Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers Salary
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC make a median of $38,610 a year, or about $18.56 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $39,572 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month, about 63.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About landscaping and groundskeeping workers
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What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers pay in Durham-Chapel Hill tracks closely to the national median, $39K locally vs. $39K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,711/month, which is 65.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for landscaping and groundskeeping workers in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $39K | $40K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $39K | $39K |
| Wilmington | $37K | $38K |
| Winston-Salem | $37K | $41K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level landscaping and groundskeeping workers (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $49K | +25% | 800 |
| Massachusetts | $49K | +24% | 22,880 |
| Alaska | $48K | +22% | 1,080 |
| Washington | $47K | +20% | 22,550 |
| Minnesota | $47K | +19% | 17,610 |
| Vermont | $46K | +18% | 2,700 |
| Maine | $46K | +17% | 6,410 |
| Hawaii | $46K | +17% | 7,040 |
| Colorado | $46K | +17% | 21,990 |
| Connecticut | $46K | +17% | 13,490 |
| California | $46K | +16% | 106,180 |
| Montana | $45K | +16% | 4,270 |
| Oregon | $45K | +15% | 11,870 |
| New Hampshire | $45K | +15% | 6,050 |
| New York | $45K | +15% | 47,600 |
| Rhode Island | $45K | +14% | 4,040 |
| Illinois | $44K | +12% | 34,780 |
| Idaho | $42K | +6% | 7,980 |
| New Jersey | $41K | +6% | 30,470 |
| Wisconsin | $41K | +5% | 18,970 |
| North Dakota | $41K | +4% | 2,100 |
| Utah | $41K | +4% | 12,850 |
| Pennsylvania | $40K | +1% | 34,850 |
| Maryland | $39K | +1% | 17,440 |
| Kansas | $39K | +0% | 9,480 |
| Nebraska | $39K | -0% | 7,280 |
| Iowa | $39K | -1% | 8,800 |
| Arizona | $39K | -1% | 22,450 |
| Nevada | $39K | -1% | 9,980 |
| Missouri | $39K | -2% | 18,310 |
| Virginia | $38K | -2% | 25,180 |
| Wyoming | $38K | -2% | 1,790 |
| Ohio | $38K | -2% | 34,420 |
| Michigan | $38K | -3% | 32,330 |
| Indiana | $38K | -3% | 19,260 |
| Georgia | $38K | -3% | 25,510 |
| North Carolina | $38K | -3% | 32,730 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -4% | 5,030 |
| Delaware | $37K | -5% | 4,130 |
| Florida | $37K | -5% | 86,040 |
| Tennessee | $37K | -5% | 18,250 |
| Texas | $37K | -6% | 63,430 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -6% | 15,600 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -6% | 8,920 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -9% | 6,610 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -9% | 9,280 |
| Alabama | $36K | -9% | 12,020 |
| South Dakota | $35K | -10% | 2,980 |
| Louisiana | $35K | -11% | 8,510 |
| West Virginia | $32K | -18% | 3,340 |
| Mississippi | $32K | -19% | 4,940 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track landscaping and groundskeeping workers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a landscaping and groundskeeping worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 65.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new landscaping and groundskeeping workers typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,049/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 84% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is landscaping and groundskeeping worker a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $39K locally vs. $39K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do landscaping and groundskeeping workers make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $38,610 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,150, and experienced landscaping and groundskeeping workers can clear $53,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,610/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 65.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a landscaping and groundskeeping workers salary go in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median landscaping and groundskeeping workers salary is worth about $39,572 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do landscaping and groundskeeping workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.