The plumbing industry stands as one of the most essential and recession-resistant sectors in the modern economy. As of mid-2024, the U.S. plumbing industry carried a valuation of approximately $121.5 billion, with roughly 112,000 businesses participating in the market. By 2025, plumbing revenue climbed to an estimated $169.8 billion , driven by aging housing stock, infrastructure investment, and accelerating demand for smart fixtures. Between 70% and 80% of plumbing services qualify as urgent , making this an industry that homeowners prioritize regardless of economic conditions.
This article covers the full landscape of the plumbing sector: market size and growth trajectories, workforce demographics and the deepening labor shortage, wage and compensation trends, service costs for homeowners, the rise of smart plumbing technology, water conservation economics, and the digital marketing dynamics reshaping how plumbing businesses attract customers. Each section draws from the most current government data, industry research, and market analysis available to build a definitive statistical profile of an industry that touches every home and commercial building in the country.
U.S. market size and revenue growth
The American plumbing market has expanded steadily over the past decade, and the numbers confirm both its scale and trajectory. The plumbing consumer market grew by 3.2% per year between 2017 and 2022 , establishing a foundation for continued expansion. By 2029, the U.S. plumbing market is projected to reach $158.6 billion , cementing its position as one of the largest segments within construction and home services.
The industry's fragmentation tells a story of entrepreneurial opportunity. The U.S. plumbers industry is highly fragmented, with no single company holding a market share greater than 5% . This means tens of thousands of small and mid-sized firms compete for local market share in a sector where reputation and speed of response determine success.
Market size and growth metrics:
U.S. plumbing industry total revenue reached $126.40 billion in 2023 , representing the baseline from which recent growth has accelerated.
Plumbing industry revenue posted a compound annual growth rate of approximately 3.2% for the five-year period ending in 2025.
More than 132,000 plumbing businesses now employ 736,000 people across the United States.
The broader home improvement market is projected to reach $946.47 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 3.41% during the 2024–2029 forecast period , with plumbing capturing a significant share.
The DIY home improvement market alone is projected to reach $800.29 billion in 2024 , reflecting homeowner willingness to invest in their properties.
Global plumbing fixtures market and regional dynamics
The global plumbing picture extends well beyond U.S. borders, and the numbers reveal a market fueled by urbanization, rising consumer incomes, and infrastructure investment worldwide. The global plumbing fixtures market was estimated at $89.8 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $120.9 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.5%. North America dominates this landscape. The region held a revenue share of 41.8% of the global plumbing fixtures market in 2023.
Over half the world's population resided in urban areas as of 2024, with this figure projected to reach 68% by 2050 , creating sustained demand for plumbing infrastructure in new residential and commercial construction. This urbanization megatrend represents the single largest structural driver of global plumbing growth over the next two decades.
Global and regional market projections:
The North America plumbing fixtures market was valued at $29.15 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.7% from 2025 to 2030.
The global plumbing component market was valued at $114.4 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $186.9 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 5.6%.
The overall plumbing market size is forecast to increase by $27.59 billion at a CAGR of 5.5% between 2024 and 2029.
The bathroom fixtures segment accounted for a leading revenue share of 51.9% in the North America plumbing fixtures industry in 2024.
The U.S. plumbing fixtures market accounted for a dominant revenue share of 69.8% in the North American region in 2024.
Online distribution of plumbing fixtures is projected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 6.4% over the forecast period , reflecting a broader shift toward e-commerce in building materials.
Supply chain disruptions, higher energy prices, and tariffs pushed the cost of fixtures, fittings, and trims up 28.4% between January 2021 and November 2025 , compressing margins for contractors and raising prices for consumers.
Workforce size, demographics, and employment outlook
The plumbing workforce represents a critical segment of the skilled trades, yet its demographic profile raises urgent questions about sustainability. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters held about 504,500 jobs in 2024 , according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of the total plumbing industry workforce of 635,000 noted in the 2023 Current Population Survey, more than 20% are 55 years of age or older , creating an imminent retirement wave.
The gender imbalance in the profession remains stark. 96.5% of plumbers in the U.S. are men, while only 3.5% are women. This narrow talent pipeline compounds the difficulty of replacing retiring workers and highlights a massive untapped labor pool.
Workforce and employment data:
Employment of plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is projected to grow 4% from 2024 to 2034 , roughly matching the average for all occupations.
About 44,000 openings for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters are projected each year over the next decade.
The Building Equipment Contractors industry employed the most plumbers at 335,050 workers in 2024 , far exceeding any other subsector.
