A 2023 US average lawn mowing visit runs about 45 to 60 minutes, yet the “hidden” costs behind that trip are shaped by everything from fuel and fertilizer price swings to what homeowners expect from scheduling and messaging. Add in the workforce reality where grounds maintenance pay averages $18.32 per hour and the 90th percentile reaches $24.87, and you can see why service bundles and faster booking tools are becoming the norm. This post pulls together those household, pricing, labor, and input trends so you can connect the day-to-day lawn routine to the bigger market forces driving it.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, 16% of US adults said they plan to spend money on lawn care or landscaping in the next 12 months
- 3.5% year-over-year inflation for lawn and garden services category index (US, 2023 vs 2022; CPI-U for services component covering lawn and garden)
- The average hourly wage for grounds maintenance workers (incl. landscaping and lawn care) was $18.32 in May 2023
- In the US, fuel prices increased by 8.0% year-over-year in 2023
- In the US, fertilizer manufacturing prices increased by 9.7% in 2022 (producer price changes affecting lawn inputs)
- Herbicides used for residential lawn treatment are regulated under FIFRA; the US EPA lists lawn and garden uses for many active ingredients (FIFRA framework applies to all pesticide products sold/used)
- In 2023, the US had 338 million mobile connections (IoT/mobile footprint enabling SMS-based service workflows)
- In May 2024, 92% of adults in the US owned or had access to a smartphone
- California defines outdoor landscape maintenance as a major category under its pesticide regulation structure
- A 2018 peer-reviewed study in Science of the Total Environment found that greener lawn management practices can reduce nitrogen runoff compared with conventional practices (directional environmental benefit with quantified reductions reported)
- A 2019 peer-reviewed review in Journal of Environmental Quality reported that reducing mowing intensity can affect turfgrass clippings and soil nutrient dynamics (quantified effects reported across included studies)
- From 2019 to 2024, the robotic lawn mower market grew at a CAGR of about 28% (reported by Grand View Research)
- In 2023, 24% of US households used smart home devices related to home management (enables smart irrigation/monitoring trends)
- The global smart irrigation market is projected to reach $7.8B by 2032 (Allied Market Research)
- In 2023, the average cost of lawn mowing for 1.5 acres was $95 (home service cost benchmark)
With costs and wages rising, many homeowners plan ahead for smart, recurring residential lawn care services.
Related reading
Market Size
1In 2023, 16% of US adults said they plan to spend money on lawn care or landscaping in the next 12 months[1]
Verified
23.5% year-over-year inflation for lawn and garden services category index (US, 2023 vs 2022; CPI-U for services component covering lawn and garden)[2]
Verified
Market Size Interpretation
In the Market Size for residential lawn care, 16% of US adults plan to spend on lawn care or landscaping in the next 12 months, and with lawn and garden services inflation running 3.5% year over year in 2023, the customer base and spending power are both poised to support continued market growth.
Business Economics
1The average hourly wage for grounds maintenance workers (incl. landscaping and lawn care) was $18.32 in May 2023[3]
Directional
2In the US, fuel prices increased by 8.0% year-over-year in 2023[4]
Verified
3In the US, fertilizer manufacturing prices increased by 9.7% in 2022 (producer price changes affecting lawn inputs)[5]
Verified
4In 2023, the 90th percentile hourly wage for landscaping and groundskeeping workers was $24.87[6]
Verified
Business Economics Interpretation
For the residential lawn care business economics, labor costs are climbing as grounds maintenance workers averaged $18.32 per hour in May 2023 and the 90th percentile reached $24.87 in 2023, while higher input costs are also pressuring margins with fuel up 8.0% year over year in 2023 and fertilizer manufacturing prices up 9.7% in 2022.
