1. The formula
The calculator applies a small set of transparent multipliers to a base mowing rate, then adds any selected services.
Per-visit mowing price
mowPerVisit = max(area × baseRate, baseMin) × condition × (1 + terrain) × (1 + obstacles) × (1 − planDiscount) × stateIndex
- baseRate / baseMin — base mowing price per sq ft (floor applied for small lawns).
- condition — grass height/state: short 0.9 · normal 1.0 · tall 1.45 · overgrown 1.9.
- terrain — flat +0% · gentle +10% · moderate +20% · steep +35%.
- obstacles — none +0% · moderate +15% · heavy +30%.
- planDiscount — weekly −15% · bi-weekly −10% · monthly −5% (recurring saves the crew routing time).
- stateIndex — your state/province cost-of-living index ÷ 100.
Recurring vs one-time
- One-time: annual cost = per-visit price (1 visit).
- Recurring: visits per year =
visitsPerMonth × seasonMonths; monthly = per-visit × visitsPerMonth; annual = monthly × seasonMonths. So monthly × season = annual always holds.
Add-on services
serviceCost = max(rate × area, min) × (1 + terrain) × (1 + obstacles) × stateIndex × visitsPerSeason (mulch & yard cleanup use a flat per-visit price instead of a per-sq-ft rate).
2. Where every input comes from
| Input | Source | How we used it | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
State / province cost index (mul) |
US MERIC / C2ER Cost of Living Index, Q2 2026 (US avg = 100). CAN Blended 2026 provincial cost-of-living index (≈ national avg = 100). |
mul = index ÷ 100. Captures regional labour & overhead differences that drive lawn-care pricing. |
✅ Published, quarterly, government-affiliated (MERIC is a Missouri state agency; C2ER is a nonprofit research council). |
Mowing-season length (season, months) |
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones + NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals (frost-free days). | Grass grows only inside the frost-free window, so we set season ≈ frost-free days ÷ 30, banded by hardiness zone (Zone 3–4 ≈ 4–5 mo, Zone 5 ≈ 5–6, Zone 6 ≈ 6–7, Zone 7 ≈ 7–8, Zone 8 ≈ 8–9, Zone 9+ ≈ 9–12). |
⚠️ Climate-anchored estimate, not an official "mowing months" count. Real mowing also stops in deep winter even where frost is rare. |
| Base mowing rate (US / CAD) | US LawnStarter 2026: mowing $42–$68/visit (avg ≈ $57; $0.01–$0.06/sq ft). CAN Mow.ca / Dreame 2026: CA$30–$100/visit (typical suburban ≈ CA$55). |
US base set to ≈ $0.0115/sq ft (min $35); CAD base ≈ CA$0.011/sq ft (min CA$35). | ✅ Published marketplace ranges; we used the midpoints. |
| Add-on service prices | LawnStarter 2026 (US) and Mow.ca / Dreame 2026 (CAD) per-service ranges: weed $50–$210; fertilization $67–$405; dethatching $65–$165; aeration $107–$202; leaf removal $107–$435; seeding $427–$1,514; yard cleanup $216–$462. | Each service priced per sq ft (or flat) so its mid-range lands inside the published band for a typical lawn; CAD = USD × ~1.3 FX. | ✅ Published ranges; values placed at the midpoint. |
| Condition / terrain / obstacle / plan multipliers | Industry-standard surcharge bands (steep slopes and obstacles add labour time; recurring plans cost less per cut). | Fixed, transparent percentages shown in the UI. | ℹ️ Operational assumptions, clearly labelled — not from a single published table. |
3. State & province reference table
US mul = MERIC/C2ER Cost of Living Index Q2 2026 ÷ 100. season = USDA-zone / NOAA frost-free estimate. Canada mul = blended 2026 provincial index ÷ 100; season = climate estimate.