California led the nation in plumbing employment with 45,460 workers in 2024, followed by Texas with 42,290 and Florida with 26,730.
Among metropolitan areas, New York-Newark-Jersey City employed the most plumbers in 2024, with 21,500 workers.
By 2024, the percentage of plumbers over the age of 55 was expected to reach nearly 25%.
The labor shortage crisis and its economic cost
The plumbing labor shortage represents the single greatest threat to the industry's ability to meet demand. The numbers are sobering. A plumbing labor shortage of 55% exists as new plumbers fail to join the workforce at the same rate older plumbers retire, costing the U.S. economy around $33 billion each year. The U.S. is projected to be short 550,000 plumbers by 2027 , a deficit that will drive up service costs, delay construction projects, and strain infrastructure upgrades nationwide.
The root causes trace back decades. From October 2007 to March 2009, construction and extraction jobs dropped about 26% during the Great Recession, hollowing out apprenticeship programs that never fully recovered. The apprenticeship rate for young people wanting to enter skilled trades like plumbing dropped 49% in 2022 compared to 2020. The cultural shift toward four-year degrees compounds the problem, though recent data shows early signs of reversal.
Labor shortage indicators:
Construction job openings surged more than 50% from 287,000 in February 2019 to 441,000 in February 2024.
In 2023, the number of students enrolled in vocational-focused community colleges rose 16% to its highest level since 2018.
Fifty-five percent of responding single-family home builders indicated some level of shortage of plumbers, with 15% calling it a "serious shortage" and 40% describing it as moderate.
Job postings for plumbing apprentices sat unfilled for an average of 29 days.
At one Maryland apprenticeship school, just 125 students signed up, and about half were expected to drop out during the five-year program.
High churn rates across all trades cost companies more than $5.3 billion annually in talent acquisition and training.
Plumber wages, earnings, and compensation trends
Despite the shortage, plumbing remains one of the best-compensated trades accessible without a four-year degree. The median annual wage for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters was $62,970 in May 2024. That figure masks enormous geographic variation. Illinois ranks highest with an annual mean wage of $87,980 , while plumbers in Northern California earn close to $100,000, and sometimes more.
The wage trajectory points upward. Master plumbers saw their median pay rise to $82,700 — a 21% jump from the prior year. Record-high demand in manufacturing and construction raised those sectors' average wages by more than 20% since 2020. These increases reflect pure supply-and-demand economics: too few plumbers chasing too many jobs.
Compensation benchmarks:
Apprentice plumbers earn an average of $18.05 per hour, journeyman plumbers make $29.80, and master plumbers earn $33.89.
The lowest 10% of plumbers earned less than $40,670, and the highest 10% earned more than $105,150.
Oregon pays the highest hourly rate for plumbers at $44.46 per hour.
The average wage range for plumbers across the United States is $68,000 to $82,000.
The average profit for a plumbing business accounts for 35% of its total sales.
Service costs and what homeowners pay for plumbing work
Plumbing repair costs vary widely by scope, urgency, and geography, but the data paints a clear picture for homeowners budgeting for both routine maintenance and emergencies. The cost of hiring a plumber ranges from $175 to $450 for a typical job, with the average cost per hour ranging from $45 to $200. Emergency situations escalate costs dramatically. The average cost for an emergency plumber can range from $150 to $500, with the top 10% of plumbers charging upwards of $1,000.
Material prices add another layer of cost pressure. Plumbing fixture costs have risen by around 30% since 2020. 88% of business owners, including plumbers, report being impacted by inflation , pushing service prices higher across the board.
Common repair and service costs:
Repairing a leaking pipe ranges from $150 to $500 for accessible repairs, while a leaking pipe in a wall costs $500 to $5,000+.
Clearing drain clogs costs about $200 on average.
A plumbing inspection costs $85 to $300, with most homeowners spending about $200.
Emergency plumbing services cost around $150 to $300 per hour.
Installing a sewer main costs approximately $3,000 , while main line repairs average $2,500.
Financial advisors recommend setting aside 1–3% of a home's value annually for maintenance , which translates to $4,000–$12,000 for a $400,000 property.
Smart plumbing technology and the digital transformation
Smart plumbing represents the industry's fastest-growing segment, and the adoption curve is steepening. The smart bathroom market reached $9.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to hit $34.60 billion by 2034. Developing at a CAGR of 13.7%, smart bathroom services and technologies are growing far faster than the plumbing industry as a whole.