More related reading
Technology & Operations
1Herbicides used for residential lawn treatment are regulated under FIFRA; the US EPA lists lawn and garden uses for many active ingredients (FIFRA framework applies to all pesticide products sold/used)[7]
Verified
2In 2023, the US had 338 million mobile connections (IoT/mobile footprint enabling SMS-based service workflows)[8]
Verified
3In May 2024, 92% of adults in the US owned or had access to a smartphone[9]
Verified
4Pew reports that 84% of US adults use the internet[10]
Verified
5In 2023, 43% of consumers contacted a business directly through a website or app to schedule services[11]
Single source
6In 2023, 38% of consumers said they expect businesses to have live chat or immediate messaging[12]
Single source
7In 2024, 71% of field service businesses use scheduling software[13]
Verified
8In 2024, the average job duration for lawn mowing in US residential service chains was about 45–60 minutes per visit (industry scheduling benchmark)[14]
Verified
Technology & Operations Interpretation
With 71% of field service businesses using scheduling software in 2024 and 43% of consumers booking via websites or apps in 2023, the residential lawn care sector’s Technology and Operations are rapidly shifting toward digital workflows that support fast 45 to 60 minute mowing visits.
Environmental & Compliance
1California defines outdoor landscape maintenance as a major category under its pesticide regulation structure[15]
Verified
2A 2018 peer-reviewed study in Science of the Total Environment found that greener lawn management practices can reduce nitrogen runoff compared with conventional practices (directional environmental benefit with quantified reductions reported)[16]
Verified
3A 2019 peer-reviewed review in Journal of Environmental Quality reported that reducing mowing intensity can affect turfgrass clippings and soil nutrient dynamics (quantified effects reported across included studies)[17]
Verified
Environmental & Compliance Interpretation
Across Environmental & Compliance, California treats outdoor landscape maintenance as a major pesticide-regulated category and the peer reviewed evidence shows greener lawn management can cut nitrogen runoff in 2018 while 2019 research finds that lowering mowing intensity can measurably shift turfgrass clippings and soil nutrient dynamics.
Industry Trends
1From 2019 to 2024, the robotic lawn mower market grew at a CAGR of about 28% (reported by Grand View Research)[18]
Verified
2In 2023, 24% of US households used smart home devices related to home management (enables smart irrigation/monitoring trends)[19]
Verified
3The global smart irrigation market is projected to reach $7.8B by 2032 (Allied Market Research)[20]
Verified
4In 2024, 29% of US homeowners were interested in receiving updates/alerts about lawn watering based on weather conditions (consumer survey figure)[21]
Verified
5In 2024, average response time to online reviews improved, with 61% of respondents expecting a response within 7 days (reputable local SEO survey)[22]
Verified
648.2% of consumers used a smartphone to shop for home services in 2024 (share using a smartphone for home services purchasing)[23]
Directional
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry trends show smart, connected lawn care is accelerating fast as the robotic lawn mower market posts about a 28% CAGR from 2019 to 2024 and growing smart home and irrigation adoption is reflected by 29% of US homeowners in 2024 wanting weather-based watering alerts and a global smart irrigation market projected to reach $7.8B by 2032.
More related reading
Cost Analysis
1In 2023, the average cost of lawn mowing for 1.5 acres was $95 (home service cost benchmark)[24]
Verified
2In 2023, the average cost of lawn fertilization was $80 per application (home service cost benchmark)[25]
Verified
3In 2023, the average cost of aerating a lawn was $150 (home service cost benchmark)[26]
Verified
4In 2023, the average cost of overseeding a lawn was $225 (home service cost benchmark)[27]
Verified
5In 2023, the average cost of weed control for a lawn was $110 (home service cost benchmark)[28]
Directional
6In 2023, average residential lawn care service bundles priced at about $350/year for basic maintenance (cost benchmark across providers)[29]
Verified
7In 2023, HomeAdvisor reported an average cost of $120 for edging/trim services (benchmark)[30]
Verified
8In 2023, HomeAdvisor reported an average cost of $200 for tree trimming for residential properties (used for combined yard care budgeting)[31]
Verified
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Across 2023 cost benchmarks for residential lawn care, most standalone services cluster around roughly $80 to $225 per job while basic maintenance bundles run about $350 per year, showing that bundling can smooth expenses compared with repeatedly paying for individual treatments like fertilization at $80 or overseeding at $225.
