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With more than 60% of the contiguous U.S. in drought as the 2026 lawn care season begins, a new Lawn Love ranking reveals which cities homeowners pay the most to keep their lawns green.
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By the numbers:
Outdoor watering accounts for a major share of household water consumption in the U.S., with an estimated 30% of residential water use going toward landscape irrigation. As drought conditions persist across much of the country, the cost of maintaining a green lawn is becoming an increasingly significant expense for homeowners.
Across the 500 largest U.S. cities, households spend an average of 1.15% of their annual income on water bills. However, costs vary widely depending on location. Residents in Flint, Michigan, for example, pay about $459 per year for water, while households in Newton, Massachusetts, face annual bills averaging $2,160.
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The financial strain is also growing nationwide. Water and sewer bills rose 5.1% in 2025, outpacing inflation and adding pressure to household budgets as utility costs continue climbing.
Dig deeper:
The rankings were based on a range of climate and landscaping factors, including drought risk, rainfall levels, and the length of the growing season.
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Researchers also considered average yard size, the water demands of the most common regional grass types, and whether cities encourage or limit the use of rainwater harvesting systems.
Methodology:
To determine the Most Expensive Cities for Watering Your Lawn in 2026, Lawn Love analyzed 498 of the 500 largest U.S. cities across nine metrics tied to climate, water costs, lawn watering needs, and rainwater harvesting policies.
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The ranking weighted climate vulnerability most heavily (48%), factoring in precipitation, drought risk, growing season length, and extreme temperatures. We also evaluated water costs relative to household income (20%), lawn watering needs based on yard size and grass type (28%), and state rainwater harvesting policies (4%).
Each city received a score out of 100 based on its performance across all categories, with the highest scores ranking as the most expensive places to maintain a lawn.
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