Trends Analysis and Nationwide Survey on Top Lawn Care Activities by State | 2023 Lawn and Yard Trends
Spring has sprung: as it warms up around the country and Americans begin to think about spending more time outside, homeowners nationwide are confronting that big, green monster: the lawn. Whether it’s a small patch of grass, a neat square bounded by a white picket fence, or even a golf course, America loves its lawns. With yard work and lawn care a hallmark of spring in America, we wanted to know which states cared the most about lawn care, and what lawn care activity each state does the most.
CraftJack analyzed more than 6,300 Google search terms and phrases relating to yard work and lawn care, and surveyed more than 800 American homeowners on their preferences around lawn care and yard work to determine which states care the most about their landscape, and which activities reign supreme.
States That Care the Most About Their Lawns
While it’s clear America loves its outdoor spaces, some states place greater emphasis on greener pastures.
Delaware, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire and Washington all rank in the top five states that care about lawns and landscaping the most. Having a nice lawn is clearly a priority in the New England area, and with Oregon ranking sixth it’s clear that landscaping is also a priority in the Pacific Northwest. Some of the top activities in these states include planting flowers, gardening, and landscaping.
When it comes to states that care the least about lawns and landscaping, California, Arizona, Mississippi Nevada and Alaska all rank in the bottom five.
Lawn mowing reigns supreme as the top activity by state: nine states are most excited to mow the lawn, including a lot of the mountain south including West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Missouri, and Indiana. There must be something about that bluegrass.
Other states place more emphasis on pest control, including states such as Montana, South Carolina, and Georgia. Especially in the South where fire ants are prone to live, pest control matters greatly.
Much of the West and Southwest may have greater concerns for landscaping as grass is less common in these areas; Nevada, Utah, and Arizona all are searching for landscaping guidance.
Four states are on the hunt for garden centers, including Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Colorado, and four other states are committed to a floral lifestyle, with states like New York, Vermont, Illinois, and Michigan all searching for flowers.
Top Yard Work Activities by Search in the U.S.
Yard work; some love it, some hate it, but most people love gardening in the U.S. When not planting seeds, the would-be Hank Hills among us vie for lawn mowing, lawn care (think fertilizing, general maintenance), garden center visits, and building sheds.
Other top activities nationwide include pest control, landscaping, hydroponics (particularly in the West!), planting flowers, and for those who live in colder climates; greenhouse growing.
Most Popular Grasses in the U.S.
The lawn is a fundamental part of the area around a home, whether it’s a tiny urban strip of grass, or if it’s a sprawling, suburban green monster. 98% of homeowners have a lawn, and 78% of them perform lawn care maintenance themselves. This number ticks up to 89% for rural homeowners, followed by 76% for urban dwellers, and 75% for suburbanites. For those who don’t want to deal with maintaining their yards but still want to maintain a nice appearance, there are landscapers.
While most lawns have grass, most Americans don’t know which grass they specifically have. Yes, there is more than one kind of “grass.”
Only 32% reported that they knew their yard’s species of grass. That said, when analyzing search volume nationwide, some types of grass grew higher than others: the top types of grass in the nation are St. Augustine Grass, Buffalo Grass, Fescue Grass, Turf “grass”, and Zoysia Grass. They all have different properties, and it’s great to get to know them as you consider how to landscape your yard.
America’s Favorite Yard Activities in 2023
Just how much time does America spend caring for its lawns? The average American spends 3.4 hours per week taking care of their green space, and spends about $55 per month. This number has suffered a bit, though: 2 in 5 reports being impacted by inflation.
Of those surveyed, far and away their favorite activity is mowing the lawn: there must be something nice about cutting grass and spending time outside if 55% cite it as their favorite yard activity. Following lawn mowing, 45% of Americans enjoy gardening, 42% enjoy growing fruits and vegetables, and 41% like planting flower beds. 1 in 3 add they prefer growing herbs.
It’s not all flowers and fruits, though: there are pet peeves that come with having a lawn. Chief among them are weeds, with over 1 in 4 Americans citing them as a pet peeve; next up is a literal pet peeve; dog poop. Other pet peeves include garbage, dead grass, and overgrown lawns.
Speaking of our furry friends, 1 in 10 dog owners don’t clean up after their pooch when it uses the neighbor’s yard as a bathroom! This might be a bigger problem in cities: 2 in 5 urban dwellers cite dog poop as a problem. Anyone walking around a city block can spot those signs imploring owners to clean up!
How do we speak up about these issues? For some Americans, the solution is NextDoor: over 1 in 3 Americans overall use it, and for suburbanites that stat jumps to over 2 in 5!
Making Your Lawn Climate Resilient in 2023
Climate change has come home for many Americans; how does global warming affect their approach to lawn care? Of those surveyed, 55% water their lawns - and of those, 3 in 5 are concerned about wasting water.
More than 1 in 4 Americans has tried to make their lawns more climate resilient in a few different ways. 17% are participating in “No Mow May,” a movement to skip mowing in May and protect pollinators who are busy buzzing from flower to flower in the spring, while 44% intentionally have native plants growing in their yards.
Sometimes the environment comes for you, however: 1 in 10 homeowners with trees in their yard have had a tree fall on their house, and 45% of tree-havers are concerned about potential damage. It’s no wonder, too - cleaning up after a tree is often a job that requires professionals and possibly considerable repairs.
America clearly loves its lawns. From mowing and gardening to keeping it free of ‘presents’ from Man’s Best Friend, there’s much work to be done in the warm spring and summer months.
Methodology
In March 2023, we surveyed 852 American homeowners across the U.S. on their thoughts around lawns, lawn care, and landscaping. Ages ranged from 18 to 79 with an average age of 46. Respondents were 50% men, 49% women, and 1% non-binary.
To analyze Google search trends, we looked at 6352 distinct keywords/phrases and their associated search volumes by state from January 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023. Keywords included phrases like “lawn care”, “lawn mowing”, and “planting a garden.”
For media inquiries, please contact media@digitalthirdcoast.net.
Fair Use
When using this data and research, please attribute by linking to this study and citing CraftJack.com