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How much do self-employed landscapers make?

Landscaping and lawn care. Census data for 2024. Figures are revenue before costs, not income.

Aerial view of a gardener pushing a green lawn mower across a striped lawn

Businesses

537,970

Revenue per firm

$37,227

Under $25,000

65.4%

Sole proprietors

95.5%

Census code 56173, "Landscaping Services", covers lawn mowing and care, landscape installation and maintenance, and tree and shrub services.

In 2024, 537,970 US businesses with no paid employees were classified under this code. Between them they reported $20.0 billion in revenue, an average of $37,227 per firm, 36% below the $58,194 average for all businesses with no employees.

What stands out

The official count puts 65.4% of landscaping businesses with no employees under $25,000 in revenue, above the all-industry share of 60.4%, and 8.9% at $100,000 or more.

95.5% are sole proprietors. Landscaping firms set up as partnerships or corporations averaged $157,390, roughly five times the $31,610 sole proprietors averaged.

The trade is concentrated in the South: Mississippi holds 2.3 times its national share of these firms, Alabama 2.0 and Louisiana 2.0. Among states with at least 500 landscaping firms, New Jersey (0.46) and New York (0.43) hold less than half.

What a typical firm brings in

The average hides a wide spread. 40.6% of firms reported under $10,000 (all industries: 37.3%), 65.4% under $25,000 (all: 60.4%) and 80.8% under $50,000. 8.9% reached $100,000 or more (all: 13.3%). The middle firm falls in the "$10,000 to $24,999" bracket.

Share of 537,970 US firms in each revenue bracket, 2024. Shares use the national firm total and are rounded to one decimal; a band shown as 0% can hold a small number of firms, and bands without a published count are left out. Source: Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics.
  • Under $5,00024.4%
  • $5,000 to $9,99916.2%
  • $10,000 to $24,99924.8%
  • $25,000 to $49,99915.3%
  • $50,000 to $99,99910.3%
  • $100,000 to $249,9996.8%
  • $250,000 to $499,9991.8%
  • $500,000 to $999,9990.2%
  • $1 million to $2.5 million0.1%

How much is left after costs

The IRS Table 1 row nearest this trade, "Administrative and support services", does not match the scope of this Census category, so no matching profit figure is shown here.

How it varies by state

Texas has the most firms, at 62,230. Among the 50 states (including DC) with at least 500 firms, revenue per firm is highest in Massachusetts ($58,544) and lowest in Louisiana ($21,891). The Census assigns each business to a state by its mailing address, which may not be where the work is done. These data do not explain state differences or show take-home pay.

Alabama13,588$29,030-22%
Alaska662$32,852-12%
Arizona9,614$53,840+45%
Arkansas7,160$29,672-20%
California50,994$39,555+6%
Colorado7,324$53,225+43%
Connecticut5,457$58,255+56%
Delaware1,385$45,858+23%
District of Columbia*223$29,933-20%
Florida52,323$40,826+10%
Georgia32,209$34,989-6%
Hawaii2,658$41,613+12%
Idaho2,420$44,381+19%
Illinois14,586$32,817-12%
Indiana10,493$33,152-11%
Iowa4,495$30,405-18%
Kansas4,515$31,124-16%
Kentucky7,696$30,697-18%
Louisiana14,635$21,891-41%
Maine3,033$40,773+10%
Maryland7,961$43,287+16%
Massachusetts7,393$58,544+57%
Michigan17,300$32,172-14%
Minnesota5,879$39,600+6%
Mississippi10,133$22,606-39%
Missouri10,482$32,448-13%
Montana1,410$39,207+5%
Nebraska2,900$33,833-9%
Nevada2,831$41,735+12%
New Hampshire1,997$53,709+44%
New Jersey7,190$53,598+44%
New Mexico1,922$32,113-14%
New York15,009$42,021+13%
North Carolina24,341$37,722+1%
North Dakota939$27,401-26%
Ohio16,999$34,753-7%
Oklahoma8,209$35,238-5%
Oregon4,413$43,316+16%
Pennsylvania13,911$43,018+16%
Rhode Island1,152$42,034+13%
South Carolina13,784$36,677-1%
South Dakota1,157$27,514-26%
Tennessee17,799$33,424-10%
Texas62,230$33,532-10%
Utah3,323$46,661+25%
Vermont1,695$40,119+8%
Virginia13,619$36,093-3%
Washington6,595$40,830+10%
West Virginia2,184$25,954-30%
Wisconsin7,054$39,941+7%
Wyoming689$35,801-4%

* Fewer than 500 firms, so the average is less stable. Click a column heading to sort. Receipts are modified by the Census Bureau to protect privacy.

Frequently asked questions

How much do self-employed landscapers make?

Census data for 2024 show 537,970 US businesses with no paid employees in this trade, reporting an average of $37,227 in revenue each. 65.4% took in under $25,000, against 60.4% of all businesses with no employees. Revenue is what the business takes in before costs, so it is not the owner's income.

Which state has the highest revenue per firm for self-employed landscapers?

Among the 50 states (including DC) with at least 500 firms, Massachusetts had the highest average revenue per firm, at $58,544, and Louisiana the lowest, at $21,891. States are assigned by business mailing address, and these figures do not show take-home pay.

Sources and method

Other trades