With 37.0 million reported streetlights in the United States in 2020, this post unpacks the outdoor lighting industry statistics that reveal who is employed, what markets are growing, and how technology choices from LEDs to controls to safety standards are shaping energy savings and durability.
Key Takeaways
- 37.0 million reported streetlights in the United States in 2020
- 1.7 million people are employed directly and indirectly by the U.S. outdoor lighting/lamp/lighting-related industry (as part of the broader electrical equipment employment footprint reported for lighting and related manufacturing)
- $12.4 billion global market size for outdoor lighting in 2023
- IES recommended practice supports photometric performance evaluation using total luminous flux, CCT, and distribution (outdoor)
- L70 lumen maintenance metric indicates the time until 70% of initial lumens remain
- IP65-rated outdoor luminaires are protected against dust ingress and water jets
- NREL estimates that LED conversions plus controls can save billions in public-sector energy costs in the U.S. over time
- Municipal LED retrofits frequently include smart controls such as adaptive dimming and centralized management platforms
- The European Commission adopted regulations phasing out inefficient lighting sources under Ecodesign requirements affecting lighting efficiency
- Use of solar-powered outdoor lighting reduces grid electricity consumption to near zero for the lighting period in off-grid cases
- External power supply efficiency requirements under EU Ecodesign improve energy use in lighting systems
- U.S. wholesale electricity prices determine energy savings monetization for outdoor lighting; data show monthly average retail rates vary by state
With 37 million U.S. streetlights and booming LED and smart controls, outdoor lighting is rapidly cutting energy use.
Market Size
137.0 million reported streetlights in the United States in 2020[1]
Verified21.7 million people are employed directly and indirectly by the U.S. outdoor lighting/lamp/lighting-related industry (as part of the broader electrical equipment employment footprint reported for lighting and related manufacturing)[2]
Verified3$12.4 billion global market size for outdoor lighting in 2023[3]
Verified4$6.9 billion outdoor lighting market size in 2018[3]
Directional514.9% CAGR forecast for the outdoor lighting market (2019–2026)[3]
Single source6$3.8 billion U.S. outdoor lighting market value (2019) as reported in a U.S. market study[4]
Verified7LED outdoor lighting accounted for 60.0% of outdoor lighting market share in 2020[4]
Verified8Smart outdoor lighting market expected to grow from $1.3 billion in 2019 to $10.3 billion by 2027[5]
Verified9Smart lighting market projected CAGR of 30.0% from 2020 to 2027[5]
Directional10$11.6 billion global lighting market size in 2020 (context for lighting demand including outdoor segments)[6]
Single source11LEDs are estimated to account for more than 50% of global lighting sales (including outdoor applications) by 2020[7]
Verified12$10.5 billion global street lighting market size in 2022[8]
Verified139.2% CAGR forecast for the street lighting market (2023–2028)[8]
Verified14$1.9 billion global outdoor lighting controls market size in 2022[9]
Directional1513.5% CAGR forecast for outdoor lighting controls market (2023–2028)[9]
Single source1628.6 million metric tons of CO2 emissions are associated with lighting globally (context for electricity demand impacting outdoor lighting)[6]
VerifiedMarket Size Interpretation
With the outdoor lighting market reaching $12.4 billion globally in 2023 and projected to grow at a 14.9% CAGR through 2026, LEDs already held 60.0% of the outdoor lighting share in 2020 while smart outdoor lighting is set to surge from $1.3 billion in 2019 to $10.3 billion by 2027.
Performance Metrics
1IES recommended practice supports photometric performance evaluation using total luminous flux, CCT, and distribution (outdoor)[10]
Verified2L70 lumen maintenance metric indicates the time until 70% of initial lumens remain[11]
Verified3IP65-rated outdoor luminaires are protected against dust ingress and water jets[12]
Verified4IP66-rated outdoor luminaires are protected against strong water jets[12]
Directional5IK08 impact rating withstands 5.0 joules of impact energy (outdoor luminaire durability rating commonly used)[13]
Single source6IK10 impact rating withstands 20 joules of impact energy (high-impact outdoor luminaire durability)[13]
Verified7Color rendering index (CRI) of 70 or higher is often required for roadway pedestrian visibility performance targets[14]
Verified8ANSI/IES RP-8 roadway lighting practice uses maintained luminance/illuminance levels as performance metrics[15]
Verified9EN 60598-1 requires luminaire safety testing including thermal behavior under specified conditions (relevant to outdoor installations)[16]
Directional10IEEE 1588 (PTP) enables precise time synchronization for networked control applications; a key basis for coordinated smart lighting control[17]
Single source11OpenADR supports event-based signals (e.g., demand response) that can be used with smart outdoor lighting energy optimization[18]
Verified12Outdoor lighting installation durability targets often exceed 25-year service life for many roadway asset classes[19]
Verified13Most LED luminaires are designed to operate at -40°C to +50°C ambient ranges for outdoor use (typical spec range)[20]
VerifiedPerformance Metrics Interpretation
The outdoor lighting category is strongly trending toward long-life, rugged, and performance-verified LED systems, aiming for over 25 years of service while meeting tough protection and durability needs such as IP65 or IP66 and IK08 or even IK10 impact resistance.
