Each year, Service Industry News surveys pool and spa service professionals from across the country in an effort to better understand how companies are pricing their work and structuring their businesses. While no survey can perfectly capture an industry as diverse and fragmented as pool service, the responses received this year provide a revealing snapshot of the market conditions facing service companies in 2026.

This year’s survey drew responses from 25 states, representing thousands of residential and commercial swimming pools under regular service. As in previous years, the largest number of responses came from states with the highest concentration of pools, including Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas. The respondents themselves represented a broad crosssection of the industry, ranging from solo owner-operators servicing a few dozen pools to larger companies managing several hundred — and in a few cases, several thousand — accounts.

Perhaps the clearest takeaway from this year’s survey is that the pool service industry continues to experience significant regional divergence in pricing. Labor costs, fuel prices, housing costs, insurance rates, route density, climate, competition, and customer expectations all appear to be influencing what companies charge and how they structure their service agreements.

In some regions, weekly residential service pricing remains relatively conservative, especially among longestablished independent operators who continue to rely on legacy pricing structures developed years ago under very different economic conditions. In other markets — particularly areas with high labor costs, difficult environmental conditions, compressed seasonal revenue, or affluent customer bases — respondents reported dramatically higher rates for comparable service.

The survey also highlighted how differently pool service businesses may operate from region to region. Florida’s market, for example, often appears heavily dependent on dense routes, rapid stop efficiency, and high pool counts. California operators frequently described balancing rising operating costs with relatively moderate long-established pricing structures. Seasonal markets in the Northeast and Midwest reported business models built around openings, closings, and compressed seasonal revenue windows, while Southwestern markets such as Arizona and Texas appeared to operate under entirely different combinations of climate pressure, repair demand, route density, and year-round service economics.

The results also suggest that national pricing conversations within the pool industry can sometimes become misleading when regional operating conditions are not taken into account. A service price that may appear sustainable in one market can look completely unrealistic in another once labor demands, weather conditions, driving distances, chemical usage, and local economic pressures are considered.

As always , readers should understand that this survey is intended to provide a general overview of industry trends rather than a definitive scientific analysis of pricing nationwide. Sample sizes vary by region, and certain areas produced significantly more responses than others. In addition, service models differ widely from company to company. Some respondents focus primarily on chemistry-only maintenance, while others provide fullservice cleaning, repairs, renovations, automation, and commercial work under bundled pricing structures.

To help reduce distortion caused by unusually large or unusually small operations, median figures were used whenever practical. In many cases, these median figures provide a more realistic picture of what a “typical” service company may be charging in a particular region.

Still, despite the limitations inherent in any voluntary survey, the results continue to reinforce an important reality within the pool service industry: Pricing structures are evolving rapidly, and the differences between markets are as pronounced as ever.

Dividing the Nation

Responses to our survey came from 25 states. As we have come to expect, responses were heaviest from the areas with the highest number of pools. The top states in order of participation were Texas, California, and Arizona.

For statistical purposes, we divided the country into seven geographic regions, based on their location and the number of responses we received.

The following is the way we broke it down: Northern California — From the Oregon Border south to Bakersfield. Northern California represents less than 1 percent of the responses received. Survey participation was too small to allow for meaningful data to be included in this year’s survey issue.

Southern California — From the Mexican Border north to Bakersfield. Southern California represents 19 percent of the responses we received.

Southwest — Arizona; Colorado; Nevada; New Mexico; Oklahoma; Texas; and Utah. The Southwest represents 37 percent of the responses we received this year.

Florida — The service industry is large enough in this state for it to qualify as a separate region. Florida represents 15 percent of the responses received.

Southeast — Alabama; Arkansas; Georgia; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maryland; Mississippi; North Carolina; South Carolina; Tennessee; Virginia; and West Virginia. The Southeast represents 14 percent of the responses we received this year.

Northeast — Connecticut; Delaware; Maine; Massachusetts; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; and Vermont. The Northeast represents 10 percent of the total number of responses that we received this year. Midwest — Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Michigan; Minnesota; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; North Dakota; Ohio; South Dakota; Wisconsin; and Wyoming. The Midwest represents 4 percent of the responses we received this year.

Disclaimer: Although it is not a purely scientific survey, we believe that our results present an accurate picture of the state of our industry in 2026.

When reader participation was deemed sufficient, we reported information on a variety of categories.

Information contained in this survey is for informational and historical purposes only and is not meant to encourage readers to set prices in restraint of trade or in violation of any laws.