Survey: How much will a great summer cost homeowners in 2025?

Methodology

In April 2025, we surveyed 1,009 homeowners across the U.S. about their summer plans and what they anticipated spending, from utility costs to cookout plans. We then tabulated these expenses to see what the average summer budget would look like for an American homeowner. Survey respondents ranged from 20 to 75, with an average age of 46. 50% were men, and 50% were women.

Nearly half of homeowners are worried about affording summer 2025

Let’s face it: the cost of living has turned up the heat on summer’s affordability. Nearly 3 in 5 homeowners say that summer is the most expensive season for them; happily, 78% also say the season is worth the high cost. 

Homeowners aren’t the most optimistic about the economy: 51% are worried the current economy will ruin their summer, and 48% are worried about affording summer 2025 at all. 

Two in 5 are changing their summer plans this year to cut costs, with top changes including:

• Less travel (48%)
• Fewer parties and cookouts (28%)
• Cutting back on DIY projects (27%)
• Less landscaping (19%)
• Reducing HVAC use (17%)

That said, many still have big plans this summer, with just over 1 in 4 planning on traveling this year. Other anticipated activities include time at home (23%), grilling/cookouts (17%), socializing (14%), and having the kids at home (10%). Who doesn’t love relaxing during the dog days of summer? 

Monthly Summer Homeowner’s Budget 2025

To calculate our overall summer budget, we looked at two main types of expenses: recurring, regular monthly expenses as well as cumulative summer-long expenses like travel and kids’ camp. 

For monthly expenses, we asked about electric and water bills as well as landscaping and gardening costs, grill supplies, and pool maintenance. While not every homeowner has a pool, we felt it important to include as pools are most popular in the summer. We analyzed this data by major region of the U.S. to best see where summer might cost more.

Interestingly, electricity is anticipated to cost the most per month in the Southwest, while perhaps unsurprisingly, water costs the most in the West. Landscaping, pool maintenance, and grill supplies also all cost the most in the west, where the cost of living tends to be higher. 

Total Monthly Summer Costs by Region (With a Pool):

• Northeast: $782
• South $747
• Midwest $606
• Southwest: $801
• West: $1035
• National Average: $769

Total Monthly Summer Costs by Region (No Pool):

• Northeast: $557
• South $747
• Midwest $413
• Southwest: $597
• West: $635
• National Average: $536

The Midwest appears to cost the least in the summer, perhaps a function of its milder climate and lower water costs due to the Great Lakes. 

The Total Cost of Summer 2025 for U.S. Homeowners: $7,075

We also surveyed homeowners on other key aspects of summer, including travel plans, any childcare or camps, garden needs, DIY projects, and the beloved summer cookout, asking for the anticipated total cost for the summer. 

Some interesting trends come to light in these numbers: the Midwest is the least expensive in almost every category except for parties and cookouts, in which it is the second most expensive after the West. The Midwest loves to party in the summer! 

Total Cost of Summer 2025 

• Northeast $7,437
• South $6,851
• Midwest $6,512
• Southwest $6,678
• West: $8,352
• National Average: $7,075

This boils down to $2,358 per month for all expenses! 

Top Summer 2025 DIY Projects 

For those planning on doing a summer DIY project, about 75% of homeowners, outdoor projects are most popular because the weather is more favorable. Nearly half are planning a landscaping project, and a similar amount are embarking on a painting journey, either exterior or interior. Other top projects include working on the deck or patio and a general remodeling project.

43% filling pools later in the season to save money

Roughly 1 in 4 (23%) homeowners own a pool. While pools inevitably make you very popular in the summer, they also come with a higher cost of maintenance due to water, filtration, and cleaning. While the most popular month to fill a seasonal pool is May, 32% keep their pools filled year-round.

One way to save is to fill the pool later in the season to mitigate maintenance costs; 43% are doing this in 2025 to save money. With that being said, the vast majority (83%) of homeowners still believe that owning a pool is worth the cost. 

Gas Grills Reign Supreme

What’s summer without barbecue? Over 3 in 4 homeowners own an outdoor grill, and among them, over 3 in 5 own a gas grill. Charcoal accounts for most of the rest, with 4% selecting wood burning or some other type of grill. Additionally, 41% of homeowners are planning on throwing a summer shindig in 2025 with a cookout. 

Summer has so much fun packed into just a few months- and while it can be costly, it can also let Americans kick back and relax a bit after a long, cold winter. Plan ahead by getting a home warranty that protects your home systems and appliances, like that AC unit, without having to worry when a covered item has a surprise breakdown. Here's to 2025 being the best summer yet!

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