Considering that swimming can boost both our physical and mental health, it’s no surprise that more and more people want to enjoy this popular activity in their own backyard. Swimming pool statistics reveal that this industry is growing, and it doesn’t seem like this trend is going to change any time soon. However, having a private pool requires regular swimming pool maintenance and the need to follow certain safety precautions, especially if you have kids. Here, you can find out more about the risks that come with swimming pools, but you’ll also learn some fun facts that not many people know. So let’s dive into the world of swimming pools.
The Most Fascinating Swimming Pool Statistics
- There are 10.4 million residential swimming pools in the US.
- The annual revenue of the swimming pool industry amounts to $1.1 billion.
- Every hour 42 people drown around the world.
- In the US, about 82% of drownings among children occur in home pools.
- The oldest known pool dates back to the third millennium BCE.
- The world’s largest swimming pool is the Citystars Lagoon in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
- About 17% of people urinate while swimming in the pool.
- Free chlorine can kill Escherichia coli in less than a minute.
Swimming Pool Facts and Stats in the US
1. Swimming is the fifth most popular activity in the US.
(BLS)
From 2009 to 2015, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics collected data on how many Americans participate in sports and what types of activities are the most popular. So let’s see how popular swimming is before we delve into the most recent swimming pool statistics.
According to their findings, about 18% of people aged 15 years and older engaged in exercise activities on a given day. About 30% of them walked, so this was the most popular activity. Besides walking, weight lifting and using cardiovascular equipment were among the top three most popular exercise activities. Swimming was in fifth place together with surfing and water skiing, since more than 7% opted for one of these sports.
2. Swimming is the number-one activity among kids and teens in the US.
(US Census Bureau, CDC)
Based on the swimming pool stats, about 36% of children and teens aged between 7 and 17 swim at least six times a year, compared to 15% of adults.
3. There are 10.4 million residential swimming pools in the US.
(LiveAbout)
In addition, based on the statistics collected by the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP), there are 309,000 public swimming pools in the US. By looking at these figures, we can assume that Americans love swimming, which residential swimming pool statistics clearly confirm.
4. California is the leading state regarding the number of pools and hot tubs.
(APSP)
In 2015, there were 1,233,611 in-ground pools installed in California, plus 335,988 above-ground pools and 1,197,471 hot tubs. It’s no surprise that swimming pools are so popular in this sun-drenched state. In total, there were over 2.7 million pools and hot tubs in the Golden State. It was followed by Florida (over 1.6 million) and Texas (over 1.1 million).
Swimming Pool Industry Statistics
5. The annual revenue of the swimming pool industry amounts to $1.1 billion.
(IBISWorld)
In the US, the market size of this industry is growing. To be precise, from 2015 to 2020, the annual growth rate has been 1.6%.
6. People who are shopping for pools are mostly concerned with the price.
(Brandon Gaille)
To be precise, 46% of customers mostly worry about the price when considering installing a swimming pool at home, statistics in the US show. Curb appeal is the greatest concern for about 16% of customers. That’s followed by hydrotherapy features (7%) and LED lighting (7%).
7. On average, an in-ground swimming pool is about 3.5 times more expensive than an above-ground swimming pool.
(The Spruce)
On average, an in-ground pool (32 x 16 feet) costs $21,919, while an above ground swimming pool costs $6,243 (19 feet in diameter).
8. About 41% of customers spend $5,000–$7,000 on their new hot tub.
(Brandon Gaille)
According to the swimming pool statistics in America, about 21% of customers spend $4,000–$5,000 on a hot tub, while 10% choose products that cost $3,000–$4,000. In 2016, about two-thirds of portable spa retailers reported that they saw an increase in sales.
9. On average, you need about $87.50 a month for pool chemicals.
(Brandon Gaille)
Maintaining an adequate level of pool chemicals is essential for keeping your pool clean and safe for your health. When talking about the costs, Americans collectively spend about $1 million every hour on swimming pool construction, maintenance, and cleaning. Considering this fact, it seems that the percentage of homes with swimming pools is on a steady rise.
10. The average cost of a solar pool heating system is between $3,000 and $4,000.
(Energy Saver)
Harnessing solar energy to heat your pool can help you save a considerable amount of money. A typical payback period is 1.5 to 7 years. However, this will depend on a number of factors, including your local fuel costs. Also, gas pool heaters usually don’t last as long as solar pool heaters, which is another benefit of this renewable energy source.
