How Much Does Leaf Removal Cost in 2024?

Most homeowners pay an average of $300 to hire a professional to remove fallen leaves. 

Most homeowners pay an average of $300 to hire a professional to remove fallen leaves from their lawns, with typical costs for leaf removal ranging between $165 and $485 nationwide. 

If the leaves in your yard are getting out of control, and you need a leaf removal company to come and clear them for you, you may be able to hire a pro for as little as $60 or as much as $740, depending on the size of your yard and the other factors we are about to cover.

Landscaping and more at the click of a button

With LawnStarter

Average Leaf Removal Costs in 2024

National Average Cost$300
Typical Price Range$165 – $485
Extreme Low-End Cost$60
Extreme High-End Cost$740

The table above shows the average costs for leaf removal services nationally. As you can see, prices vary a lot. Different factors contribute to the variance in prices, with lawn size and the number of trees on a property being the most important. 

For example, it’s more expensive to hire a company to remove leaves if you have 20 trees in a 2-acre yard than if you have 1 tree in a 1/4-acre yard. That is because there will be much more area and leaf volume to cover. As such, you can pay as little as $60 for an hour’s work or as high as $740 for a more time-consuming job.

Leaf Removal Cost Calculator by Yard Size

The average cost for leaf removal is $400 to $800 per acre. For 1/4 acre, the average residential property size in the United States, you can expect to pay between $100 and $200 for leaf removal.

As mentioned, these prices also vary depending on the number of trees on the property. Still, a large yard usually means more trees and, thus, more leaves to be removed, whereas a smaller yard will usually have fewer trees. 

The prices below can help you make an estimate based on your property size. 

Project Size Average Overall Cost 
1/6 acre$65 – $135
1/5 acre$80 – $160
1/4 acre$100 – $200
1/2 acre$200 – $400
3/4 acre$300 – $600
1 acre$400 – $800
2 acres$800 – $1,600

Other Factors That Affect Cost

If you’re not sure what to expect when you hire a company to rake your leaves, you should know many cost factors contribute to the overall price, aside from the size of your yard:

Type of Cleaning

Three different types of leaf clean-up methods can help you regain your yard, and each has its own cost.

Keep in mind that most professionals charge a minimum fee of $70 for a leaf removal service, regardless of how many hours they spend on the job.

Leaf Raking

Leaf raking is the standard process of collecting leaves into piles for pickup and disposal with a rake. Leaf raking has many benefits: it makes the yard look neat and tidy, doesn’t hurt your lawn, and prevents pests from making your yard their home.

However, it can be exhausting, and leaf raking service costs range from $25 to $50 per hour. In addition, if you’re planning on bagging and disposing of the leaves, you might be charged additionally for that (between $5 and $10 per bag).

Leaf Blowing

Leaf blowing is one of the best decisions you can make to keep your lawn healthy without too much work. A leaf blower costs an average of $149, or you can hire a professional leaf-blowing service for between $15 and $45 per hour. In addition, you may also need to pay between $5 and $10 per bag to dispose of the leaves.

Leaf Vacuum

Leaf vacuuming can make your life easier by removing all of the leaves in a short amount of time. A leaf vacuum will automatically suck the leaves into a bag, which can be emptied when full, so you won’t have to rake the leaves afterward. 

Professional leaf vacuuming will have an hourly rate of $35 to $60, plus $5 to $10 per bag of leaves to dispose of. However, there is an option to mulch the leaves with a mulching vacuum that shreds the leaves into small pieces. This is an excellent way to eliminate the disposal fees and to reuse the leaf waste as mulch.

Frequency

The cost of a contract with a lawn care professional for leaf removal will depend on the frequency with which you need the service. For instance, you’ll pay less per visit if you have a bi-weekly contract, but it will cost you more overall.

Many lawn care companies offer seasonal contracts for fall leaf cleanup, which will give you a lower per-visit cost than if you were to hire a pro for a one-off job. 

FrequencyAverage Costs Per Year
Bi-weekly Contract$1,000 – $1,500
Monthly Contract$300 – $900
Quarterly Contract$250 – $750
Annual Contract$125 – $400
One-time Visit$200 – $850
Seasonal ContractFall: $200 – $500
Spring: $100 – $300

Tree Density

Of all the factors that affect lawn care costs, one of the most important ones is the number of trees on your property. Leaf removal costs typically increase significantly as the trees on your property increase. 

That is primarily because more trees mean more leaves to be removed and, as such, more time and labor. Consider how many trees there are in your yard when estimating the costs for leaf removal.

Leaf Removal From Gutters

Leaves are a natural part of the fall season, but they can cause severe damage to your home if allowed to build up in your gutters. If you want to keep your house safe from water damage, it’s essential to keep your gutters free of clogs from debris and leaves.

Gutter cleaning costs an average of $240, with most homeowners paying between $105 and $375, or $0.70 to $2.50 per linear foot. These costs will add to your leaf removal expenses.

