Cities Where Lawn Care Services Cost the Most Green in 2025 💰

Leaves are piling up and budgets are feeling tighter with back-to-school season here and the holidays around the corner. So, where might expensive lawn care services drive homeowners to DIY their yard chores?

To find out, Lawn Love looked at 6 metrics across 460 of the biggest U.S. cities to rank the Cities Where Lawn Care Services Cost the Most Green in 2025.

Some highlights: 

• On average, urban U.S. households spend 0.56% of their annual household income on professional lawn and gardening services. 

• Annual spending ranges from $272.64 in Flint, Michigan (No. 366) to $1,597.24 in Newton, Massachusetts (No. 159), with a national average of $621.56.

• Average peak lawn care season lasts 250 days, with some cities like Houston (No. 135) and San Antonio (No. 46) lasting as long as 277 days and places like Philadelphia (No. 289) as short as 220 days. 

Explore our ranking below. To learn how we ranked the cities, see our methodology.

In this article

• 5 most expensive cities for professional lawn care services
• City rankings
• Key insights
• State stat spotlight
• Expert take
• Insights from our Editor-in-Chief, Sharon Sullivan
• Behind the ranking
• Creative ways to lower lawn care costs

5 most expensive cities for professional lawn care services

Check out the slideshow below for insights on each of our 5 cities where lawn care services might stretch homeowners’ budgets in 2025.

City rankings

See how each city fared in our ranking:

Key insights

37.5% of the 40 largest U.S. cities — including San Antonio (No. 46), Tucson, Arizona (No. 67), and Houston (No. 135) — land in the less affordable half of our ranking. 

• Residents of Kansas City, Missouri (No. 138), Indianapolis (No. 269), and Virginia Beach, Virginia (No. 294), allocate a higher share of their average household income to professional lawn and gardening services than the average percentage spent (0.56%) in our ranking.

• Suburbs might be known for more expansive (aka expensive) yards, but some big cities with populations above 250,000, like North Carolina cities Winston-Salem (No. 213) and Greensboro (No. 214), as well as Nashville (No. 373), have larger-than-average yards to maintain. 

💸 Draining your wallet 💧

It is most expensive to water lawns in Arizona, Texas, and Southern California. Homeowners who aren’t willing to splurge on green grass can lower their water bills with xeriscaping. 

🔍 Seeking pros 👀

Demand for professional services is highest in Florida — particularly in Orlando (No. 30) and Fort Myers (No. 16). 

On the other side of the country, professional services are least sought after in California cities, particularly Chula Vista (No. 194), Glendale (No. 376), and Huntington Beach (No. 303). 

🏡 Mowing mayhem 🚜

On average, about 3% of Lawn Love customers across the cities in our ranking are charged long grass fees. 

Some cities with a high Mowing Frequency Index — such as New Jersey cities Paterson (No. 264) and Jersey City (No. 309), and New Bedford, Massachusetts (No. 337) — also have among the highest shares of mowing jobs with long grass fees. 

Some cities with the tidiest lawns include Savannah, Georgia (No. 93), Scottsdale, Arizona (No. 54), and Ann Arbor, Michigan (No. 444).

State stat spotlight

• TX: Every major city in the Texas Triangle scores in the more expensive half, except for Dallas (No. 327). Among the state’s 5 biggest cities, Dallas lawns are the most affordable to water, and residents have a lower rate of overgrown lawns. 

• FL: Only 5 Florida cities — Gainesville (No. 242), St. Petersburg (No. 247), Fort Lauderdale (No. 265), Daytona Beach (No. 322), and Miami Beach (No. 390) — land in the more affordable half of our ranking. These cities spend a smaller percentage of their income on professional lawn care services and have more affordable lawn watering requirements. 

• NY, PA, NJ: All 6 New York, 7 Pennsylvania, and 6 New Jersey cities score in the more affordable half of our ranking, with less costly lawn watering needs, smaller average yard sizes, and less spending on professional services — except for Pennsylvania cities Scranton (No. 301) and Erie (No. 344).

• NC: Despite having some of the biggest yards on average among large cities, North Carolina cities Raleigh (No. 292), Durham (No. 333), and Charlotte (No. 411) finish in our more affordable half due to moderate mowing frequency rates, less expensive lawn watering costs, and lower spending on professional lawn care services. 

Expert take

Lawns have various needs, largely depending on the grass type and how it fares in the regional climate. Some grasses need mowing up to twice weekly during peak season, while others can be susceptible to fungus, diseases, and pests.

