26 Statistics About The Appliance Repair Industry In 2023

We all use appliances in our homes. They make our lives so much easier and take care of tasks that we’d have to spend several hours working on.

For example, before the invention of the first electric washing machine in 1907 (Thor, by the Hurley Machine Company of Chicago), washing clothes by hand was a massive hassle. Luckily we don’t have to do things that way anymore, but what happens when your trusty appliance breaks down?

People rarely ever talk about the art of fixing appliances – but in my humble opinion, they should. Here are 26 statistics about the appliance repair industry that you likely didn’t know!

Appliance Repair Industry Historical Statistics

To learn more about the appliance repair industry, it’s important to know some general aspects of the history of household machines for various purposes. Here’s some of them.

1. According to IBIS World, the estimated value of this industry for 2023 will be $5.4B, which is not pocket change.
2. The first refrigerators on the market were sold for anywhere between $500-1,000, which might not sound like much, but it’s the modern equivalent of a whopping $6,500-13,000.
3. The average appliance repairman’s wage went from around $3 an hour in the 80s, to nearly $24 in 2023.
4. According to The Atlantic, in the ’70s appliances were made to last anywhere between 18–20 years, whereas modern ones are expected to last only about 10-12.

Appliance Repair Industry Market Statistics

5. There are approximately 34,000 appliance repair businesses in the US alone!
6. These employ about 70,052 people.
7. The highest concentration of appliance repair businesses can be found in the states of California, Texas, and New York.
8. The most repaired appliances are typically refrigerators, washers & dryers, dishwashers, ovens, and AC units.
9. According to IBIS World, the demand for appliance repairs is highest in households with an annual income range of $50,000-$100,000.
10. The appliance repair industry market is expected to be worth around $6.7B by 2026.
11. In North America alone, the market size by 2019 was approximately $2.45B.
12. The majority of people in the US paying for appliance repairs are in the age range of 35-54.
13. According to the National Home Service Contract Association, about 78% of homeowners have attempted a DIY appliance repair.
14. About 56% of American homeowners would rather replace a broken appliance than repair it. This number increased from 46% pre-pandemic.
15. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state with the highest hourly wage for appliance repair workers is New Jersey with a mean hourly wage of $29.29 (2021).
16. The chip shortage in 2021 heavily impacted the production of appliances like fridges, microwaves, and washing machines.
17. In 2022, more than 55% of homeowners spent money on either repairing or replacing their faulty appliances.
18. According to Google Trends, searches for “appliance repair near me” increased by nearly 500% between 2018 and 2021.
19. In 2020, over 8 million refrigerators were sold in the U.S.
20. The average appliance repair costs about the same as a 2-day pass to Disneyland.

Appliance Repair Industry Marketing Statistics

21. A study by Nielsen showed that about 92% of appliance consumers trust the recommendation of a friend or family member over any other form of advertising (except online reviews).
22. According to several studies, companies that offer financing options get tickets 25% higher than those that don’t.
23. Facebook is the most popular social media for appliance repair service advertising.

Appliance User Statistics

24. The percentage of users with Smart appliances is expected to grow from 10.5% in 2021, to 21% by 2025.
25. If their appliances break, the following percentage of homeowners trying to schedule in-home repairs will:

26. According to Statista, appliance ownership in America is split as follows:

Conclusion

That about covers it!

The appliance repair industry is enormous and keeps growing by the minute. With millions of new appliances being purchased every year by American homeowners, repairmen have their work cut out for them.

I hope this piece was both informational and interesting. After all, there’s no such thing as having too much knowledge, and these statistics can come in handy when you go out shopping for your next home appliance.

If you enjoyed what you read, please check out our other incredible resources below. On the site, you can find all sorts of solutions for common appliance issues, such as a refrigerator stuck in defrost mode, or an oven leaking grease.

I wish you nothing but the best.

— Craig.