Top Landscaping Industry Statistics (2024)

Written by Brenda Woods Updated 06/20/2024

The landscaping industry has become a multibillion-dollar industry that includes specialized services such as landscape design, irrigation, hardscaping, and professional lawn care maintenance. This article will explore top landscaping statistics, labor trends, demographic facts, and landscaping projects shaping the industry today.

Landscaping Facts and Statistics

As of 2023, more than 1.3 million people work in the U.S. landscaping industry.¹
The U.S. has 649,131 landscaping businesses as of January 2023.²
The average annual salary of landscaping and groundskeeping workers in 2022 was $37,270.³
The top-paying industry for landscaping and groundskeeping workers was the federal executive branch in 2022.³
Florida has the largest number of landscaping jobs as of 2023.³
The average household spent $616 on lawn and gardening activities in 2022. ⁴

Landscaping Market and Industry Trends

The U.S. landscaping industry encompasses a wide range of businesses, from small family-run operations to large corporations. It’s driven by the growing demand for aesthetically pleasing and sustainable outdoor spaces that skilled landscapers can achieve.

As of 2023, landscaping services in the U.S. had an estimated market value around $176 billion. ⁵
The number of landscaping industry businesses has increased by 3.2% on average every year from 2018 to 2023. ⁶
BrightView earned the spot as the most profitable landscaping company of 2022, making over $2.5 billion that year, based on a 2022 report. ⁷
TruGreen was the second most profitable landscaping company of 2021, making $1.5 billion that year. ⁷
Based on the National Gardening Survey of 2,601 U.S. adults, 19% of respondents were planning to convert a portion of their lawn to a native wildflower landscape in 2021. ⁸

Landscaping Labor and Demographics Facts

The landscaping and lawn care industry is an essential part of maintaining beautiful outdoor spaces and a significant contributor to U.S. employment. Landscaping businesses employ millions of workers and landscape contractors nationwide, making it a crucial sector for job creation and growth.

The states with the largest number of landscaping employees in 2022 were California, Florida, and Texas.³
California had more than 105,000 landscaping workers as of 2022.³
As of 2022, Florida had 61,550 landscaping businesses, the highest of any state.⁶
The five top-paying places in the U.S. for landscaping workers in 2022 were Washington, D.C., Washington state, Massachusetts, Alaska, and Rhode Island.³

Landscaping Projects

Landscaping projects can include various services such as planting or removing trees; planting shrubs and flowers; installing hardscapes such as patios and walkways; and implementing water features such as fountains, ponds, and river stones. However, data shows that Americans feel some of these projects are more beneficial than others.

As of 2023, standard lawn care service and landscape maintenance are the outdoor remodeling projects with the highest cost recovery (the return on investment for the project if the house is sold). ⁹
Standard lawn care maintenance service has a cost recovery of 217% in 2023.9
One of the top reasons people cited for doing a landscape project in 2023 was to upgrade worn-out surfaces, finishes, and materials. ⁹
Based on a 2022 report, landscaping companies are most concerned about high fuel prices, quality labor shortages, economic recession, and supply chain issues impacting their businesses between 2022 and 2025. ¹⁰

Inflation and Landscaping Behaviors

The 2023 edition of the National Gardening Survey provided insights into lawn and gardening activities from the previous year and how certain factors, such as inflation, contributed to homeowners’ decisions for landscaping projects. Here is some information from their study:

Most respondents cited inflation as the main driver for increasing or decreasing their lawn and gardening activities. ⁴
The most common ways people fought inflation were by using water more efficiently and buying plants on sale. ⁴
More than one-third of U.S. households plan on spending more on lawn and gardening projects for food gardening in 2023 than the previous year. ⁴
Younger people were more likely to try a new lawn and gardening activity in 2022. ⁴
Younger households (between the ages of 18 and 34) spent more on lawn and gardening in 2021 compared to older households. ⁴

Our Conclusion

The United States landscaping industry is crucial to enhance homes, commercial properties, and public outdoor spaces. With its increasing demand and variety of services, the industry thrives and evolves despite inflation factors. With the help of advances in technology and a growing interest in sustainable practices from millennials, the landscaping industry is poised for continued growth and innovation in the coming years.

Sources

“Landscaping Services in the US – Employment 2023.” IBISWorld. January 2023. www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/employment/landscaping-services-united-states/
“Landscaping Services in the US – Market Size 2023.” IBISWorld. January 2023. www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/landscaping-services-industry/
“Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021 – 37-3011 Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.” U.S. Department of Labor. March 31, 2022. www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes373011.htm#nat
“National Gardening Survey 2023 Edition.” Garden Research. 2023. gardenresearch.com/view/national-gardening-survey-2023-edition/
“Revenue of Landscaping Services in the US 2010-2026.” Statista. 2023. www.statista.com/statistics/294212/revenue-of-landscaping-services-in-the-us/
“Landscaping Services in the US – Number of Businesses 2023.” IBISWorld. January 2023. www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/number-of-businesses/landscaping-services-united-states/
“LM150 2022 Rankings.” Landscape Management. 2022. www.landscapemanagement.net/lm150-2022-rankings/
“National Gardening Survey Results for 2022 Reveal Record Growth in Home Gardens, Gardening, and Native Plants.” National Wildlife Federation. May 2, 2022. www.nwf.org/Home/Latest-News/Press-Releases/2022/5-02-22-Consumer-Gardening-Report
Copyright ©2023 “Remodeling Impact: Outdoor Features.” NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. March 2023. https://cdn.nar.realtor//sites/default/files/documents/2023-03-remodeling-impact-outdoor-features-03-17-2023.pdf
“Lawn & Landscape State of the Industry Report 2022.” Lawn & Landscape. December 2021. https://www.lawnandlandscape.com/news/state-of-industry/

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