Home Services Industry Statistics
43 numbers on the U.S. home services trades, each linked to the agency, survey or vendor report it came from. Checked October 2026.
This page collects the home services numbers we kept reaching for while writing software reviews at BlueCollarStacks: how many plumbing, HVAC, electrical, roofing and landscaping businesses exist, what techs earn, how short the labor pool is, how homeowners pick and pay a pro, and how many shops use AI. Every figure links to the source we opened in October 2026. Government data comes first. Vendor and trade-press surveys are labeled as such, because a software company surveying its own market is useful but not neutral.
Market size and homeowner spending
- 01
U.S. homeowners spent an average of $12,472 on home projects in 2025, up 3.5% from $12,050 in 2024.
Angi, 2025 State of Home Spending Report (vendor research) · 2025
- 02
Average household spending on home maintenance rose to $2,041 in 2025 from $1,750 in 2024, and emergency repair spending rose to $1,143 from $978.
Angi, 2025 State of Home Spending Report (vendor research) · 2025
- 03
Households completed an average of ten home projects in 2025, up from nine in 2024.
Angi, 2025 State of Home Spending Report (vendor research) · 2025
- 04
Harvard's Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity projects annual homeowner improvement and repair spending rising from $517 billion in 2026-Q2 to $519 billion in 2027-Q2, with year-over-year growth slowing to 0.5%.
Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, LIRA (July 23, 2026 release) · 2026
- 05
79% of homeowners surveyed are planning a repair or replacement in 2026, and 69% live in homes 20 or more years old.
Housecall Pro, 2026 State of Home Services survey of 1,100+ homeowners (vendor research) · 2026
- 06
In Housecall Pro's platform data for Q1 2026, repairs made up roughly 87% of plumbing jobs and 88% of HVAC jobs.
Housecall Pro, 2026 State of Home Services report (vendor platform data) · 2026
How many businesses there are
- 07
There were 111,207 plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractor establishments with paid employees in 2023, employing 1,214,761 people with an annual payroll of about $89.5 billion.
U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 (NAICS 238220) · 2023
- 08
Electrical contractors had 83,342 establishments with paid employees and 1,015,983 employees in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 (NAICS 238210) · 2023
- 09
Landscaping services had 117,969 establishments with paid employees and 802,899 employees in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 (NAICS 561730) · 2023
- 10
Roofing contractors had 25,519 establishments with paid employees and 215,242 employees in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 (NAICS 238160) · 2023
- 11
Exterminating and pest control services had 16,535 establishments with paid employees and 139,150 employees in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 (NAICS 561710) · 2023
- 12
76.8% of plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractor establishments (85,458 of 111,207) had fewer than 10 employees in 2023. BlueCollarStacks calculation from the employment-size classes.
U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 (NAICS 238220) · 2023
- 13
85.0% of landscaping service establishments (100,287 of 117,969) had fewer than 10 employees in 2023. BlueCollarStacks calculation from the employment-size classes.
U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 (NAICS 561730) · 2023
- 14
On top of employer firms, there were 178,663 nonemployer plumbing, heating and air-conditioning businesses (no paid staff) in 2023, with about $14.0 billion in combined receipts.
U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2023 (NAICS 23822) · 2023
- 15
There were 516,572 nonemployer landscaping businesses and 159,693 nonemployer electrical contractors in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2023 (NAICS 56173 and 23821) · 2023
Workforce and wages
- 16
HVAC mechanics and installers earned a median $61,010 a year ($29.33 an hour) in May 2025. BLS counts about 440,900 jobs and projects 11% employment growth from 2025 to 2035.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook · 2025
- 17
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earned a median $63,800 a year ($30.67 an hour) in May 2025. BLS counts about 510,600 jobs and projects 7% growth from 2025 to 2035.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook · 2025
- 18
Electricians earned a median $63,190 a year ($30.38 an hour) in May 2025. BLS counts about 821,000 jobs and projects 9% growth from 2025 to 2035.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook · 2025
- 19
Roofers earned a median $55,440 a year ($26.65 an hour) in May 2025. BLS counts about 166,900 jobs and projects 5% growth from 2025 to 2035.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook · 2025
- 20
Grounds maintenance workers earned a median $40,080 a year ($19.27 an hour) in May 2025. BLS counts about 1,299,200 jobs, 20% of them held by self-employed workers.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook · 2025
- 21
Women made up 2.7% of employed HVAC mechanics and installers, 3.1% of plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, and 3.5% of electricians in 2025, compared with 47.1% of all employed people.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Table 11 · 2025
The labor shortage
- 22
The construction industry needs an estimated 349,000 net new workers in 2026 and 456,000 in 2027 to meet demand, according to an ABC model that counts retirements as well as spending growth.