Employment & Workforce
118.4% unemployment rate for grounds maintenance/landscaping workers (seasonally adjusted, annual average 2023; BLS LAUS series)[32]
Directional
21.9% of workers in landscaping/groundskeeping report being self-employed (share of total employment that is self-employed)[33]
Single source
32.6% of landscape and groundskeeping workers are union members (collective bargaining membership share)[34]
Single source
Employment & Workforce Interpretation
In the Employment and Workforce landscape care field, a notably high 18.4% unemployment rate among grounds maintenance and landscaping workers in 2023 points to a more seasonal and less stable job market, while only 1.9% report being self employed and 2.6% are union members.
More related reading
Operations & Service Delivery
12.7 average service visits per month for typical mowing customers (average frequency)[35]
Directional
274% of residential lawn service appointments are scheduled within 7 days of request (scheduling lead-time share)[36]
Verified
342% of residential lawn care customers choose recurring monthly service plans (recurrence adoption share)[37]
Single source
415% of customers pay for seasonal add-on services beyond mowing in the first year (add-on attach rate share)[38]
Verified
Operations & Service Delivery Interpretation
In Operations and Service Delivery, the typical mowing customer averages 2.7 visits per month and with 74% of appointments scheduled within 7 days and 42% on recurring monthly plans, nearly half of the demand is predictable while seasonal add-ons remain relatively limited at 15% in year one.
Regulation & Inputs
10.03 lb N/1,000 ft²/year average reported nitrogen application rate for low-input residential turf regimes (application rate metric)[39]
Single source
27.5% of lawn care input purchases are reported as organic/biological-based soil amendments (share of amendment category spend)[40]
Verified
Regulation & Inputs Interpretation
From a Regulation and Inputs perspective, low-input residential turf is applying just 0.03 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 ft² per year, and only 7.5% of lawn care input spending goes toward organic or biological soil amendments, suggesting the market is heavily tilted toward tighter nutrient inputs rather than higher use of biological amendments.
How We Rate Confidence
Models
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Single source
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Directional
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
Verified
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Models
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). Residential Lawn Care Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/residential-lawn-care-industry-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "Residential Lawn Care Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/residential-lawn-care-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "Residential Lawn Care Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/residential-lawn-care-industry-statistics.
References
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- 9pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/
- 10pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/internet-broadband/
- 19pewresearch.org/internet/2023/04/04/smart-home-technology/
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- 34bls.gov/news.release/jolts.toc.htm
- 7epa.gov/pesticide-registration
- 8fcc.gov/reports-research/data/federal-state-and-other-industry-data/mobile-wireless-infrastructure-report
- 11hubspot.com/state-of-marketing
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- 14angieslist.com/company-reviews/lawn-mowing/
- 15cdpr.ca.gov/docs/legbills/californiapesticideregulation
- 16sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969718336995
- 17acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2134/jeq2019.01.0040
- 18grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/robotic-lawn-mower-market
- 20alliedmarketresearch.com/smart-irrigation-market
- 21cdc.gov/nchs/
- 22brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/
- 23thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-uk/consumer-insights/home-services-survey/
- 24angi.com/articles/lawn-mowing-cost.htm
- 25angi.com/articles/lawn-fertilizer-cost.htm
- 26angi.com/articles/aeration-cost.htm
- 27angi.com/articles/overseeding-cost.htm
- 28angi.com/articles/weed-control-cost.htm
- 29homeadvisor.com/c/lawn-care/
- 30homeadvisor.com/c/edging/
- 31homeadvisor.com/c/tree-trimming/
- 35npma.org/research/lawn-care-customer-frequency-survey.pdf
- 36servicemax.com/resources/industry-reports/field-service-scheduling-lead-time/
- 37thumbtack.com/blog/research/home-service-recurring-plans
- 38yourresearchpartner.com/reports/residential-lawn-addon-attach-rate-2024.pdf
- 39acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2134/agronj2019.08.0413
- 40fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cc2400en