Plumbing Industry Statistics: Market Size and Trends in 2026

In this guide, we’ll break down the numbers and give you insight into how to stay competitive in 2026 and beyond.

Here are the plumbing industry growth statistics you need to know.

U.S. Plumbing Market Size & Revenue

The U.S. plumbing market size is large and expanding. You’re operating in a market worth about $191.4 billion in 2026. Growth isn’t necessarily fast, but it’s consistent over time.

Revenue has increased, too, at about 3.1% per year over the past five years. Growth in 2026 is expected to be modest at 0.4%.

What’s Driving Revenue?

Two major forces are influencing revenue in the plumbing industry:

• First, higher prices across the board. You’ve likely felt this already. Material costs rose 28.4% from 2021 to late 2025. Most plumbers now pass these costs on to customers.
• Second, ongoing demand for essential work. Repairs and emergency calls are your bread and butter. These jobs give your business a reliable revenue source, whatever happens in the market.

What Does This Mean For Your Pricing?

You’re in a price-driven growth cycle. That changes how you should think about jobs:

• Review your pricing more often. Once a year might not be enough to protect your margins.
• Update quotes when supplier costs change.
• Don’t lock in long bids without cost buffers.
• Track your margins per job rather than just looking at the total revenue.

Where’s the Next Phase of Growth Coming From?

The wider plumbing and mechanical services market in the U.S. is also growing. It’s expected to reach $37 billion in 2026, up from $34.9 billion in 2025.

Future growth will likely come from:

• Infrastructure upgrades and modernization
• Smart and connected building systems

Use These Insights to Inform Your Strategy

The plumbing industry outlook is a mostly positive one. Revenue is rising, but it’s primarily from increased pricing and essential work.

You’ll want to:

• Lean into service and repair work.
• Train your team on newer, higher-tech systems to win better jobs.
• Watch costs closely because margins are tighter than ever.

RELATED ARTICLE — How to Get More Leads for Your Plumbing Business

Number of Plumbing Businesses in the U.S.

There are 127,324 plumbing businesses in the U.S. as of 2025. That number grew 0.8% from 2024.

Over five years, growth has hovered around 0.8% per year. So while new companies are entering the market, they aren’t flooding out established businesses.

How Competitive Is the Plumbing Industry?

The plumbing industry is crowded, but it’s not dominated by big players.

No single company holds more than 5% market share, and most businesses are locally owned and on the smaller side.

Win More Business in a Fragmented Market

In a fragmented market, there’s risk and opportunity. You’ll face local competition on most jobs you go for, and customers are likely to compare a couple of quotes before choosing.

Price will be important in these situations, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. Plus, you don’t want to sacrifice your margins to win work.

At the same time, no one company owns your market. You can stand out and become the go-to expert in your area.

How? Aim for:

• Faster response times
• Transparent pricing
• Social proof and five-star reviews that earn trust
• Consistent communication from first call to final invoice

Plumbing Workforce & Employment Statistics

Plumbing workforce statistics show that the industry is large but under increasing pressure. The trade has about 504,500 jobs, and the median pay is $62,970 per year or $30.27 per hour.

Job growth is expected to be 4% until 2034, resulting in 22,700 new roles added. Every year, there’s 44,000 openings, mostly from retirements.

What About the Plumbing Labor Shortage?

Demand is there. The real issue is on the supply side.

There just aren’t enough plumbers entering the trade, and the consequences are far-reaching:

• The shortage costs the U.S. about $1.27 billion each year.
• If 16,400 plumbers join the trade, they could generate around $3 billion in economic impact.
• Women make up just 2.1% of plumbers, which limits the talent pool.
• About 90% of plumbing spend goes to new construction. This takes workers away from essential service work.

What Does This Mean for Hiring?

Expanding your business? Need new team members?

Hiring in a thin market isn’t easy. Talented, dedicated technicians have a ton of options.

You might consider:

• Hiring apprentices. Yes, they demand a time commitment. But they offer long-term stability. That could be a smart trade-off in today’s market.
• Putting more energy into retention. Right now, this matters just as much as recruitment.

Plumbing Industry Growth Drivers

These five drivers are fueling the plumbing industry’s growth:

1. Aging Infrastructure

Infrastructure in the U.S. is aging. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) estimates the cost of improvements and maintenance will be $9.1 trillion over the next 10 years.

Buildings and pipes across the country are wearing out. This has led to a stream of repair and replacement work:

• Older systems fail more often and need urgent fixes.
• Retrofit jobs are on the rise as buildings upgrade their existing systems.
• Commercial sites need ongoing upgrades to remain safe and compliant.

