluated March 28, 2024.Link Here
- IBISWorld. “Landscaping Services in the US - Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2024-2029).” IBISWorld. Evaluated March 28, 2024.Link Here
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Grounds Maintenance Workers: Work Environment.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Evaluated March 28, 2024.Link Here
- Statista. “Leading lawn and landscaping services companies in North America in 2022, by revenue.” Statista. Evaluated March 28, 2024.Link Here
- FNGLA. “Florida’s Nursery & Landscape Industry Generates Big Economic Impact.” Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association. Evaluated March 28, 2024.Link Here
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023 37-3011 Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Evaluated April 3, 2024.Link Here
- NALPF. “NALPF Workforce Demographics Report.” National Association of Landscape Professionals Foundation. Evaluated March 28, 2024.Link Here
- U.S. Census Bureau. “QuickFacts United States.” U.S. Census Bureau. Evaluated March 28, 2024.Link Here
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Grounds Maintenance Workers: Pay.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Evaluated March 28, 2024.Link Here
- National Association of Realtors and National Association of Landscape Professionals. “2023 Remodeling Impact Report: Outdoor Features.” National Association of Realtors and National Association of Landscape Professionals. Evaluated March 28, 2024.Link Here
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Grounds Maintenance Workers: Job Outlook.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Evaluated March 28, 2024.Link Here
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