You can also invest in leaf guards, which reduce the need to clean gutters. Leaf guards typically cost $1,448, or between $684 and $2,213, and they work like a cover that prevents leaves and other debris from clogging up your rain gutters.

Get quality landscaping at an affordable cost

With LawnStarter

When it comes to lawn care, leaf removal is merely the initial step in achieving a neat and debris-free space. However, leaf removal alone might not address all of your yard maintenance needs, so you might want to consider these additional services:

Yard Cleanup

Keeping your yard tidy is much more than just removing leaves. There are all sorts of yard debris you may need to get rid of and yard services you must prepare for. 

Yard clean-up services may include:

  • Mulching leaves
  • Bagging yard waste
  • Trash or furniture removal 
  • Hauling away debris
  • Flower bed and garden clean-ups
  • Bush trimming

Yard cleanup costs around $280, with most homeowners paying between $170 and $375, depending on the clean-up services required and the yard size. 

Lawn Mowing

A lot of work goes into a yard, and leaf removal is just one facet of the lawn maintenance process. If you have a lawn, you also have to factor in the costs of lawn mowing in your budget.

Professionals typically charge between $30 to $65 to mow a lawn, depending on the size, or between $33 to $70 per hour. However, you can get your own lawn mower for as little as $57. The table below shows the average costs for lawn mowers:

Type of Lawn MowerAverage Cost
Reel Mower$104
Walk-behind Lawn Mower$363
Riding Lawn Mower$2,450
Robot Mower$1,470

Bush Trimming

Bush trimming is the process of keeping bushes the proper size by cutting branches that are sticking out. Bush trimming makes your yard look tidier, and you can either do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you. 

Bush trimming costs between $50 and $75 per hour, or $6 to $15 per bush, if you hire a professional.

Pro Cost vs. DIY Cost

You can remove leaves yourself if you’ve got the energy and motivation. It’s not a difficult task, but it’s important to note that this can be physically demanding work. So, if you’re not up for a workout, we recommend hiring someone else to do it for you.

You can remove leaves using a rake, a leaf blower, or a leaf vacuum, and each has its own costs:

DIY EquipmentAverage Cost
Rake$25
Leaf Blower$149
Leaf Vacuum$149

It might be worth investing in a leaf blower or leaf vacuum for an average of $149, especially since you’ll most likely use it throughout the year. The chances of straining your back while using them are lower than with a rake.

In case you’re not sure about what to do with the leaves after you’ve raked them, you can turn them into mulch or compost for your soil.

Cost of Leaf Removal by Location

When looking for leaf removal, you might be surprised to find that prices vary by location. For example, suppose you’re in a rural area. In that case, you can expect to pay less than someone in a metropolitan area because there is a higher demand for workers and a higher cost of living.

For example, if you need leaf removal in a city like New York, Chicago, or San Francisco, you’ll pay more per hour than you would in the suburbs.

FAQ

What is the Best Way to Get Rid of a Large Amount of Leaves?

The best way to get rid of a large amount of leaves is by using a leaf vacuum with a shredder inside that will shred the leaves into pieces, allowing them to be used to improve your lawn as mulch

You can also use a mulching mower to mow over the leaves until they are shredded to about ½ inch in size and use the leaves to add nutrients back into the soil.

What Happens if You Don’t Clean Up Leaves?

If you don’t clean up leaves, you are throwing away all the hard work you’ve put into your lawn. A thick layer of leaves can prevent the lawn from absorbing nutrients and sunlight, and those leaves can be a good place for pests such as spiders and armyworms to hide. 

In addition, if you let too much moisture build up under the leaves, you could end up with mold or mildew. All of these factors will have an impact on how well your yard looks and smells.

Is it Better to Mulch or Bag Leaves?

It would help if you mulch leaves whenever you can. Mulching adds nutrients back into the soil, which can contribute to your lawn’s growth and reduce the amount of waste you produce. 

The only time you should not mulch leaves is when you have walnut, eucalyptus, and camphor laurel trees, as their leaves contain substances that can prevent grass growth.

How Much Does Fall Clean-Up Cost?

Fall clean-up costs are typically between $200 and $500 per year on a seasonal contract. This pricing reflects the increased volume of leaves and debris common in the fall, requiring more work to clear away. 

When to Hire a LawnStarter Pro 

Leaf removal can be quite a task during the fall, but luckily, you don’t have to tackle that problem alone. 

The costs for leaf removal range between $165 and $485, averaging around $300. The variation in price is often due to the yard’s size, type of cleaning, frequency, and tree density.

If you need a professional and are looking for the best way to get the job done, it’s not hard to find quality and affordable lawn care in your area. Call a local leaf removal service to ensure a healthy and appealing lawn.

Order top-notch landscaping service with easy online booking

With LawnStarter

Main Image Credit: David Goehring / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

Maria Isabela Reis

Maria Isabela Reis

Maria Isabela Reis is a writer, psychologist, and plant enthusiast. She is currently doing a PhD in Social Psychology; and can't help but play with every dog she sees walking down the street.