From bustling city corners to quiet suburban strips, laundromats are quietly spinning a multi-billion dollar global industry, one wash cycle at a time.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the U.S. self-service laundry industry generated approximately $5.75 billion in revenue, marking a 2.5% increase from 2022 driven by inflation and steady demand.
- Globally, the coin laundry market size was valued at $25.4 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $38.2 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.2%.
- U.S. laundromat revenue per facility averaged $145,000 annually in 2023, with top performers exceeding $300,000.
- In 2023, there were approximately 35,000 self-service laundromats operating in the United States.
- California hosted 4,800 laundromats in 2023, representing 13.7% of the national total.
- Globally, over 450,000 coin-operated laundry facilities existed in 2022, with Asia leading at 280,000.
- 72% of U.S. consumers used self-service laundries at least once in 2023, totaling 240 million users.
- Average U.S. laundromat customer visits 2.3 times per month, spending $15 per visit in 2023.
- 45% of renters in the U.S. rely on coin laundries weekly, compared to 12% of homeowners.
- 82% of U.S. laundromats had 16-30 washers in 2023, averaging 22 machines per facility.
- Adoption of card-operated payment systems reached 68% in U.S. laundromats by 2023.
- Average age of washers in U.S. self-service laundries was 7.2 years in 2023, with 15% over 10 years.
- In 2023, 41% of global self-service laundries projected 5.1% CAGR through 2028 due to tech integration.
- U.S. industry expected to grow 2.8% annually to $6.5 billion by 2028, per IBISWorld.
- Cashless payments forecasted to reach 85% adoption in U.S. laundromats by 2027.
The global self-service laundry industry is thriving and growing steadily due to urbanization and cashless technology.
Consumer Usage & Habits
- 72% of U.S. consumers used self-service laundries at least once in 2023, totaling 240 million users.
- Average U.S. laundromat customer visits 2.3 times per month, spending $15 per visit in 2023.
- 45% of renters in the U.S. rely on coin laundries weekly, compared to 12% of homeowners.
- Globally, 58% of urban millennials use self-service laundries monthly due to apartment living.
- In 2023, 62% of U.S. laundromat users were female, with peak usage on weekends at 55% of visits.
- Average wash cycle time preferred by consumers is 28 minutes, with 70% opting for hot water washes.
- 38% of European self-service laundry users bring their own detergent, saving operators 15% on costs.
- U.S. Gen Z (18-24) represent 22% of laundromat customers, using apps for 35% of payments in 2023.
- In Australia, 51% of users visit laundromats for bulky items like comforters, averaging 4 loads per visit.
- Indian consumers average 3.5 kg per load in self-service laundries, with 65% using services bi-weekly.
- 55% of U.S. laundromat visits in 2023 were for clothing, 25% for bedding, and 20% for other items.
- UK users spend average £8.50 per visit, with 40% using loyalty cards for discounts.
- 67% of Canadian laundromat users are aged 25-44, preferring facilities with Wi-Fi.
- Brazilian consumers favor self-service for speed, with 75% completing loads under 45 minutes.
- Japanese users average 1.8 visits monthly, 80% using card payments over coins.
- 29% of U.S. customers complain about machine cleanliness, leading to 12% churn rate.
- In 2023, 48% of global urban dwellers without in-home washers used self-service laundries weekly.
- South Korean users spend KRW 5,000 ($3.70) per visit, with 60% using dryers.
- U.S. Hispanic consumers make up 28% of laundromat users, visiting 2.8 times monthly on average.
Consumer Usage & Habits Interpretation
The laundromat stands as a great equalizer, uniting the globe's urbanites and renters in the universal, pragmatic ritual of weekend hot washes, where speed, cleanliness, and a loyalty card are the modern coins of the realm.
Equipment & Technology
- 82% of U.S. laundromats had 16-30 washers in 2023, averaging 22 machines per facility.
- Adoption of card-operated payment systems reached 68% in U.S. laundromats by 2023.
- Average age of washers in U.S. self-service laundries was 7.2 years in 2023, with 15% over 10 years.
- Globally, 45% of new laundry equipment in 2022 featured energy-efficient models, reducing water use by 30%.
