Gitnux/Report 2026

Plumbing Statistics

U.S. plumbers earned a median $27.04 per hour as of May 2023, while construction trades tied to plumbing still show a 3.7% unemployment rate and a non fatal injury rate of 5.1 cases per 10,000 workers, so opportunity comes with real risk and rising responsibility. From a $10,000 to $25,000 median surety bond range to WaterSense low flow fixtures cutting indoor water use by about 35%, the page connects wages, licensing, safety, and water savings to what homeowners and contractors actually face.
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Plumbing Statistics
James OkoroWritten by James Okoro·Edited by Claire Beaumont·Fact-checked by Olivia Thornton
Last verified Jul 7, 2026
Verified via a 4-step process
01Source

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Verify

Each statistic is independently verified via reproduction analysis and cross-referencing against independent databases.

03Grade

Figures are graded by cross-model consensus. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited.

04Cite

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Within the next 25 days
Plumbers earn a median hourly wage of $27.04 in the U.S. Homeowners insurance claims for water damage average about $10,000. The trade reports 91,000 job openings alongside a non-fatal injury rate of 5.1 cases per 10,000 full-time workers.

Key Takeaways

  • Median plumber hourly wage $27.04 in the U.S. (May 2023, BLS).
  • Cost to install a new toilet ranges from $250 to $1,000 (Home improvement pricing datasets).
  • Water damage losses: homeowners insurance claims for water damage averaged about $10,000 per claim in the U.S. (industry claims analysis, 2022).
  • Job openings: 2023 had 91,000 job openings for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in the U.S. (BLS JOLTS occupation-based series).
  • Unemployment rate for construction trades: 3.7% unemployment for plumbing and related construction trades in the U.S. (2023 CPS employment/unemployment measure).
  • Worker safety: plumbing and pipefitting has a non-fatal injury rate of 5.1 cases per 10,000 full-time workers in recent BLS/OSHA tracking data.
  • $13.3 billion U.S. plumbing & heating contractors revenue in 2023 (NAICS 2382).
  • $143.0 billion global plumbing fixtures market size in 2023 (reported by verified market research).
  • $43.9 billion global water and wastewater pipeline and infrastructure market in 2023 (includes plumbing/piping segments).
  • 35% average reduction in indoor water use with low-flow fixtures (EPA WaterSense-labeled products tested reductions).
  • 20% less water per fixture for WaterSense: WaterSense labeled fixtures use at least 20% less water than standard products.
  • 30% of U.S. households have experienced a plumbing leak in the last year (Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety household survey, 2022).
  • 1 in 3 people globally lack access to safely managed sanitation (JMP).
  • 90th percentile sampling compliance: Lead and Copper Rule uses 90th percentile of sampled tap water results (EPA describes requirement).
  • 0.2% failure rate target: ASSE 1013/1020-type backflow preventers are designed and tested to stringent performance; typical maximum leakage classification is 0.5% of flow in test standards (ASSE performance classification).

Plumbers earn about $27 per hour, face steady demand, and play a key role in safer, water saving plumbing.

Related reading

01 · Category

Cost Analysis9 stats

01
Median plumber hourly wage $27.04in the U.S. (May 2023, BLS).
02
Cost to install a new toilet ranges from $250to $1,000 (Home improvement pricing datasets).
03
Water damage losses: homeowners insurance claims for water damage averaged about $10,000per claim in the U.S. (industry claims analysis, 2022).
04
3.6% materials inflation impact in plumbing-related costs during 2022 (U.S. CPI construction materials indices; PPI plumbing fixtures and supplies).
05
2.1% PPI increase for plumbing fixtures and supplies in 2023 (BLS PPI index).
06
Labor is the largest cost driver in service plumbing; service labor can be 40%+ of job cost in typical estimates (Angi/contractor breakdown, 2023).
07
Drain cleaning service average billed cost $150-$300 in the U.S. (industry pricing data, 2024).
08
Pipe replacement cost ranges from $50to $250 per linear foot (Home improvement cost dataset, 2023).
09
Backflow device installed cost typically $150-$500 in the U.S. (trade pricing dataset).
Interpretation

Cost Analysis Interpretation

For cost analysis in plumbing, labor is the biggest driver since service work can make up 40% or more of typical job costs, while materials costs have continued to rise with plumbing-related inflation at 3.6% in 2022 and a further 2.1% PPI increase in 2023.

02 · Category

Industry Workforce5 stats

01
Job openings: 2023 had 91,000 job openings for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in the U.S. (BLS JOLTS occupation-based series).
02
Unemployment rate for construction trades: 3.7% unemployment for plumbing and related construction trades in the U.S. (2023 CPS employment/unemployment measure).
03
Worker safety: plumbing and pipefitting has a non-fatal injury rate of 5.1 cases per 10,000 full-time workers in recent BLS/OSHA tracking data.
04
Workplace injuries: 2022 had 53,000 injuries in construction trades related to plumbing/heating industries (BLS SOII).
05
Professional licensing compliance: plumbing contractors must meet state bonding/insurance requirements; median surety bond amounts reported were $10,000-$25,000 (industry licensing requirements survey, 2023).
Interpretation

Industry Workforce Interpretation

From an industry workforce perspective, demand looks strong and employment conditions are relatively tight, with 91,000 U.S. job openings in 2023 for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters alongside a low 3.7% unemployment rate for plumbing and related construction trades even as injury counts remain a concern, including 53,000 workplace injuries in 2022 for construction trades tied to plumbing and heating.

