Why Laundromats Remain a Reliable Business in the U.S.

Laundromats have become a popular topic on TikTok, where owners often share revenue figures and portray the business as an easy side hustle. The appeal is understandable: laundry is a basic need, stores do not carry traditional inventory, and customers return regularly.

Still, the business looks very different when viewed beyond social media clips. Costs, location, maintenance, staffing and owner involvement all shape the actual results.

The lasting appeal of laundromats comes less from internet hype and more from a simple fact: millions of Americans still need access to washers and dryers.

A Large and Established Industry

The U.S. laundromat industry is larger than many people realize. The Coin Laundry Association (CLA) estimates that the country has about 29,500 coin laundries, generating nearly $5 billion in annual gross revenue.

The business model also has some practical advantages. Laundromats generally do not need to hold inventory, and they do not depend on customers paying invoices later. Instead, customers pay when they use the machines. That structure can support steady cash flow when the store has a strong location and reliable equipment.

Instagram | @24laundromat | The U.S. laundromat industry spans nearly 29,500 locations generating $5 billion annually.

However, stable demand does not automatically mean easy ownership. A laundromat still faces rent, utilities, repairs, equipment replacement, cleaning and other operating expenses.

There is no single price for entering the industry. According to the CLA, laundromat values can range from roughly $50,000 to more than $1 million.

The difference often comes down to the store’s size, location, equipment and financial performance. A smaller laundromat in a mid-sized community may require far less capital than a large operation in a densely populated metropolitan area.

That wide price range also makes the financial picture harder to judge from social media posts. A revenue screenshot does not show the purchase price, debt, operating costs or equipment expenses behind the number.

Income Depends Heavily on Location

The CLA reports annual cash flow ranging from about $15,000 to $300,000 for laundromats. Location, customer volume and management can create major differences between individual stores.

One widely discussed example comes from Cambria “Cami” Wengert, known online as The Laundromat Girl. In one TikTok video, Wengert said her laundromat generated $2,786 over four days during what she described as the slow season.

Her income has also extended beyond the physical business. Wengert has said TikTok views generated about $3,000 to $4,000 per month, excluding brand deals, while her laundromat courses brought in $26,000 during one month.

Those figures show why laundromat content attracts attention online. Yet social media income and course sales are separate from the economics of running a laundry store.

@laundromatgirl Link in bio! #laundromat #business #money ♬ original sound – Laundromat Girl

Why Customers Keep Coming Back

The strongest reason laundromats remain relevant is necessity. Laundry cannot simply be postponed forever, and not every rental home provides a washer and dryer.

The American Housing Survey reported that about 17.5 million occupied U.S. housing units, or roughly 13%, did not have a washing machine in 2023.

Renters often place a high value on in-unit laundry. RentCafe’s 2025 survey found that 63% of renters considered it a must-have apartment feature. Apartments.com’s fourth-quarter 2025 research produced a similar result, with 64% of renters saying they would not rent a home without it.

That creates an important gap. Many renters want private laundry but still live in homes without it. For those households, laundromats remain a practical solution.

Where the Business Has an Advantage

Population density and renter concentration can strongly influence laundromat demand. The CLA identifies densely populated, renter-heavy areas as particularly suitable markets.

Zillow’s analysis of nearly 5.6 million rental listings adds another useful piece of information. Listings that mentioned in-unit laundry received 78% more saves and 92% more shares per day than comparable listings without that feature.

Emily McDonald, Zillow’s rental trends expert, said renters are spending more time searching for homes and becoming more deliberate about their choices. For laundromats, the broader point is straightforward: when large numbers of renters lack laundry equipment at home, nearby self-service facilities can fill a recurring need.

Social Media Changed the Perception

Creators such as Wengert helped bring laundromat ownership into mainstream online conversations. As of August 2026, she had more than 486,000 TikTok followers documenting her experience with the business.

Wengert told People, “I just wanted a very simple business that I felt like I could run.” She also recalled walking into a laundromat for the first time and thinking, “I can do this.”

Instagram | goodgritmag | While customer service is minimal, running a laundromat still takes active management and equipment maintenance.

By 2026, the trend had become prominent enough for SFGate to describe laundromat ownership as a “viral passive income trend.” San Francisco entrepreneurs Jonathan Canites and Brian Lagman said that portrayal influenced their decision to purchase a laundromat in 2024.

Lagman told SFGate that he wanted something “turnkey” and “quote, unquote, passive, with less people, not a lot of headaches.”

Passive Income Has Limits

The word “passive” can create an inaccurate picture of ownership. American Coin-Op’s State of the Industry survey found that more than 70% of self-service laundry owners said their businesses improved in 2025. At the same time, 63.5% described their involvement as full-time. Only 36.5% reported working part-time.

Wengert’s own experience shows why the distinction matters. Her eventual 10-to-15-hour workweek came after years of building the operation, adding pickup and delivery services and hiring employees.

A laundromat can require less daily customer interaction than many other businesses, but that does not remove the work. Machines need maintenance, stores need cleaning, utilities must be monitored and customer issues still require attention.

Could Portable Washers Change Demand?

Portable washing machines offer renters another option. These compact units can handle smaller loads without requiring a full-size washer installation.

Still, they have limitations. Small capacity makes them less practical for families, large loads and bulky items. Customers who need regular access to full-size washers and dryers may continue using laundromats even when portable machines become more common.

The long-term strength of laundromats comes from recurring demand rather than social media popularity. Nearly 29,500 U.S. coin laundries, billions in annual revenue and millions of homes without washing machines point to an established market.

The numbers also show why ownership should not be treated as automatic passive income. Purchase price, location, equipment, operating expenses and owner involvement can determine whether a laundromat becomes a dependable business or an expensive responsibility.

Social media may have made laundromats trendier, but the underlying demand for clean clothes is what keeps customers coming back.