- In 2023, 52% of European laundromats used IoT-enabled machines for remote monitoring.
- U.S. facilities invested $450 million in equipment upgrades in 2023, focusing on high-capacity dryers.
- Australia saw 35% of laundromats adopt cashless systems by 2023, cutting coin handling by 70%.
- Indian self-service laundries averaged 12 washers per site, with 25% using steam models.
- 61% of U.S. dryers were gas-powered in 2023, offering 20% faster cycles than electric.
- UK laundrettes upgraded to app-controlled machines at 40% penetration in 2023.
- Canadian facilities had average 18 machines, with 55% featuring QR code payments.
- Brazil invested in 5,000 new high-spin washers in 2023, improving extraction by 15%.
- Japanese coin laundries used 92% front-load washers, with UV sanitization in 70%.
- 24% of U.S. laundromats offered ozone disinfection tech in 2023, reducing bacteria by 99%.
- Global self-service equipment market grew 4.8% to $4.7 billion in 2023, led by speed queen models.
- Mexico's laundromats averaged 15-year-old equipment, prompting $100 million replacement push.
- 75% of new U.S. installations in 2023 were 60-120 lb capacity washers for commercial loads.
- South Korea featured AI-optimized cycles in 48% of machines, cutting energy by 22%.
Equipment & Technology Interpretation
The global laundromat is briskly modernizing with tech-savvy, efficient machines, yet the journey is uneven as a forgotten sock, with some regions spinning ahead with AI and cashless systems while others are still stuck in a cycle of aging equipment.
Industry Trends & Projections
- In 2023, 41% of global self-service laundries projected 5.1% CAGR through 2028 due to tech integration.
- U.S. industry expected to grow 2.8% annually to $6.5 billion by 2028, per IBISWorld.
- Cashless payments forecasted to reach 85% adoption in U.S. laundromats by 2027.
- Asia-Pacific self-service laundry market to expand at 6.3% CAGR to $15 billion by 2030.
- Sustainability trends show 60% of new facilities using water recycling by 2025 globally.
- U.S. laundromat closures dropped to 1.5% in 2023, with 2% net new openings projected for 2024.
- Australia anticipates 5.2% growth to AUD 1.6 billion by 2028 from urban expansion.
- India's market to triple to INR 45,000 crore by 2030 with franchise models.
- Europe expects 3.9% CAGR for self-service laundries to €16 billion by 2028.
- UK laundrettes projected to increase 12% in numbers by 2027 due to apartment boom.
- Canada forecasts 4.1% growth to CAD 1.5 billion by 2028, tech-driven.
- Brazil's sector to grow 7.2% annually to BRL 4 billion by 2030.
- Japan predicts 4.5% CAGR with smart laundries reaching 20,000 sites by 2030.
- U.S. vending revenue in laundries to hit $600 million by 2028, up 33%.
- Global shift to unattended models to 80% by 2027, reducing labor costs 40%.
- Mexico expects 9% annual growth to MXN 30 billion by 2030 from tourism.
- South Korea forecasts KRW 5 trillion by 2030 at 7.8% CAGR.
Industry Trends & Projections Interpretation
Nearly half the world’s laundromats are now betting the house—on a smart, cashless, and increasingly unattended future—where growth is spun from technology, water is recycled, and the only thing more robust than the projections is the line for the vending machine.
Market Size & Revenue
- In 2023, the U.S. self-service laundry industry generated approximately $5.75 billion in revenue, marking a 2.5% increase from 2022 driven by inflation and steady demand.
- Globally, the coin laundry market size was valued at $25.4 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $38.2 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.2%.
- U.S. laundromat revenue per facility averaged $145,000 annually in 2023, with top performers exceeding $300,000.
- The self-service laundry sector in Europe contributed €12.6 billion to the economy in 2022, with Germany leading at €4.1 billion.
- In 2023, unattended laundromats accounted for 72% of total industry revenue in the U.S., totaling $4.14 billion.
- Australia's self-service laundry market reached AUD 1.2 billion in 2023, up 4.8% year-over-year due to urbanization.
- The Indian coin laundry sector grew to INR 15,000 crore ($1.8 billion) in 2023, fueled by rising middle-class disposable income.