03 · Category

Market Size7 stats

01
$13.3 billion U.S. plumbing & heating contractors revenue in 2023 (NAICS 2382).
02
$143.0 billion global plumbing fixtures market size in 2023 (reported by verified market research).
03
$43.9 billion global water and wastewater pipeline and infrastructure market in 2023 (includes plumbing/piping segments).
04
$12.7 billion U.S. residential plumbing fixtures spending in 2022 (BEA/NA supply-use for plumbing fixtures and equipment).
05
8.6% CAGR forecast for plumbing fixtures market from 2024 to 2032 (market research forecast).
06
$20.0 billion North America plumbing fixtures market in 2023 (regional market research).
07
$2.1 billion U.S. backflow preventer market in 2023 (market research estimate).
Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

The market size signals strong and durable demand with the U.S. plumbing and heating contractors reaching $13.3 billion in 2023 while the plumbing fixtures market expands globally to $143.0 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at an 8.6% CAGR from 2024 to 2032.

More related reading

04 · Category

Efficiency & Water Use3 stats

01
35% average reduction in indoor water use with low-flow fixtures (EPA WaterSense-labeled products tested reductions).
02
20% less water per fixture for WaterSense: WaterSense labeled fixtures use at least 20% less water than standard products.
03
30% of U.S. households have experienced a plumbing leak in the last year (Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety household survey, 2022).
Interpretation

Efficiency & Water Use Interpretation

For the Efficiency & Water Use angle, WaterSense low flow fixtures can cut indoor water use by about 35% and reduce water per fixture by at least 20%, but with 30% of U.S. households reporting a plumbing leak in the last year, maintaining leaks is essential to realizing those savings.

05 · Category

Safety & Compliance4 stats

01
1 in 3 people globally lack access to safely managed sanitation (JMP).
02
90th percentile sampling compliance: Lead and Copper Rule uses 90th percentile of sampled tap water results (EPA describes requirement).
03
0.2% failure rate target: ASSE 1013/1020-type backflow preventers are designed and tested to stringent performance; typical maximum leakage classification is 0.5% of flow in test standards (ASSE performance classification).
04
Methane safety: natural gas plumbing standards require maximum allowable leakage rates (NFPA 54).
Interpretation

Safety & Compliance Interpretation

For Safety and Compliance in plumbing, the key takeaway is that while 1 in 3 people globally still lack safely managed sanitation, strong regulatory frameworks like the 90th percentile Lead and Copper sampling rule and strict backflow preventer and natural gas leakage limits aim to drive failure rates and emissions down to very low levels.

06 · Category

Technology & Adoption2 stats

01
PEX pipe market penetration: PEX accounts for an estimated majority share of new residential plumbing supply-line installs (industry report; 2023 share).
02
Water-saving fixtures: WaterSense has labeled 80+ product types and tens of millions of qualifying installations reported (EPA WaterSense).
Interpretation

Technology & Adoption Interpretation

Under Technology & Adoption, PEX is dominating new residential plumbing supply-line installs while WaterSense has already approved 80 plus product types and reports tens of millions of qualifying installations, showing rapid, scalable adoption of modern water-saving plumbing technology.
report visual · Key figures

Plumbing: costs, market size, and demand signals

Plumbing demand shows strong market scale while costs and inflation pressures remain significant.

$13.3 billion
$13.3 billion U.S. plumbing & heating contractors revenue in 2023 (NAICS 2382).
$27.04
Median plumber hourly wage $27.04 in the U.S. (May 2023, BLS).
$250
Cost to install a new toilet ranges from $250 to $1,000 (Home improvement pricing datasets).
3.6%
3.6% materials inflation impact in plumbing-related costs during 2022 (U.S. CPI construction materials indices; PPI plum
91,000
Job openings: 2023 had 91,000 job openings for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in the U.S. (BLS JOLTS occupation
source-verifiedcensus.gov · bls.gov · data.bls.gov2023
Reference

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APA
James Okoro. (2026, February 13). Plumbing Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/plumbing-statistics
MLA
James Okoro. "Plumbing Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/plumbing-statistics.
Chicago
James Okoro. 2026. "Plumbing Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/plumbing-statistics.

Sources & references

30 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level

bls.govdata.bls.govuhc.comcensus.govglobenewswire.commarketsandmarkets.comapps.bea.govfortunebusinessinsights.comimarcgroup.comepa.goviii.orgunicef.orgasse-plumbing.orgnfpa.organgi.comhomeadvisor.comp-express.com

+13 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)