Coin-operated Laundries NAICS 812310

Jul 23, 2025 - Laundry Services Costs Up Year Over Year

• According to the Consumer Price Index released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the cost of laundry and dry cleaning services increased 4.9% in June 2025 compared to a year ago and grew 1.6% from the previous month. Employment by coin-operated laundries and dry cleaners increased 5.1% in April 2025 compared to a year ago, per the BLS. In the past decade, employment by coin-operated and dry cleaners was up 19.9%, faster than the 13.6% growth in overall private employment in the same period. Average wages for nonsupervisory employees at dry cleaning and laundry services rose 6.8% in April 2025 compared to a year ago and were up 11% over the past three years.
• Consumer sentiment, an indicator of discretionary spending, increased slightly in July 2025, rising to 61.8 in preliminary July data from 60.7 in June, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The consumer sentiment index from the University of Michigan hit a recent peak in December of 74, buoyed following the presidential election, but dropped to 52.2 in April 2025 as consumers expressed uncertainty about tariff effects and rising inflation. In July, respondents’ inflation expectations for the coming year were an anticipated price increase of 4.4%, which was tracking higher than in January, when respondents expected prices to grow by 3.9%. However, July’s inflation expectation results were lower than June’s, when respondents expected a 5% price increase for the coming year. The index serves as a predictor of consumer spending as it indicates consumers’ perception of their financial prospects and the broader economy.

• According to a recent American Co-Op Your Views Survey, self-service laundry operators can improve the industry from a customer perspective in several key ways: keeping all equipment in working order (45%), providing a comfortable, safe environment (22%), and keeping an attendant on duty (11%). Nearly a third of self-service laundry owners said that if their average customer had one complaint, it would be that the store’s vending pricing is too high and the drying time is too short. About 23% of respondents said the average customer’s top complaint is that the store is too small, which can create discomfort when busy. Other complaints highlighted in the survey include the store being unattended or the attendant on duty not being helpful (9%), too many machines not working (7%), and not enough attention paid to customer comfort (5%).
• The US coin-operated laundries industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.1% between 2025 and 2029, according to a forecast from Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. The expected growth rate is faster than the overall economy‘s anticipated growth. The report noted that consumer spending, along with expenditure by businesses, drives the other services sector. Consumer sentiment is expected to improve in the forecast period, which bodes well for the various other services sector industries. Factors that may limit consumer spending are higher tariffs on consumer goods, which may be painful for households. On a positive note, lower inflation supports a moderate increase of real disposable income by about 2% in 2025 and 1.9% in 2026. Real income could suffer to an extent if average prices rise due to tariff implementation.