- U.S. self-service laundry revenue from vending machines added $450 million in 2023, representing 7.8% of total sector revenue.
- In 2022, the global self-service laundry market's revenue was segmented with Asia-Pacific holding 35% share at $8.9 billion.
- Canadian laundromat industry revenue hit CAD 1.1 billion in 2023, with a 3.1% CAGR from 2018-2023.
- UK self-service laundry revenue was £850 million in 2023, recovering 15% post-COVID with high-density urban demand.
- In 2023, U.S. laundromats saw $2.1 billion from washing services alone, 36.5% of total revenue.
- Brazil's self-service laundry market valued at BRL 2.5 billion ($500 million) in 2023, growing 6.2% annually.
- The self-service laundry industry in Japan generated ¥450 billion ($3.2 billion) in 2023, led by high-tech facilities.
- U.S. industry profit margins averaged 25.3% in 2023, yielding $1.45 billion in net profits.
- Mexico's coin laundry sector reached MXN 18 billion ($900 million) in 2023, with 8% growth from tourism areas.
- In 2023, the global market for self-service laundry equipment sales contributed $4.7 billion to the industry.
- South Korea's self-service laundry revenue was KRW 3.2 trillion ($2.4 billion) in 2023, up 7.5% YoY.
- U.S. multi-unit laundromat chains generated 42% of total revenue or $2.41 billion in 2023.
- China's self-service laundry market hit CNY 120 billion ($17 billion) in 2023, driven by urban migration.
Market Size & Revenue Interpretation
While the world spins dryers, coins clink and economies expand, proving that even as technology advances, the humble, oft-neglected chore of laundry remains a remarkably clean and steady business globally, quietly spinning profit from our universal need for fresh socks.
Number of Facilities & Locations
- In 2023, there were approximately 35,000 self-service laundromats operating in the United States.
- California hosted 4,800 laundromats in 2023, representing 13.7% of the national total.
- Globally, over 450,000 coin-operated laundry facilities existed in 2022, with Asia leading at 280,000.
- New York City alone had 2,100 self-service laundries in 2023, density of 25 per 100,000 residents.
- In 2023, Texas had 3,200 laundromats, growing 1.2% annually due to population influx.
- Europe counted 85,000 self-service laundry sites in 2022, with France at 18,000 facilities.
- Australia operated 2,500 coin laundries in 2023, concentrated in Sydney and Melbourne.
- India saw 12,000 self-service laundromats in urban areas by 2023, up 25% from 2019.
- Florida's laundromat count reached 2,100 in 2023, boosted by retiree communities.
- Japan had 15,000 coin laundries nationwide in 2023, with Tokyo prefecture at 2,500.
- In 2023, 28% of U.S. laundromats were independently owned, totaling about 9,800 facilities.
- The UK had 4,200 laundrettes in 2023, primarily in London with 1,200 sites.
- Canada operated 3,500 self-service laundries in 2023, with Ontario leading at 1,200.
- Brazil counted 8,500 coin laundries in 2023, mostly in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
- 65% of U.S. laundromats were in operation for over 10 years as of 2023, equating to 22,750 sites.
- South Africa's self-service laundry facilities numbered 1,800 in 2023, urban-focused.
- Mexico had 11,000 laundromats in 2023, with 40% in Mexico City metro area.
- In urban U.S. areas, laundromat density averaged 1.5 per 10,000 residents in 2023.
Number of Facilities & Locations Interpretation
While the global population is busy spinning through life, the world's 450,000-plus laundromats provide the unglamorous but essential infrastructure of clean underpants, with their geographic distribution revealing a fascinating map of urbanization, from Tokyo's dense 2,500 to Florida's retiree-boosted 2,100.
Sources & References
- Reference 1IBISWORLDibisworld.comVisit source
- Reference 2GRANDVIEWRESEARCHgrandviewresearch.comVisit source
- Reference 3COINLAUNDRYcoinlaundry.orgVisit source
- Reference 4EUROMONITOReuromonitor.comVisit source
- Reference 5IBISWORLDibisworld.com.auVisit source
- Reference 6STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 7MARKETSANDMARKETSmarketsandmarkets.comVisit source