Reference page
Lawn care and landscaping statistics
Current U.S. numbers on the people, work, and water behind lawn care and landscaping. Each figure links to its original public source.
Last updated November 11, 2026
A quick view of the industry
Lawn care is practical work with a wide footprint, from weekly mowing and seasonal cleanup to landscape upkeep and water-wise irrigation. These figures give writers, researchers, and property owners a reliable starting point for understanding the national picture.
1.3 million
grounds maintenance jobs in the United States
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported about 1,299,200 grounds maintenance jobs in 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Grounds Maintenance Workers, 2025 data1.19 million
landscaping and groundskeeping workers in 2025
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers made up 1,188,600 of those jobs in the 2025 workforce estimate.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Grounds Maintenance Workers, 2025 data5%
projected job growth from 2025 to 2035
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects grounds maintenance employment will grow from 1,299,200 jobs in 2025 to 1,359,300 in 2035.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment projections published 2026162,500
average annual openings projected through 2035
That is the annual average number of openings projected for grounds maintenance workers during the 2025 to 2035 decade.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment projections published 2026$19.27
median hourly wage for grounds maintenance workers
The national median hourly wage for the broader grounds maintenance occupation was $19.27 in May 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 wage data48%
of grounds maintenance workers employed in building and dwelling services
The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists services to buildings and dwellings, which includes landscaping services, as the largest employer group for this occupation in 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment distribution for 2025Nearly 8 billion
gallons of residential outdoor water use each day
The Environmental Protection Agency says landscape irrigation accounts for most of that daily outdoor use nationwide.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, WaterSense Outdoors, accessed November 2026Up to 50%
of outdoor water use can be lost through inefficient irrigation
The Environmental Protection Agency attributes these losses to wind, evaporation, and runoff from inefficient methods and systems.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, WaterSense statistics and facts, accessed November 2026Methodology and sources
This page uses primary public sources. Workforce, employment, wage, and projection figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Outdoor water-use figures come from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Each statistic is shown with the date or reporting period used by its source.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Grounds Maintenance Workers, 2025 employment data and 2025 to 2035 projections.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 wage data.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, WaterSense Outdoors, accessed November 2026.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, WaterSense statistics and facts, accessed November 2026.
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