We turned to a panel of experts to learn more about the challenges and expenses of maintaining a breathtaking lawn and landscape. Read their insights below.

1. What are 3 of the biggest misconceptions about lawn care?
2. What is 1 expensive lawn maintenance task that is always worth the cost? What’s 1 that isn’t?
3. What are 3 of the most affordable lawn care services?
4. What are 3 of the most expensive lawn care services that homeowners can easily DIY instead?
5. What are 3 key preventative lawn care services for maintaining healthy turf?

Barry Stewart PhD

Associate Professor

Manuel Chavarria Ph.D.

Assistant Professor & Extension in Turfgrass Physiology

David J. Shetlar, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus of Entomology

Barry Stewart PhD

Associate Professor

Mississippi State University, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences

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Barry Stewart PhD

Associate Professor

Mississippi State University, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences

What are three of the biggest misconceptions about lawn care?

1. That you can’t do it yourself. You can, but if you don’t enjoy it there are affordable services out there.

2. That you have to spend a lot of time and money to have a great-looking lawn.

3. That lawns are a source of pollution. If fertilizers and lawn protection chemicals are applied correctly lawns cause no pollution. In fact, they help filter our water and air.

What is 1 expensive lawn maintenance task that is always worth the cost? What’s 1 that isn’t?

Putting out a pre-emergent herbicide in spring and fall always pays for itself if done in a timely manner. Irrigation systems audits also usually pay for themselves.

De-thatching is one that probably gets more bang for your buck with topdressing to control thatch and you get a smoother lawn.

What are three of the most affordable lawn care services?

Usually mowing, soil testing, and fertilizing.

What are three of the most expensive lawn care services that homeowners can easily DIY instead?

1. Mowing — home owner machines are more inexpensive and better than ever.

2. Fertilizer applications. You now have access to professional products that are much easier to use.

What are three key preventative lawn care services for maintaining healthy turf?

1. Scouting for lawn weeds, insects, and diseases.

2. Soil testing every couple of years.

3. Irrigation audits.

Manuel Chavarria Ph.D.

Assistant Professor & Extension in Turfgrass Physiology

Texas A&M University, Soil and Crop Sciences

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Manuel Chavarria Ph.D.

Assistant Professor & Extension in Turfgrass Physiology

Texas A&M University, Soil and Crop Sciences

What are three of the biggest misconceptions about lawn care?

1. Watering daily is beneficial.

2. The shorter the grass, the less often it needs to be cut.

3. Winterizing.

What is 1 expensive lawn maintenance task that is always worth the cost? What’s 1 that isn’t?

Worth the cost: Aeration.

What are three of the most affordable lawn care services?

1. Basic mowing services.

2. Seasonal cleanup.

3. Grub control treatments.

What are three of the most expensive lawn care services that homeowners can easily DIY instead?

1. Dethatching.

2. Fertilization.

3. Weed control.

What are three key preventative lawn care services for maintaining healthy turf?

1. Soil testing.

2. Pest and disease monitoring.

3. Proper irrigation management.

David J. Shetlar, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus of Entomology

Ohio State University, Department of Entomology

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David J. Shetlar, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus of Entomology

Ohio State University, Department of Entomology

What are three of the biggest misconceptions about lawn care?

1. Professionals are only applying products and formulations that homeowners use. In fact, they often use better formulations (like switching ester and amine broadleaf controls) and can spray or spread in a more uniform manner).

2. Professionals are applying dangerous pesticides that aren’t needed. In fact, most are using pesticides that do the job that they are intended, but there is room for not applying herbicides or insecticides where there is little risk of weed or insect issues.

3. High turf maintenance creates a “green desert” that hurts our environment. Data indicate that the turfgrass ecosystem, even ones that have regular pesticide applications are extremely biodiverse. It’s just that the “critters” are all very small. Research by entomologists have regularly identified that a square meter of managed turf can have between 25K to over 50K arthropods.

Even after an insecticide application, these populations rebound to pre-spray level after two to four weeks. Turfgrass isn’t a stand of a single species and/or cultivar like field crops, but a genetically diverse population of plants. The microbial populations are also just now being investigated, and the diversity is high.

What is 1 expensive lawn maintenance task that is always worth the cost? What’s 1 that isn’t?

I would say that periodic core aerification is a relatively expensive task, but worth the long-term investment.

Regular applications of surface insect controls are generally a waste of money. Applications in neighborhoods that have a record of billbug or chinch bug activity would be warranted.

Many cool-season lawns are being converted to turf-type tall fescues and these are highly resistant to chinch bugs, billbugs, sod webworms, and armyworms, but they can still get white grubs.

