Laundromat Ownership
The short answer: Laundromat ownership can net about $300K per store at 30-40% margins, according to one full-time financial planner with four Cincinnati stores on Chris Koerner's podcast, one owner's report. The catch in laundromat ownership is capital: a new 4,000-5,000 sq ft store costs about $1.5M with 20% down. (Chris Koerner) Laundromat ownership suits people who can finance that and run stores on nights and weekends alongside a career.
| Median pay of employed laundry and dry-cleaning workers | $16.78/hr ($34,890/yr) BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employee pay, not side-hustle income |
|---|---|
| Projected job growth, laundry and dry-cleaning workers | +4.3% BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| One creator's reported startup cost | $1,200,000–$2,200,000 2 reports by Chris Koerner, Aug 2024–Sep 2026 |
| One creator's reported hours | 4–5 hrs/week Reported by The Side Hustle Show, May 2026 |
From 15 quotes by 3 creators and BLS data. A creator figure is one person's account.
Go deeper: every source on laundromat ownership
How much do laundromat owners make?
Laundromat owners report different scales: Melbourne digital marketer Jono roughly tripled revenue at his store with cashless payments and paid Google ads. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers, employees in a different job from owners, earned a median $34,890 a year in May 2025, per the BLS. (The Side Hustle Show; BLS OEWS)
At Laundry Spot, utilities run under 10% of revenue and labor around 20%. (Chris Koerner)
| Related occupation | Median pay | Middle 80% |
|---|---|---|
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $16.78/hr ($34,890/yr), BLS OEWS, May 2025 | $27,440–$43,190/yr |
Median annual pay of employed laundry and dry-cleaning workers: $34,890 nationally; highest and lowest states below (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Highest-paying states | Median | Lowest-paying states | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $39,590/yr | Louisiana | $27,460/yr |
| Oregon | $37,800/yr | Mississippi | $27,190/yr |
| California | $37,790/yr | Puerto Rico | $22,630/yr |
What do people doing laundromat ownership say?
“To open up a 4000 to 5000 square foot store right now is probably going to cost you about 1.5. That's all in equipment. Build out everything.”
“But our FDD says startup costs anywhere between 1.2 million all in to 2.2 million all in.”
“I probably got that down to four to five hours a week.”
“A lot of laundromats suffer from lack of parking. And if your parking lot's full and they can't, they'll just drive right, right on by to the next laundromat.”
What does it cost to start a laundromat?
Laundromat startup costs run high: Laundry Spot co-founder Tyler Purcell's episode gives franchise costs of $1.2M-$2.2M. Buying an existing store can cost less: Jono paid AUD 83k, with 20k of his own money and the rest a bank loan. (Chris Koerner; The Side Hustle Show)
One speaker puts machines alone at $800,000 worth. (Chris Koerner)
- Study competitors' traffic and water use to judge a market. (Chris Koerner)
- Check lease security before buying. (The Side Hustle Show)
- Compare SBA and equipment financing. (Chris Koerner)
- Run a free-laundry grand-opening weekend. (Chris Koerner)
- Equipment: commercial laundry machines, dryers, washing machines (The Side Hustle Show)
How many hours does a laundromat take?
Laundromat ownership took Jono down to four to five hours a week. His Saturday mornings go to emptying coin trays, vacuuming and cleaning. (The Side Hustle Show)
He thinks four laundromats would be the right number for a comfortable full-time job.
Who is laundromat ownership for?
Laundromat ownership suits people with another career: one owner says it started as a side business and wealth management is the career. Anyone without access to financing should skip a new build, since the Cincinnati stores use 20% down via a bank loan. (Chris Koerner)
Is laundromat ownership worth it?
Pros
- Demand held through COVID, the Cincinnati planner says. (Chris Koerner)
- Free-laundry grand openings, postcards and reviews ramp new stores fast.
- Jono kept his full-time job after buying his store. (The Side Hustle Show)
Cons
- Weekend demand peaks and discounts don't shift it. (Chris Koerner)
- Standalone laundry pickup without a laundromat rarely pays.
- When a lease runs out, 20-odd washing machines and dryers can't simply be carted next door. (The Side Hustle Show)
What are the risks of laundromat ownership?
Laundromat ownership claims conflict: one speaker calls it a crazy bulletproof business, while Tyler's episode says buying an old 'passive' laundromat often becomes a low-paying job. Lack of parking sends customers on to the next laundromat, one operator warns. (Chris Koerner)
What are the alternatives to laundromat ownership?
- Scrap Metal Recycling side hustle: Also local.
- Renting out your stuff as a side hustle: Also local.
- Car Rental: Also local.
- Pressure washing: Also local.
- Clothing Rental side hustle: Also in renting out what you own.
- Photo Booth Rental: Also in renting out what you own.
Part of: Renting out what you own
What else should you know about laundromat ownership?
Can laundromats add other revenue?
Laundry Spot adds commercial and dry-cleaning revenue, and Jono added a vending machine. (Chris Koerner)
Is there an alternative to a laundromat?
Jono later pivoted to a laundry route business placing machines in apartment buildings and hotels. (The Side Hustle Show)
Sources and method
Quotes are verbatim and linked to the moment they were said. A figure from one report is not confirmed by a second source. BLS figures describe employees in the closest related occupation. Every quote, the pay in each state and the full source list are on the every source on laundromat ownership.
- Chris Koerner, podcast, 28 Aug 2024.
- The Side Hustle Show, podcast, 7 May 2026.
- Chris Koerner, podcast, 11 Sep 2026.
- Chris Koerner, YouTube, 28 Aug 2024.
- Tom Donnelly | Laundromat Ownership, YouTube, 3 Nov 2026.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35.
Other data behind this page (7)
| Fact | Value | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demand trend | growing | Accepted | BLS Employment Projections |
| Full-time or part-time | part time or full time | Accepted | Chris Koerner; The Side Hustle Show |
| Income volatility | low | Accepted | Chris Koerner |
| Scalability | high | Accepted | Tom Donnelly | Laundromat Ownership |
| Work mode | local | Accepted | The Side Hustle Show |
| Common pitfalls | not enough parking, so customers drive past to another laundromat | One report | Chris Koerner |
| Common pitfalls | insecure or short remaining lease | One report | The Side Hustle Show |