Associated Builders and Contractors (trade association) · 2026
- 23
Approximately one-fifth of all electricians are over 55, according to ABC's chief economist.
Associated Builders and Contractors (trade association) · 2026
- 24
BLS projects about 72,700 openings for electricians each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook · 2025
- 25
BLS projects about 40,600 openings for HVAC technicians each year from 2025 to 2035, many of them to replace workers who change occupations or retire.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook · 2025
- 26
About 105,000 of the 561,000 employed HVAC mechanics and installers (roughly 19%) were 55 or older in 2025. For plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters it was 115,000 of 624,000 (roughly 18%).
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Table 11b · 2025
- 27
60% of residential contractors cite labor and overhead as the biggest risks to their business.
How homeowners choose and pay a pro
- 28
97% of consumers read reviews for local businesses, and 41% say they always read them when browsing, up from 29% a year earlier.
BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026, 1,002 U.S. adults (vendor research) · 2026
- 29
31% of consumers will only use a business rated 4.5 stars or higher, up from 17% in 2025. 68% require four stars or more.
BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (vendor research) · 2026
- 30
74% of consumers only care about reviews written in the last three months.
BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (vendor research) · 2026
- 31
80% of consumers say they're likely to use a business that responds to all of its reviews.
BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (vendor research) · 2026
- 32
68% of homeowners get additional quotes before deciding on a pro.
Housecall Pro, 2026 State of Home Services survey of 1,100+ homeowners (vendor research) · 2026
- 33
62% of homeowners say they're more likely to move forward with a job when financing or payment plans are offered.
Housecall Pro, 2026 State of Home Services survey (vendor research) · 2026
- 34
72% of homeowners would pay more to have an emergency resolved within 24 hours.
Housecall Pro, 2026 State of Home Services survey (vendor research) · 2026
- 35
77% of homeowners say they're delaying or scaling back projects, and 41% say they've already delayed a repair that ended up costing more later.
Housecall Pro, 2026 State of Home Services survey (vendor research) · 2026
Technology, payments and job values
- 36
74% of residential contractors view AI as an efficiency engine, but only about 25% are currently using it.
ServiceTitan, 2026 survey of 1,000 residential contractors (vendor research) · 2026
- 37
40% of roofing contractors surveyed use some form of AI, up from 29% in the previous year's survey.
Roofing Contractor magazine, 2026 State of the Roofing Industry Report (trade press survey) · 2025
- 38
Online payments as a share of all Jobber-processed transactions grew 6% year over year in Q2 2026.
Jobber, Home Service Economic Report Q2 2026 (vendor platform data) · 2026
- 39
Average invoice size for lawn and landscaping (green) businesses on Jobber was up 8.4% year over year by June 2026, and 5.8% for cleaning businesses, even as new bookings softened.
Jobber, Home Service Economic Report Q2 2026 (vendor platform data) · 2026
- 40
Cash accounted for 14% of all U.S. consumer payments in 2025, an average of six cash payments per month.
Federal Reserve Financial Services, 2026 Findings from the Diary of Consumer Payment Choice · 2025
Job-site safety
- 41
Roofers had a fatal work injury rate of 48.7 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in 2024, with 104 deaths. The rate for all workers was 3.3.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries · 2024
- 42
Grounds maintenance workers had 239 fatal work injuries in 2024, a rate of 20.9 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries · 2024
- 43
Fatal work injury rates in 2024 were 6.9 per 100,000 FTE workers for pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, 6.7 for HVAC mechanics and installers, and 5.3 for electricians.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries · 2024
Key takeaways
The trades are mostly small shops. More than three out of four plumbing, heating and AC contractor locations had fewer than 10 employees in 2023, and the Census counts another 178,663 plumbing and HVAC businesses with no payroll at all. Landscaping is even more fragmented: 85% of employer locations are under 10 people, and there are over half a million nonemployer landscapers. When software vendors talk about "the market," this is who they mean.
Demand is steady, not booming. Harvard's remodeling indicator shows spending growth slowing to about half a percent by mid-2027. Angi's survey shows households spending a bit more on maintenance and emergencies and slightly less on improvements. Housecall Pro's platform data says close to nine in ten plumbing and HVAC jobs in early 2026 were repairs. For a service business, that's a world of break-fix calls, maintenance agreements and fast scheduling, more than big remodels.