What are three of the most affordable lawn care services?

1. Regular fertilizer applications.

2. Pre-emergent weed control.

3. Broadleaf weed control if applied in the fall.

What are three of the most expensive lawn care services that homeowners can easily DIY instead?

I can’t name any of the “most expensive” as a DIY as these are most expensive because of the equipment and expertise needed (i.e., core aerification, or seeding).

What are three key preventative lawn care services for maintaining healthy turf?

1. Pre-emergent herbicides if the lawn is thin and weak. Thick lawns are at low risk of having annual grassy weeds.

2. Broadleaf weed controls are rarely effective when homeowners use fertilizer granules with broadleaf herbicides (i.e., the “weed and feed” products). Professionals use sprays that are much more effective.

3. Late-season fertility that most lawn care companies do but DIYs avoid as they don’t see any reason to “feed” a lawn when it is going into winter.

Behind the ranking

First, we determined the factors (metrics) that are most relevant to rank the Cities Where Lawn Care Services Cost the Most Green in 2025. We then assigned a weight to each factor based on its importance and grouped those factors into 2 categories: Lawn Care Cost and Search for Service Providers. The categories, factors, and their weights are listed in the table below.

For each of the 500 biggest U.S. cities, we then gathered data on each factor from the sources listed below the table. We eliminated 40 cities lacking sufficient data in a single category, resulting in a final sample size of 460 cities.

Finally, we calculated scores (out of 100 points) for each city to determine its rank in each factor, each category, and overall. A city’s Overall Score is the average of its scores across all factors and categories. The highest Overall Score ranked “Most Expensive” (No. 1) and the lowest “Least Expensive” (No. 460).

Notes:

• The “Worst” among individual factors may not be No. 460 due to ties.

• The Mowing Frequency Index: Considers the local peak season length for lawn care, average mowing price per square foot, and average monthly precipitation. 

• The Lawn Watering Cost Index: From our Most Expensive Cities for Watering Your Lawn study, which includes 10 metrics, including water requirements for the most common grass types in a region, the portion of household income spent on water, and drought susceptibility. 

Sources

Census Business Builder, Google Ads, U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency, LawnStarter, and Other Lawn Love Studies

Creative ways to lower lawn care costs

Professional lawn mowing services cost between $48 and $207 per visit on average, with costs differing due to yard size, grass height, and other factors like lawn health. 

When it comes to lawn care, some of the costliest expenses can be avoided with a little creativity and DIY magic. Check out our tips below. 

Do-it-yourself

• Learn how to aerate, dethatch, and overseed your lawn.
• Make your own homemade fertilizer.
• Learn some lawn mowing tips and tricks before taking the mower out for a spin.
• Equipment can be the most expensive part of DIY lawn care. Save money by borrowing from a local community tool shed, a close friend, or a neighbor. 
• Ready to drop some cash on a lawn mower of your own? Read through our guide on the best time to buy a lawn mower. 

Redesign your lawn and landscape

• Switch to a low-maintenance grass type.
• Skip the weekly mow with a no-mow grass alternative, like a ground cover.
• Fill your property with low-maintenance landscaping, like native plants or xeriscaping. Lawn Love has dozens of local guides to picking the best native plants — just search for your city or state on our blog. 
• Enhance curb appeal and lower lawn care needs with clever hardscaping projects. 
• Convert a section of your yard into a veggie garden and enjoy or sell the produce. 
• Opt for drought-tolerant landscaping and grass types to lower your water bills.

Keep your lawn healthy

• Choose an ideal grass type for your location and follow proper lawn care practices.
• Water your lawn at the right time of day and avoid overwatering to prevent lawn diseases and pests.
• Conduct a soil test for your lawn and make amendments based on the results.
• Maintain your lawn equipment and sharpen mower blades 1-2 times per year.

Professional lawn care desn’t have to break the bank. Use Lawn Love to find an affordable lawn crew in your area. 

High-resolution images of cities

• 2024’s Most Expensive Metro Areas for Lawn Maintenance ranking results

Main photo credit: Tomasz Zajda / Adobe Stock / License

Sav Maive

Sav Maive is a writer based in San Antonio, with roots in the Adirondacks and Blue Ridge Mountains. She has also lived in San Diego and Washington, D.C., and has been writing lawn care stories for Lawn Love since 2021. With a passion for sustainability, Sav loves covering eco-friendly practices to empower homeowners to cultivate beautiful yards while building a healthier planet.

Posts by Sav Maive