A Large, Affluent, Growing Market
Large. Affluent. Growing. The US pool and spa services market is one of the most durable niches in home services — and the numbers back it up.
The opportunity
Why pool services deserve a serious look
The US pool services industry has grown steadily for years, and a pool services franchise can be a savvy entrepreneur’s next step to success. Every pool and spa needs regular care — balanced water chemistry, cleaning, and equipment upkeep — whether the wider economy is booming or not. That built-in, repeat demand is what sets pool services apart from here-today businesses.
The figures on this page come from primary sources — industry researcher IBISWorld, the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance trade association, and SEC filings from the industry’s largest distributor — so you can verify every number yourself.
Verified figures
The market, by the numbers
Every statistic below is drawn from a primary source you can check — no recycled blog numbers.
$8.8B
Size of the US swimming pool cleaning services market in 2025
Source: IBISWorld, 2025
4.2%
Average annual growth of that market from 2020 to 2025 — including a 2.3% rise in 2025
Source: IBISWorld, 2025
78,817
Pool cleaning businesses operating in the US in 2025 — up 4.4% from 2024
Source: IBISWorld, 2025
$62B+
Annual economic impact of the US pool and hot tub industry, which supports more than 500,000 jobs
Source: Pool & Hot Tub Alliance
~11.0M
Bodies of water in service across the US — including 5.4 million in-ground swimming pools
Source: Pool Corporation Form 10-K, FY2024
~64%
Share of Pool Corporation’s 2024 sales from non-discretionary maintenance and minor-repair products
Source: Pool Corporation Form 10-K, FY2024
Sources
- IBISWorld, Swimming Pool Cleaning Services in the US (report #4832), 2025 — market size, number of businesses, and industry analysis pages.
- Pool & Hot Tub Alliance — phta.org and PHTA’s May 2025 comments to the US Department of Energy, citing the PHTA Economic Impact Study (2022 data).
- Pool Corporation — Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2024, filed with the SEC.
Where Poolblu fits
Why this market favors an organized operator
Fragmented competition
No company holds more than 5% of the US pool cleaning market, and the average operator employs just 1.3 people (IBISWorld, 2025). Against tens of thousands of solo operators, a branded franchise with training, dispatch, and e-commerce behind it stands out.
Non-discretionary demand
Safe water chemistry and working equipment are not optional. Pool Corporation estimates roughly 64% of its 2024 sales came from non-discretionary maintenance and minor-repair products — recurring work that held steady even as new construction slowed. Maintenance is the recession-resilient core of this business.
Residential and commercial
Poolblu serves both residential and commercial pools and spas — from high-end international resorts to typical backyard hot tubs. Franchise owners sell the full portfolio, so no single customer segment limits their growth.
A substantial market, steady growth, and demand that renews itself every season — that is the tide a Poolblu franchise owner steps into.
See what it costs to enter this market
Franchise fee, estimated initial investment, and royalties — all the numbers, clearly laid out.