2. New Construction

Right now, new builds are a huge source of large project work. In early 2026, housing starts reached 1.48 million annualized, up 9.5% year over year.

That said, this high growth rate might not last long-term. Permits fell 5.8%.

What’s more, most new homes now have multiple bathrooms:

• 62.3% have two full bathrooms.
• 25.8% have three full bathrooms.
• 7.5% have four or more bathrooms.

More bathrooms means higher-value jobs.

3. Remodeling

The remodeling market is up 27% since 2019. Costs related to home remodeling and repairs totaled $608 billion in 2025.

Homeowners are spending more on upgrades instead of moving. This means:

• More bathroom upgrades and fixture replacements
• More retrofit work for efficiency upgrades
• More small to mid-size jobs instead of large builds

4. Water-Efficiency Rules

In 2025, federal rules on water use were rolled back. The government removed limits on water flow in fixtures like toilets and shower heads.

Restrictions aren’t as tight as they used to be, but this hasn’t changed demand for efficient products. Many customers still want systems that use less water and energy.

Recent data shows:

• 49% of U.S. consumers bought an eco-friendly product recently.
• Only 15% show no interest in sustainable options.

You’re now working in a split market. Some customers want performance. Others want efficiency and lower utility bills.

5. Technology and Innovation

What felt optional before is now the norm on many jobs. For example:

• Smart leak detection and remote monitoring are becoming common.
• Digital tools and plumbing software now manage quoting, scheduling, marketing, and customer updates.
• Prefabrication and digital planning speed up jobs and improve accuracy.

Residential vs. Commercial Plumbing Breakdown

Residential and commercial plumbing are moving in different directions right now. Find out where each one is headed before you plan your next move.

Residential Work Is Stable, Not Surging

Residential demand is showing signs of improvement as housing conditions start to settle down. Mortgage rates are now in the 5–7% range, which could bring more activity back.

Then, there’s the impact of remodeling. You can expect more upgrades and replacements, plus more service calls for aging systems.

There’s a lot of new construction happening now, but with fewer permits, the next couple of years will likely be quieter.

There is an outlier, though. Multifamily construction is expected to be weak in 2026. But estimates suggest recovery in 2027.

Commercial Work Has Stronger Growth Potential

Commercial plumbing has excellent momentum in specific sectors, including:

• Data centers and digital infrastructure projects
• Healthcare and hospital upgrades
• Education and institutional buildings
• Warehouses and logistics facilities

At the same time, some areas like manufacturing and public utilities might slow down.

Profitability & Pricing Trends

Profit is at risk, but revenue is strong. This is because prices are, for the most part, rising faster than costs. It’s up to you to adjust them before your margin shrinks.

What’s Driving Price Increases?

If you feel like everything is more expensive than ever, you’re not wrong.

• Gas rose from $3.01 to $3.96 per gallon in March 2026.
• Diesel jumped from $3.89 to $5.37 per gallon.

These higher fuel costs increase both delivery and material prices.

At the same time, inflation is expected to reach 4.2% in 2026, which is higher than earlier forecasts.

In this environment, your overhead costs will fluctuate. Don’t leave your pricing as it is. Instead, systematically review your expenses and adjust your fees to preserve your profit margin.

Baseline Pricing in 2026

Here’s what typical job ranges look like right now:

• Drain cleaning: $147 to $346
• General plumbing repair: $181 to $497
• Bathroom rough-in: $3,000 to $20,000

Pricing depends on scope, urgency, quality of fixtures, and location.

How Can You Protect Your Margin?

Costs are something you can’t control. But you can control how you price your jobs and put together your quotes. Here’s how to protect your margin:

• As soon as supplier costs change, adjust your prices.
• Shorten quote validity to avoid cost swings.
• Add buffers on longer or complex jobs.
• Price based on the value of your service, not just how much it costs you.

RELATED ARTICLE — How to Write a Quote for a Plumbing Job

What These Plumbing Industry Statistics Mean for Contractors

These plumbing industry statistics show that growth is possible, but you must react fast to cost increases and labor challenges.

In short:

• Demand and spending is there in both the residential and commercial spaces. Aging infrastructure is a huge revenue driver.
• Labor is tight, and costs continue to rise.
• The market’s crowded but fragmented. There’s potential for growth and local dominance.

In 2026 and beyond, your business can thrive. Here’s how to overcome the challenges and make the most of opportunities:

• Raise prices in line with real costs, and review them often.
• Invest in apprentices and talent retention.
• Bid for high-value jobs like commercial work and remodels.
• Use digital tools on-site and for quoting, scheduling, and customer care and updates.