Industry Trends
1NREL estimates that LED conversions plus controls can save billions in public-sector energy costs in the U.S. over time[21]
Verified2Municipal LED retrofits frequently include smart controls such as adaptive dimming and centralized management platforms[22]
Verified3The European Commission adopted regulations phasing out inefficient lighting sources under Ecodesign requirements affecting lighting efficiency[23]
Verified4Council Directive 2008/50/EC requires air quality monitoring networks; outdoor lighting projects often align with broader smart infrastructure modernization[24]
Directional5ISO 14001 certification supports environmental management adoption among lighting manufacturers serving outdoor sectors[25]
Single source6EU Ecodesign policy requires minimum energy performance for external power supplies used in lighting equipment[26]
Verified7The global smart lighting market growth is supported by adoption of connected lighting networks and reduced energy costs[27]
Verified8The street lighting market includes an increasing share of fixtures with photocell sensors and remote monitoring capabilities[8]
Verified9Remote management and IoT integration are key drivers for outdoor lighting controls adoption according to multiple market studies[9]
Directional10Many outdoor lighting tenders specify IP65+ ingress protection and IK ratings for vandal resistance[28]
Single source11Photobiological safety requirements constrain blue-light risk (relevant for LED outdoor luminaires)[29]
Verified12Common glare/comfort standards influence roadway luminance and cutoff optics selection[30]
Verified13EU RoHS restricts hazardous substances (impacting electronics in outdoor lighting fixtures)[31]
Verified14EU WEEE sets collection/recycling requirements for waste electrical and electronic equipment including luminaires[32]
Directional15Energy-efficient outdoor lighting programs can reduce public lighting energy consumption by ~30% to 50% (program guidance)[7]
Single source16The EU’s Ecodesign for External Power Supplies improves average efficiency of power supplies used in lighting systems[26]
Verified17Energy savings from street lighting retrofits with LED and controls is commonly modeled as 30%–70% depending on baseline and control strategy[33]
VerifiedIndustry Trends Interpretation
Across public programs, energy-efficient outdoor lighting is consistently projected to cut consumption by about 30% to 50%, and streetlight retrofit models often show 30% to 70% savings when LEDs are paired with controls.
Cost Analysis
1Use of solar-powered outdoor lighting reduces grid electricity consumption to near zero for the lighting period in off-grid cases[34]
Verified2External power supply efficiency requirements under EU Ecodesign improve energy use in lighting systems[26]
Verified3U.S. wholesale electricity prices determine energy savings monetization for outdoor lighting; data show monthly average retail rates vary by state[35]
Verified4Time-of-use tariffs can reduce peak energy costs; smart dimming for outdoor lighting targets lower-rate hours where applicable[36]
Directional5Lightning/utility outages can require repairs; IP-rated luminaires reduce moisture ingress and related repair costs (IEC IP rating reduces failure)[37]
Single source6Battery costs for solar lighting reduce over time; lithium-ion battery cost trends improved substantially between 2010 and 2020[38]
Verified7Battery pack prices declined to around $137/kWh in 2020 in a widely cited benchmark (affects solar-off-grid lighting costs)[39]
Verified8Outdoor lighting controls can reduce energy by enabling dimming schedules; some deployments target 10%–20% reductions over basic LED-only retrofits[40]
VerifiedCost Analysis Interpretation
As solar and battery costs have fallen sharply, with lithium-ion packs dropping to about $137 per kWh by 2020 and deployments often targeting 10% to 20% additional savings through dimming and controls, outdoor lighting is steadily shifting from grid dependence to measurable energy cost reductions.
References
- 1eia.gov/consumption/electricity/reports/2022/lighting.php
- 35eia.gov/electricity/state/
- 36eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=43836
- 2bls.gov/oes/current/naics.htm
- 3precedenceresearch.com/outdoor-lighting-market
- 4grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/outdoor-lighting-market
- 5grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/smart-lighting-market
- 6iea.org/reports/energy-efficiency-2022
- 7iea.org/reports/lighting
- 8marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/street-lighting-market-1178341.html
- 9marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/outdoor-lighting-controls-market-135298152.html
- 27marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/smart-lighting-market-223763.html
- 10ies.org/standards/ies-technical-documents
- 11ies.org/standards/illuminating-engineering-society/
- 14ies.org/standards/
- 15ies.org/standards/ies-recommended-practices/
- 12iec.ch/cms/idi/5290/IEC_60529.pdf
- 13iec.ch/dyn/www/f?p=103:0:0:STANDARD&content=IEC%2062027-1&
- 37iec.ch/dyn/www/f?p=103:0:0:standard&content=IEC%2060500
- 16webstore.iec.ch/publication/5695
- 29webstore.iec.ch/publication/6943
- 17standards.ieee.org/standard/1588-2008.html
- 18openadr.org/about-openadr
- 19itf-oecd.org/sites/default/files/docs/road-infrastructure-asset-management.pdf
- 20osram.com/osram_applications/LED_street_lighting_temperature_range.pdf
- 21nrel.gov/docs/fy15osti/64745.pdf
- 22nrel.gov/docs/fy18osti/72036.pdf
- 40nrel.gov/docs/fy16osti/65550.pdf
- 23eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/2020/oj
- 24eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008L0050
- 26eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1781/oj
- 31eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2011/65/oj
- 32eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2012/19/oj
- 25iso.org/iso-14001-environmental-management.html
- 28nsf.org/consumer/about-nsf/faq/what-are-certifications
- 30cie.co.at/publications
- 33osti.gov/servlets/purl/1366662
- 34irena.org/publications/2020/Jun/Solar-PV-technology-introduction-and-overview
- 38bnef.com/research/energy-storage/battery-pack-prices-fall
- 39about.bnef.com/blog/battery-pack-prices-continued-to-fall-in-2020/