Consumer demographics drive this adoption. 31% of homeowners aged 18–34 are willing to pay for smart or green plumbing solutions, compared to just 5% of those aged 65+. Smart tech bathroom services in North America make up 47.9% of the global market , positioning the region as the clear leader in digital plumbing innovation.
Smart plumbing market data:
The smart toilet market was valued at approximately $9.47 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $23.44 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of approximately 12%.
The U.S. smart bathroom market is projected to grow at an annual growth rate of 10.48% through 2027, with smart faucet sales expected to surge by over 90%.
The market for energy-efficient tankless water heaters had a value of $3.68 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.7% between 2023 and 2029.
Smart bathrooms grew from $4.6 billion in 2022 to $4.7 billion in 2023, at a compound annual growth rate of 10.2%.
Smart toilet sales are expected to grow at a rate of 10.3%, reaching $12.7 billion by 2025.
Water conservation and the economics of efficient plumbing
Water conservation is no longer a niche concern — it has become a central driver of plumbing product innovation and consumer spending decisions. Household leaks waste approximately nearly 900 billion gallons of water annually nationwide , a staggering figure that underscores the economic case for upgrading aging fixtures. The average family spends more than $1,000 per year in water costs but can save more than $380 annually by retrofitting with water-efficient fixtures and appliances.
Forty states expect water shortages in the next decade , creating regulatory and consumer-driven tailwinds for efficient plumbing products. The EPA's WaterSense program has delivered measurable results at scale, demonstrating that infrastructure upgrades pay for themselves rapidly.
Water waste and conservation metrics:
The average family can waste 180 gallons per week, or 9,400 gallons of water annually, from household leaks.
10% of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day due to dripping faucets, worn toilet flappers, and leaking valves.
Replacing all old, inefficient toilets with WaterSense labeled models saves the average family 13,000 gallons of water and $130 in water costs per year.
Replacing old toilets with high-efficiency models can cut water use by 20–60%, saving nearly 13,000 gallons and over $170 annually per household.
If every U.S. household converted to WaterSense products, the nation could save 3 trillion gallons of water and over $17 billion annually.
Installing high-efficiency toilets has saved 757 billion gallons of water in the U.S. since 2006.
Greywater recycling systems can reduce household water usage by up to 50%.
Customer behavior and digital marketing for plumbing businesses
How customers find and choose plumbers has fundamentally shifted to digital channels, and the data confirms that online reputation management determines business success. 86% of customers check reviews before doing business with a local company like a plumber. Speed matters as much as quality: 76% of people who search on their smartphones for a nearby business visit or hire that company within 24 hours.
The implications for plumbing business owners are direct. A strong online presence converts searches into service calls, and negative feedback creates a measurable drag on revenue. 89% of customers are more likely to request another service after a good customer service experience , making retention as valuable as acquisition.
Customer and marketing statistics:
68% of customers are influenced by positive reviews, making them crucial for plumbing business growth.
51% of consumers say they have found a new business like a plumber through mobile searches.
40% of customers are deterred from businesses like plumbers because of negative reviews.
Plumbing businesses can improve their job win rate by 8% when they offer personalized customer service.
Georgia has the highest combined search and service request demand per plumber, with 56.93 searches and job requests per worker.
Texas leads in total service requests with over 217,000 requests annually , while Georgia tops service demand per plumber at 9.37 requests per worker.
Over 60% of homeowners chose DIY solutions for remodeling in 2024 , a trend that plumbing businesses must address by demonstrating the value of professional service.
Plumbing faces a half-million-worker shortfall in a market that refuses to slow down
The data tells a story of structural imbalance. Demand accelerates while the workforce shrinks. Plumbing revenue reached $169.8 billion in 2025 , and projections consistently point toward continued expansion driven by aging infrastructure, smart technology adoption, and urbanization. Yet the U.S. faces a projected shortfall of 550,000 plumbers by 2027 , a gap that will raise costs, delay projects, and strain critical infrastructure systems nationwide.
The financial opportunity within this imbalance is substantial. Median annual plumber wages reached $62,970 in 2024 , with master plumbers earning well into six figures in high-demand markets. Smart plumbing technology alone will grow to a $34.60 billion market by 2034 at a 13.7% CAGR , creating entirely new revenue streams for businesses that adapt. The industry's fundamentals — essential services, recession resistance, steady construction activity — remain as strong as any sector in the economy.
The plumbing industry in 2025 stands at a crossroads: a $170 billion market with a workforce pipeline that produces a fraction of the talent it needs, meaning the businesses and workers who enter now will command premium economics for the foreseeable future.