Labor is the constraint everyone names. ABC's model says construction needs 349,000 net new workers in 2026. BLS projects about 72,700 electrician openings and 40,600 HVAC openings a year through 2035, many of them to replace people who retire or leave the trade. Roughly one in five HVAC techs and plumbers is already 55 or older. Women hold about 3% of these jobs, which leaves most of the potential hiring pool untapped.
Customers shop on reviews and speed. 97% read reviews, a growing share want 4.5 stars or better, and most only trust reviews from the last three months. 72% of homeowners say they'd pay more to get an emergency fixed within a day. That's a strong argument for answering the phone, booking fast and asking every happy customer for a review the same week.
AI use is real but early. About a quarter of residential contractors use AI today, per ServiceTitan's survey, while roofing contractors report 40%. Expect those numbers to move fast, and expect vendors to keep surveying it.
Card and online payments keep gaining, but cash hasn't gone away. The Federal Reserve found cash was still 14% of all consumer payments in 2025, and Jobber reports online payments growing as a share of its transactions. In practice that means your techs still need a clean way to log a cash or check payment in the field, and your office still needs to reconcile it. Meanwhile invoice sizes are climbing faster than bookings on Jobber's platform, which suggests shops are growing revenue through price more than through job count.
Roofing is in a different safety category. Roofers died on the job at a rate of 48.7 per 100,000 full-time workers in 2024, nearly 15 times the all-worker rate of 3.3. Grounds maintenance had 239 deaths, the most of any trade on this page. Plumbing, HVAC and electrical work run closer to 5 to 7 per 100,000.
If you want to see how these numbers play out in specific trades, we've written up software for hvac businesses, software for plumbing businesses, software for electrical businesses and software for roofing businesses, plus separate guides to software for landscaping businesses and software for lawn care businesses, where recurring routes matter more than dispatch boards.
How we picked these numbers
We started from primary sources: the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Outlook Handbook, Current Population Survey and Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries), the Census Bureau (County Business Patterns and Nonemployer Statistics), the Federal Reserve and Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies. We added vendor research from Angi, Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, Jobber and BrightLocal, plus a trade-magazine survey from Roofing Contractor, and labeled every one of them in the source line.
Every figure was checked against the publisher's own page, PDF or data file in October 2026. Where we did math, such as the share of establishments under 10 employees or the share of techs 55 and older, we say so and show the raw counts. We dropped figures we couldn't trace to an original, including several widely repeated trade-shortage numbers that only appear on blogs, and anything behind a paywall.
A few cautions. BLS job counts from the Handbook and the head counts in the Current Population Survey measure different things, so they won't match. County Business Patterns only covers businesses with payroll. The vendor surveys are online, non-probability samples of their own audiences, and Housecall Pro says its results should be read directionally. Use them for direction, not decimals.
How to cite this page
You're welcome to quote any number here. Please cite the original source shown under each stat, and if this page helped you find it, link to this page as well: "Home Services Industry Statistics, BlueCollarStacks, checked October 2026." If you spot a figure that has been revised by its publisher, tell us and we'll update it.
Questions owners ask
How many home service businesses are there in the U.S.?
There's no single official count, because "home services" spans several industry codes. Census County Business Patterns counted 111,207 plumbing, heating and AC contractor establishments, 83,342 electrical contractors, 117,969 landscaping services and 25,519 roofing contractors with paid employees in 2023. Hundreds of thousands more operate with no employees: 178,663 plumbing and HVAC nonemployers and 516,572 landscaping nonemployers that same year.
What do HVAC techs and plumbers earn?
BLS puts the May 2025 median at $61,010 a year for HVAC mechanics and installers and $63,800 for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters. Electricians were at $63,190 and roofers at $55,440. Those are medians across all employers, so a union commercial plumber and a first-year residential service tech sit at very different points on the same curve.
Is there really a labor shortage in the trades?
The numbers point that way. Associated Builders and Contractors estimates construction needs 349,000 net new workers in 2026, mostly to replace retirees. BLS projects about 40,600 HVAC openings and 42,000 plumbing openings a year through 2035. In ServiceTitan's 2026 contractor survey, 60% named labor and overhead as their biggest business risks.
How much do homeowners spend on home services each year?
Angi's survey put average household spending on home projects at $12,472 in 2025, including $2,041 on maintenance and $1,143 on emergency repairs. At the national level, Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies projects owner improvement and repair spending of about $519 billion for the year ending mid-2027.
Do customers really check reviews before hiring a contractor?
Almost all do. BrightLocal's 2026 survey found 97% of consumers read reviews for local businesses, 31% will only use a business rated 4.5 stars or higher, and 74% only care about reviews from the last three months. That last number is the one most shops miss: a pile of old five-star reviews ages out fast.