How Much Does a Laundromat Make? Revenue, Profit, and Income per Machine

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A laundromat’s earnings vary enormously. CLA, The Laundry Association, says coin laundries can generate cash flow of $15,000 to $300,000 a year, or roughly $1,250 to $25,000 a month. What a particular store makes comes down to how many machines it has, what it charges per cycle, how often each machine is used, and how much of that revenue goes to rent, utilities, and other costs.

Last updated: November 14, 2026.

This guide shows how laundromat revenue is built up machine by machine, what owners typically spend, and how to estimate the profit of a store you are thinking of buying or building. For startup costs, see how much it costs to open a laundromat. Our other owner guides are on the coin laundry and laundromats page.

The industry picture

CLA’s industry overview says there are about 29,500 coin laundries in the United States, generating nearly $5 billion in gross revenue a year. Dividing one figure by the other gives a rough average of about $170,000 in gross revenue per store. CLA does not publish that average itself, and the spread between small and large stores is wide, so treat it only as a sense of scale.

CLA also notes that coin laundries have no inventory and no receivables, which is part of why owners describe them as cash-flow businesses. Stores usually run from about 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and occupy 1,000 to 5,000 square feet.

How much a laundromat makes per machine

The basic formula for a washer is simple:

Revenue per washer = price per cycle × turns per day × days open

“Turns per day” is the industry term for how many times, on average, each machine is used daily. CLA says the range for washing machines is generally from three to as high as eight or more turns per day. It lists the main factors that affect turns: population density, the share of renters, the capacity and number of washers, the store’s vend prices compared with the local market, and the quality and amount of competition.

Here is what that looks like for one washer at an example price of $4.00 per cycle, open every day of the year. The price is an illustration, not a national average. Use the prices posted at stores in your area instead.

Turns per day	Revenue per day	Revenue per year
3	$12.00	$4,380
5	$20.00	$7,300
8	$32.00	$11,680

Large washers usually charge more per cycle than small ones, so a store’s revenue depends on the mix. Many machine controls allow different prices by cycle or size. One seller’s listing for a Speed Queen commercial top-loader, for example, describes multi-level vend pricing that charges more for heavier cycles.

How much dryers add

Dryer revenue is usually measured against washer revenue. CLA says dryer income generally runs between 40 and 60 percent of total washer income. It depends on how much laundry the washers generate, the vend prices on both washers and dryers, how efficiently the dryers heat, how many dryers there are relative to washers, and their size.

Example: estimating one store’s revenue

The example below uses round, made-up inputs to show the method. It is not a typical store, and the result should not be read as an average.

Input or result	Example value
Number of washers	25
Average price per wash	$4.00
Average turns per day	4
Washer revenue per year (25 × $4.00 × 4 × 365)	$146,000
Dryer revenue at 40 to 60 percent of washer revenue (CLA range)	$58,400 to $87,600
Total machine revenue per year	$204,400 to $233,600

Many stores also earn “other income.” CLA lists vending, dry cleaning, and wash-dry-fold service in this category, and notes that income and expense percentages can differ significantly for stores that offer those services.

From revenue to profit

CLA lists the typical expense categories on a laundromat profit and loss statement: accounting, advertising, insurance, legal costs, licenses, maintenance (parts and labor), payroll, personal property tax, rent, common area maintenance charges, utilities (gas, water, electric, and sewer), vending expenses, and miscellaneous costs such as wash-dry-fold supplies and labor. Each varies from store to store and region to region.

A few published benchmarks help with the biggest lines:

All operating expenses. Wolters Kluwer says ongoing expenses can range from 65 percent or more of gross income, and suggests planning for about $4,000 to $8,500 a month.
Utilities. Gold Coin Laundry Equipment, a distributor, says in its FAQ that utilities often average 15 to 25 percent of monthly gross income with efficient machines, and can exceed 30 percent with older equipment.
Rent. CLA’s step-by-step guide suggests a rent target of no more than roughly 10 to 25 percent of gross sales.

If you apply a 65 percent expense ratio to the example store above, it would leave about $71,500 to $81,800 a year before loan payments and before paying the owner. A store with higher rent, older machines, or paid attendants could keep far less; a store with a low rent and efficient equipment could keep more.

How much laundromat owners make

Owner income is what is left after operating expenses and debt payments, not a salary set in advance. CLA notes that owner salary, interest, and depreciation usually show up on tax returns but are left out of the standard profit and loss statement used to value a store, and that the resale standard assumes an owner-operator with no outside management fee.

That has two practical effects. An owner who does the cleaning, collections, and minor repairs keeps money that would otherwise go to staff. An owner who hires a manager should subtract that cost from the cash flow figure. If the store was bought with a loan, the monthly loan payment also comes out before the owner is paid.

What makes one laundromat earn more than another

CLA lists the factors behind store performance: demographics, the services offered, design and condition, equipment selection, condition and vend prices, hours of operation, the building’s visibility, parking, and competition. Its white paper on demographic analysis and site selection adds that people with their own washer and dryer, homeowners, and high-income households are generally less likely to use a coin laundry, while CLA’s overview says stores do especially well in densely populated areas with many renters.

On the cost side, efficient machines help. ENERGY STAR says certified commercial clothes washers are on average 9 percent more efficient and use about 45 percent less water than standard models, which matters when utilities take a fifth or more of revenue.

How earnings affect what a laundromat is worth

CLA says existing coin laundries usually sell for three to five times their net cash flow. In the example above, net cash flow of about $71,500 to $81,800 a year would suggest a price somewhere around $215,000 to $409,000, depending on the lease, equipment age, and location. Our guide to buying a laundromat explains how to verify a seller’s numbers.

How to estimate earnings for a real store

Count the washers and dryers by size, and note the price posted on each.
Estimate turns per day from payment-system reports or meter readings if you are buying, or from the competition and demographics if you are building.
Calculate washer revenue, then add dryer revenue using CLA’s 40 to 60 percent range or the store’s own records.
Add other income from vending and services.
Subtract each expense category using real quotes and bills: rent and CAM charges, utilities, insurance, maintenance, payroll, and the rest.
Subtract loan payments to see what is left for the owner.

If you are comparing a laundromat visit with washing at home as a customer, our laundry cost calculator does that math instead.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a laundromat make a month?

CLA’s cash-flow range of $15,000 to $300,000 a year works out to roughly $1,250 to $25,000 a month. Revenue is higher than cash flow, because rent, utilities, and other expenses come out first.

How much does a laundromat make a year?

CLA puts annual cash flow at $15,000 to $300,000, and its industry totals imply average gross revenue of roughly $170,000 per store. Use the per-machine method above to estimate a specific store.

How much does one washer make per day?

Multiply the price per cycle by turns per day. CLA says washers generally see three to eight or more turns a day, so a washer priced at an example $4.00 per cycle would bring in about $12 to $32 a day.

Are laundromats profitable?

Many are, but not all. Profit depends on revenue staying well ahead of rent, utilities, and debt payments. See is coin laundry a good business for the advantages and risks.

What is a typical laundromat profit margin?

There is no single published margin that fits every store. Wolters Kluwer says ongoing expenses can be 65 percent or more of gross income, which would leave about a third of revenue or less before loan payments and the owner’s pay. Your actual margin depends on rent, utility rates, payroll, and equipment age.