This summer, a curious trend emerged in neighborhoods nationwide: lawn care operators quietly removed logos from their trucks while continuing their work. This shift—alongside the growing presence of unregistered “ghost” landscapers—raises questions about the true size of the industry. With estimates suggesting one registered professional for every 1,000 Americans, the actual workforce may be far larger, fueled by part-timers and fly-by-night crews. Why the anonymity, and just how many people are cutting grass for a living? The answers remain as elusive as the unmarked trucks rolling through suburbia.
Unofficial Operators and Registered Professionals Raise Curiosity About Lawn Care Workforce
This summer, residents in a small northwest Ohio town noticed an unusual trend: several local lawn maintenance operators removed signage from their trucks, yet continued working with trailers full of zero-turn mowers and trimmers. The phenomenon has left neighbors wondering about the reasons behind the sudden anonymity—and the broader question of how many landscapers operate across the United States.
A Hidden Workforce?
While established companies display logos and contact details, many independent operators—ranging from pickup-and-trailer crews to neighborhood teenagers—work without formal branding. One resident, familiar with a local landscaper, hesitated to ask why identifiers vanished, noting the delicate balance between curiosity and privacy.
Estimating the Industry’s Size
Management consultant Steve Coughran, a former landscape business owner now with Colorado’s Coltivar Group, recently cited a striking figure: 347,000 registered landscapers in the U.S. With a population of roughly 340 million, this suggests one professional for every 1,000 citizens. In a lakeside Ohio community of 6,000, that would equate to six registered landscapers—yet informal estimates suggest double that number may be operating locally.
The Fluid Nature of Lawn Care
The industry’s low barriers to entry—and exit—make precise counts challenging. Many workers cycle in and out, some abandoning the trade or operating as unregistered “ghost” providers. Whether mowing, trimming, or simple planting, the workforce remains fluid, leaving the true scale of the sector open to speculation.
For now, the unmarked trucks keep rolling, their drivers part of a vast, often invisible network keeping lawns tidy nationwide.
