The national average cost to aerate your lawn is between $104 and $195. Prices vary depending on the size of your lawn, your location, and if there’s any preparation needed.
Lawn aeration pokes holes in the soil so your grass can consume more water, oxygen, and nutrients. It’s great for overall grass health, and the best time to get it done is during peak growing season.
In this guide, we’ve gathered prices from both big and small cities in the U.S., so you can get a better estimate of how much this lawn care task will cost in your region.
Cost by location
Lawn aeration prices track the cost of living in your area. In large metropolitan areas, higher wages, fuel, and business overhead push aeration rates toward the top of the national range. Rural and small-town providers often charge less.
See the table below for a snapshot of the costs to aerate your lawn across the country:
| City | Average Cost (Including Labor and Materials) |
| Northeast U.S. | |
| Portland, ME | $104 – $195 |
| Boston, MA | $120 – $229 |
| Southeast U.S. | |
| Biloxi, MS | $94 – $174 |
| Atlanta, GA | $97 – $181 |
| Midwest U.S. | |
| Detroit, MI | $106 – $199 |
| Madison, WI | $107 – $202 |
| Northwest U.S. | |
| Missoula, MT | $99 – $184 |
| Boise, ID | $103 – $192 |
| Southwest U.S. | |
| Phoenix, AZ | $101 – $188 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $104 – $195 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $110 – $209 |
Cost estimator by size
When estimating lawn aeration cost, the most important factor to consider is the size of your lawn. Many landscaping companies have set rates for different sized yards:
| Yard Size | Average Overall Cost of Aeration |
| ⅛ acre | $75 – $120 |
| ¼ acre | $115 – $190 |
| ½ acre | $160 – $250 |
| 1 acre | $390 – $550 |
Most homes are under an acre, although homes in Vermont, Montana, or Mississippi are often more than an acre.
Cost by type of aeration
There are three main types of aeration.
| Aeration type | Method | Typical cost |
| Spike aeration | Solid tines poke holes in the soil. | $60 – $225 |
| Liquid aeration | A liquid solution aerates the lawn. | $90 – $145 |
| Core aeration | Hollow tines pull plugs of soil from the ground. | $95 – $230 |
| Note: Liquid aeration is not very effective. According to Colorado State University, no chemical compound can adequately aerate your lawn. They recommend physical methods (i.e., core or spike aeration). |
Spike aeration costs more than liquid but less than core aeration and works best on sandy soil. Core aeration, although expensive, is best for loam or clay soil and is also recommended for compacted soil.
For more information, check out our guides:
- Liquid Aeration vs. Core Aeration: What’s the Difference?
- Pros and Cons of Liquid Aeration
- Core Aeration vs. Spike Aeration
Cost of aerating your lawn DIY
Seemingly, liquid aeration is the cheapest and easiest DIY solution. You purchase a liquid and then apply it to your yard. But, as we already mentioned, liquid aeration isn’t adequate. Any time and money spent on liquid aeration is likely wasted. So, that leaves us with spike or core aeration.
Core aerators are expensive to buy, but you can rent them. Home Depot rents a PRO Aerator for around $108 per day and a compact core aerator for around $97 per day. Also, expect to pay a $150 deposit when renting equipment.
If you choose spike aeration, there are affordable manual options. The gist of spike aeration is sticking spikes in the ground to create holes in the soil. So, any device with spikes, such as a pitchfork, will work.
However, aerating a lawn with manual equipment is also hard labor and can take several hours or even days to complete. Equipment may cost less than professional aeration, but is it worth the time and trouble – especially when you’re also sacrificing quality?
Other factors that affect cost
Although yard size has the greatest impact on aeration cost, several other factors also influence the price.
Lawn preparation
Before aerating, you must clean and mow the lawn. Pros will charge more if they need to perform these additional services.
Lawn care prep may include:
- Mowing
- Raking
- Removing debris
- Dethatching
Slope of the yard
If your property has a steep incline, expect to pay more than average for lawn aeration services. Sloped lawns take more time, so professionals will charge a premium.
FAQ
How often you should aerate depends on your type of soil and traffic volume. For example, high-traffic lawns and lawns with clay soil need aeration one to two times a year. On the other hand, once a year is enough for medium-traffic yards with loamy soil. Low-traffic yards with sandy soil only need aeration every two to three years.
Yes. If you care about your lawn’s health, aeration is worth it. Aeration improves lawn health by strengthening grass roots, loosening compacted soil, allowing more nutrients to reach the grass, and reducing the need for fertilization, dethatching, and weed control
The best time to aerate your lawn is at the peak of your grass’s growing season:
Cool-season grass: Early fall or early spring
Warm-season grass: Late spring or early summer
Popular cool-season grasses include Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass, while popular warm-season grasses include St. Augustinegrass, Zoysiagrass, and bermudagrass.
Air time for your turf
If you want healthy green grass, you must keep up with lawn maintenance, including aeration. DIY methods are less effective and cost about the same as professional aeration. So, instead of doing the work yourself, find a pro near you to aerate your lawn.
Maria Isabela Reis and Michelle Selzer contributed to this article.
Read More:
- Best Time to Aerate and Overseed a Lawn
- How to Aerate a Lawn by Hand
- Why, When, and How to Aerate Your Lawn
Note: Lawn Love may get a referral fee for matching you with contractors in your area.
Main Photo Credit: Kalim | Adobe Stock
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