Homeowners with an average-sized yard typically spend between $107 and $202 to aerate their lawn. The primary cost factors are yard size, aeration type, and geographic location.
Aeration creates tiny holes in the soil, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to reach the grass’s roots. You may pay up to $550 if you have a 1-acre yard, or as little as $35 if you have a tiny lawn.
This guide gathers data from both small and big cities across the U.S., so you can get a better idea of how much this lawn care task will cost you.
Cost by Location
Your geographic location also impacts the total cost of aerating your lawn for the following reasons:
- Soil type varies by location and affects the type of aeration you can use on your lawn. Areas with sandy soil, like Deerfield Beach, FL, usually do fine with spike aeration, which costs significantly less than the core aeration used on loam or clay soil.
- Labor costs also vary depending on your geographic location. Homeowners in urban areas with a high cost of living should expect to pay more for aeration.
- Average yard size varies from state to state. Larger yards are more expensive to aerate, but the per-square-foot cost is often lower in areas with atypically large yards.
Check the table below for an overview of aeration costs across the country:
| City | Average Cost Range (Including Labor and Materials) |
| Northeast U.S. | |
| Pawtucket, RI | $107 – $201 |
| New York, NY | $133 – $255 |
| Southeast U.S. | |
| Dothan, AL | $94 – $174 |
| Orlando, FL | $96 – $179 |
| Atlanta, GA | $97 – $180 |
| Midwest U.S. | |
| South Bend, IN | $111 – $209 |
| Chicago, IL | $120 – $228 |
| Northwest U.S. | |
| Salem, OR | $104 – $194 |
| Seattle, WA | $123 – $235 |
| Southwest U.S. | |
| Houston, TX | $96 – $178 |
| Roswell, NM | $97 – $180 |
| San Diego, CA | $113 – $214 |
Cost by Yard Size
The average cost per square foot to aerate a lawn is $0.07 to $0.27. However, most landscapers don’t price lawn aeration services by the square foot. Instead, they have pricing tiers (based on yard size ranges) or charge by the acre. They’ll usually only charge by square foot if you have a really small yard.
See typical pricing by yard size in the table below.
| Yard Size | Average Overall Cost of Aeration |
| 500 sq. ft. | $35 – $63 |
| 1,000 sq. ft. | $53 – $175 |
| ⅛ acre | $75 – $118 |
| ¼ acre | $116 – $191 |
| ½ acre | $162 – $250 |
| 1 acre | $392 – $550 |
Most homeowners in the U.S. pay between $107 and $202 if your lawn is between 1/8 and 1/4 acre, depending on a few other factors.
Cost by Aeration Type
Please see the average pricing by aeration type below.
| Aeration Type | Average Cost |
| Liquid aeration | $90 – $145 |
| Spike aeration | $62 – $225 |
| Core aeration | $94 – $230 |
There are three main types of lawn aeration:
- Liquid aeration is the least expensive type and is also the easiest to implement. Unfortunately, it is also the least effective aeration process. Studies show there is no liquid solution as effective as physical aeration methods (i.e., spike or core aeration).
- Spike aeration uses solid tines to penetrate the soil and push away thatch. It works best on sandy soil.
- Core aeration is the crème de la crème of aeration methods and is also the most expensive. A core aerator uses hollow tines to penetrate the soil and then remove the soil cores. This method is recommended for loam or clay soil and is also best for compacted soil.
For more information on aeration types, check out these guides:
- Liquid Aeration vs. Core Aeration: What’s the Difference?
- Core Aeration vs. Spike Aeration: What’s the Difference?
- What is Core Aeration?
Pro Cost vs. DIY Cost
For DIY lawn aeration, you will need a lawn aerator, physical strength, and the know-how to aerate a lawn.
Renting a core aerator costs around $100 per day, plus an additional deposit of $75 to $150 (refundable). Renting a spike aerator will cost less than that, but the aeration won’t be as effective as it would with a core aerator.
If you have a small yard, you may pay more for equipment rental than a professional would charge for the service. Moreover, aeration is very physically demanding, especially on sloped land.
Affordable DIY aeration: If you can’t afford to hire a professional lawn care company or rent aeration equipment, there are some very affordable ways to do spike aeration. You can use any handy equipment with spikes (e.g., pitchfork or rake) to poke holes in the soil. A pitchfork isn’t as effective as professional equipment, but it is usually better than not aerating at all.
Other Factors That Affect Cost
Other than the size of your yard, here’s what else you should take into consideration for an accurate lawn aeration price estimate:
Slope of the Yard
It is difficult to maneuver an aeration machine over sloped land, so expect to pay more if your yard has slopes. Of course, the steeper the slopes, the higher the price tag.
Preparation Work
Your yard should be clean and mowed before the lawn care company begins aerating. If your lawn isn’t prepared, expect to pay extra for these additional services:
- Mowing: It’s crucial to mow your lawn to the recommended height before aeration. So, ask your landscaping company how much they charge for this lawn service.
- Yard cleanup: After mowing, you also must rid your lawn of debris, dead grass, fallen leaves, and other clutter. Yard cleanup prices vary depending on the square footage of your yard, the amount of debris, and the type of clutter.
- Dethatching: For the best results, you should always dethatch your lawn before aerating. Thatch is a layer of debris that settles between the turf and soil, and dethatching is the process of removing the thatch layer.
Lawn Care Packages
Instead of purchasing each lawn care service separately, many homeowners purchase lawn care packages. Packages include yearly contracts and seasonal packages (e.g., spring and fall cleanups). Buying multiple services together is a great way to pay a flat rate and save money.
Services commonly bundled with lawn aeration include mowing, dethatching, and overseeding.
FAQ
The number of times you should aerate your lawn depends on the soil type and foot traffic:
● High-traffic, clay soil lawns typically need aeration twice a year.
● Medium-traffic, loamy soil lawns usually need aeration once a year.
● Low-traffic, sandy soil can be aerated every two to three years.
For more information, read our article: How Often Should You Aerate Your Lawn?
The best months for aerating lawns are during the grass’s peak growing season so it can quickly recover and flourish.
● For cool-season grass, the peak growing season is early fall and early spring.
● For warm-season grass, aerate in late spring and early summer.
Your lawn needs a few weeks to recover after aeration. So, refrain from walking on the lawn right after aeration because you may:
● Cause soil compaction
● Leave indentations where soil cores were removed
● Accidentally plant weeds in the holes
Many homeowners get seeding and fertilization at the same time as aeration, and walking on the lawn can damage seeds and remove nutrients from the soil.
Give Your Lawn Room to Breathe
If you want a lush and beautiful lawn, it is essential to keep up with lawn maintenance. The best yards on the block are aerated, fertilized, and regularly mowed. However, the best way to get a jaw-dropping lawn is to contact an experienced lawn care pro to do these services for you.
Maria Isabela Reis contributed to this article.
Main Photo Credit: Kamil Macniak / Shutterstock