| State / Province | Index (mul) | Season (mo) | State / Province | Index (mul) | Season (mo) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 0.86 | 8 | Montana | 1.06 | 5 |
| Alaska | 1.25 | 4 | Nebraska | 0.90 | 6 |
| Arizona | 1.09 | 11 | Nevada | 1.05 | 10 |
| Arkansas | 0.89 | 7 | New Hampshire | 1.09 | 5 |
| California | 1.40 | 12 | New Jersey | 1.19 | 7 |
| Colorado | 1.03 | 6 | New Mexico | 0.90 | 8 |
| Connecticut | 1.04 | 7 | New York | 1.33 | 6 |
| Delaware | 1.01 | 8 | North Carolina | 0.97 | 8 |
| Dist. of Columbia | 1.34 | 8 | North Dakota | 0.91 | 5 |
| Florida | 1.01 | 12 | Ohio | 0.93 | 7 |
| Georgia | 0.90 | 9 | Oklahoma | 0.83 | 8 |
| Hawaii | 1.86 | 12 | Oregon | 1.10 | 9 |
| Idaho | 0.99 | 6 | Pennsylvania | 0.95 | 7 |
| Illinois | 0.95 | 7 | Rhode Island | 1.11 | 7 |
| Indiana | 0.90 | 7 | South Carolina | 0.93 | 9 |
| Iowa | 0.86 | 6 | South Dakota | 0.94 | 5 |
| Kansas | 0.87 | 7 | Tennessee | 0.90 | 8 |
| Kentucky | 0.94 | 7 | Texas | 0.91 | 10 |
| Louisiana | 0.91 | 10 | Utah | 0.98 | 8 |
| Maine | 1.13 | 5 | Vermont | 1.13 | 5 |
| Maryland | 1.19 | 8 | Virginia | 0.99 | 8 |
| Massachusetts | 1.48 | 7 | Washington | 1.15 | 9 |
| Michigan | 0.92 | 6 | West Virginia | 0.87 | 7 |
| Minnesota | 0.93 | 5 | Wisconsin | 0.96 | 6 |
| Mississippi | 0.87 | 9 | Wyoming | 0.94 | 5 |
| Missouri | 0.88 | 7 | Ontario (CAN) | 1.08 | 6 |
| Nunavut (CAN) | 1.25 | 3 | Quebec (CAN) | 0.96 | 6 |
| Northwest Terr. (CAN) | 1.20 | 4 | Saskatchewan (CAN) | 0.90 | 5 |
| Nova Scotia (CAN) | 1.00 | 5 | Yukon (CAN) | 1.15 | 4 |
| New Brunswick (CAN) | 0.94 | 5 | BC (CAN) | 1.12 | 9 |
| Newfoundland (CAN) | 0.93 | 5 | Alberta (CAN) | 0.98 | 5 |
| PEI (CAN) | 0.95 | 5 | Manitoba (CAN) | 0.92 | 5 |
4. Service price bands we calibrated to
| Service | US range (LawnStarter 2026) | CAD range (Mow.ca / Dreame 2026) | Basis in calculator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mowing | $42–$68 / visit | CA$30–$100 / visit | Per-sq-ft base rate |
| Weed control | $50–$210 / treatment | CA$60–$140 / treatment | Per-sq-ft × 4 treatments |
| Dethatching | $65–$165 | CA$100–$250 | Per-sq-ft × 1 |
| Aeration | $107–$202 | CA$80–$200 | Per-sq-ft × 1 |
| Fertilization | $67–$405 | CA$50–$150 / application | Per-sq-ft × 5 applications |
| Mulch refresh | ~$77–$94 / cu yd | — | Flat CA$/US$ 150 |
| Seeding / overseeding | $427–$1,514 | CA$150–$500 | Per-sq-ft × 1 |
| Leaf removal | $107–$435 | varies | Per-sq-ft × 2 cleanups |
| Yard cleanup | $216–$462 | CA$100–$300 / visit | Flat × 2 (spring + fall) |
5. Limitations & how to verify
- No official "lawn mowing price" exists. No government publishes a per-state mowing rate. We proxy regional cost with the Cost of Living Index, which is the most defensible public surrogate for local labour/overhead.
- Season length is an estimate. It reflects the frost-free growing window, not a surveyed "months people mow." Northern states are conservative.
- Prices are 2026 snapshots. Marketplace ranges shift with fuel, labour, and demand. Re-check the sources each season.
- Local variation is real. Within a state, urban cores and resort areas run above the index; rural areas below.
- Best practice: treat the output as a budgeting range, then get 2–3 local quotes. If you operate a lawn business, replace the
BASE,REGIONS, andSERVICESvalues inindex.htmlwith your own actual pricing — the formula stays valid.
Primary sources:
• MERIC / C2ER Cost of Living Index (Q2 2026) — meric.mo.gov/data/cost-living-data-series
• LawnStarter — Lawn Care Cost 2026 — lawnstarter.com/blog/cost/lawn-care-price
• Mow.ca — Lawn Mowing Prices in Canada 2026 — mow.ca/lawn-mowing-prices
• Dreame Canada — Lawn Care Pricing Chart 2026 — ca.dreametech.com/blogs/lawn-garden/lawn-care-pricing-chart
• USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — planthardiness.ars.usda.gov
• NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020) — ncei.noaa.gov/access/us-climate-normals
6. Affiliate & editorial disclosure
Some equipment and service links on this site are affiliate links (e.g., Amazon Associates). If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This does not affect the calculator's numbers — the pricing engine is independent of any affiliate relationship, and we do not rank or recommend providers based on commissions.