More and more people around the country are looking to build swimming pools in their backyards. Especially after the pandemic, it’s become more common for people to enjoy and upgrade their homes, which has led to a rise in swimming pools in the United States.
If you’ve ever wondered how many swimming pools one might find in the United States, you’re just in luck. I’ve compiled facts and statistics from the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (ASPS) and private data collectors like CAPE Analytics and DataMasters. In this article, I will answer just how many swimming pools there are in the U.S. and break those numbers down.
How Many Swimming Pools Are in the U.S. Today?
There are currently over 10.7 million swimming pools in the United States, according to the latest data I could get from The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals. This number includes both private and public pools. That is one pool for every 33 people!
However, it is worth noting that swimming pools in the United States are not evenly distributed throughout the country. For the most part, most swimming pools will be found in warmer states like California or Texas. Conversely, a colder state like Minnesota has roughly one pool for every 110 people.
Breakdown By Residential and Commercial Swimming Pools
Only around 3% of the total swimming pools in the U.S. are public, commercial swimming pools, while a whopping 97% are privately owned residential pools. In pure numbers, that’s over 10.4 million residential pools and 309,000 public swimming pools throughout the country.
Breakdown By State
Here is a breakdown of swimming pool ownership by state and the average number of people per swimming pool in each state. Unfortunately, there is no official data regarding swimming pools within the United States by state, so this information is compiled through various private data collectors. This means the actual number may not be 100% accurate. Consider this breakdown more of an estimate of how many residential swimming pools there are in each state of the United States.
| State | Estimated Number of Residential Pools | People per Swimming Pool |
| Alabama | 121,000 | 39 |
| Alaska | 6,000 | 122 |
| Arizona | 505,000 | 13 |
| Arkansas | 57,000 | 52 |
| California | 1,343,000 | 29 |
| Colorado | 51,000 | 109 |
| Connecticut | 120,000 | 29 |
| Delaware | 15,000 | 64 |
| Florida | 1,590,000 | 14 |
| Georgia | 190,000 | 55 |
| Hawaii | 13,000 | 107 |
| Idaho | 23,000 | 76 |
| Illinois | 200,000 | 64 |
| Indiana | 154,000 | 43 |
| Iowa | 39,000 | 80 |
| Kansas | 36,000 | 80 |
| Kentucky | 100,000 | 45 |
| Louisiana | 71,000 | 65 |
| Maine | 28,000 | 47 |
| Maryland | 117,000 | 51 |
| Massachusetts | 228,000 | 30 |
| Michigan | 283,000 | 35 |
| Minnesota | 51,000 | 109 |
| Mississippi | 48,000 | 60 |
| Missouri | 118,000 | 52 |
| Montana | 9,000 | 111 |
| Nebraska | 20,000 | 95 |
| Nevada | 143,000 | 21 |
| New Hampshire | 31,000 | 44 |
| New Jersey | 374,000 | 24 |
| New Mexico | 143,000 | 15 |
| New York | 503,000 | 38 |
| North Carolina | 157,000 | 66 |
| North Dakota | 6,000 | 127 |
| Ohio | 317,000 | 37 |
| Oklahoma | 100,000 | 39 |
| Oregon | 47,000 | 89 |
| Pennsylvania | 334,000 | 38 |
| Rhode Island | 31,000 | 35 |
| South Carolina | 109,000 | 47 |
| South Dakota | 6,000 | 146 |
| Tennessee | 169,000 | 40 |
| Texas | 801,000 | 36 |
| Utah | 21,000 | 150 |
| Vermont | 13,000 | 48 |
| Virginia | 136,000 | 63 |
| Washington | 74,000 | 102 |
| West Virginia | 38,000 | 48 |
| Wisconsin | 110,000 | 53 |
| Wyoming | 3,000 | 194 |
More Interesting Pool Facts and Numbers
Here are my answers to more burning statistics-based questions regarding swimming pools in the United States.
How many hot tubs are in the USA?
It is currently estimated that roughly 6 million hot tubs are in operation in the United States. So, around 5% of the 125 million households in the U.S. own a hot tub.
What percentage of pools are inground or above ground?
The distribution of inground and above ground pools in the United States is relatively evenly divided. The actual percentage of inground vs. above ground pools can be debated, but most data will agree that inground pools make up about 51 to 60% of all pools in the United States. Conversely, around 40 to 49% of pools are above ground pools.
That said, it is worth mentioning that above ground pools have gained more popularity in recent years, so this statistic is likely to change.
How many saltwater pools are there in the U.S.?
Saltwater pools are becoming more popular, with more homeowners opting to install a saltwater pool than a traditional chlorine pool. Currently, around 10 – 15% of all swimming pools in the U.S. are saltwater pools, but this percentage is projected to increase in the next few years.
Which states have the most swimming pools?
It makes sense that states that have warmer weather tend to have more swimming pools. Florida, California, Texas, New York, and Arizona take the top 5 spots for most residential pools in the United States.
Have questions or comments about this data? Shoot me a message; I’m always happy to discuss it. You can explore more data on my swimming pool statistics page.