Health Benefits and Risks
11. Hydrotherapy is the most effective activity for rheumatoid arthritis.
(NCBI, CDC)
One of the cool facts about using a swimming pool is that it can help treat serious health conditions. Besides helping people with rheumatoid arthritis, water-based exercise is also beneficial for people with osteoarthritis. It alleviates pain and improves the use of affected joints.
12. Water-based exercise has a positive effect on pregnant women’s health.
(NCBI, CDC)
It also improves the health of their unborn children. What’s more, research shows that swimming and water-based exercise are very beneficial for people with fibromyalgia since they can decrease anxiety and depression.
13. Free chlorine can kill Escherichia coli in less than a minute.
(CDC)
However, when talking about swimming pool safety, the facts show that some germs, especially viruses and parasites, are more tolerant to chlorine. For example, it takes about 16 minutes for chlorine to kill hepatitis A and 45 minutes to kill giardia. Cryptosporidium is probably the most resilient, as it can survive up to 10 days.
14. Over 12% of pools were closed after a routine inspection in 2008.
(CDC)
They were closed due to serious violations that caused a threat to public health and safety. In addition, these routine pool inspections determined that the level of pool disinfectants used wasn’t satisfactory in about 10.7% of pools.
Swimming Pool Accident Statistics
15. In 2008, about 4,600 Americans visited an emergency room due to injuries associated with pool chemicals.
(CDC)
Most of them experienced poisoning symptoms, dermatitis, or conjunctivitis. Over 50% of the injuries happened in home pools.
16. In the US, most unintentional injury deaths among children aged 1–4 years are caused by drowning.
(CDC)
In addition, children aged 5–9 years are also at high risk of drowning, which is the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths among this age group in the US. These grim swimming pool drowning statistics also show that about 60% of fatal drownings of young children (4 years or younger) happen in swimming pools. The bottom line is that we should never leave children close to the water without adult supervision.
17. Every hour, 42 people drown around the world.
(WHO)
Drowning is among the leading causes of death in all regions of the world. Every year, about 372,000 people lose their lives to drowning, swimming pool death statistics indicate.
18. In the US, about 82% of drownings among children occur in home pools.
(Pool Safely, WHO)
Even though these figures are devastating, the good news is that we can prevent most of these incidents. For example, four-sided fencing is very effective in preventing drowning deaths among children. In fact, it can reduce the drowning death rate among young kids by 75%. Therefore, it’s crucial to make your swimming pool safe for kids.
Swimming Pool Fun Facts
19. The oldest known pool dates back to the third millennium BC.
(WorldAtlas)
The oldest pool in the world is the Great Bath in Mohenjo-Daro, Pakistan. It’s located in the ancient Indus Valley, and it’s made of brick with a layer of bitumen. This ancient pool is 38.9 by 23 feet, and it’s 7.9 feet deep.
20. In Australia, Queensland has the highest percentage of homes with swimming pools.
(Statista)
According to the swimming pool statistics from Australia, in 2018, about 20% of homeowners in Queensland had a swimming pool. On the other hand, only 3% of homes in Tasmania had this amazing feature.
21. About 17% of people urinate while swimming in the pool.
(Brandon Gaille)
What makes this fact especially surprising (and disgusting) is that this figure includes adults. In addition, 35% of people don’t take a shower before getting into the pool.
22. The world’s largest swimming pool is the Citystars Lagoon in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
(Guinness World Records, Huffpost)
One of the really cool swimming pool facts is that this breathtaking man-made lagoon covers an area of 23.83 acres and is filled with saltwater from desert wells.
The previous holder of this record was a swimming pool in Algarrobo, Chile. The San Alfonso del Mar resort offers guests a swim in a 19.77 acre swimming pool, which holds about 66 million gallons of water. It’s located along the coastline and is filled with sea water. Unfortunately, you can’t swim in this pool! If we take a look at the global swimming pool statistics, this will disappoint at least 26% of travelers who believe that having a pool in their vacation accommodations is a must.
23. An Olympic-sized pool is 50 meters long and 25 meters wide.
(Livestrong)
Furthermore, Olympic-sized pools are 2 meters deep, so they can hold about 660,000 gallons of water. Considering that a standard bathtub can hold about 80 gallons of water, in an Olympic swimming pool, there’s enough water for 8,250 bathtubs.
FAQ
What percentage of American homes have swimming pools?
According to the latest statistics, the United States can boast 10.4 million residential swimming pools. Considering that there are 128.58 million households in the US, it’s easy to calculate that a bit over 8% of them have a swimming pool.
(LiveAbout)
What country has the most swimming pools?
With 10.4 residential swimming pools, the US is definitely a world leader when it comes to the number of private swimming pools. France comes second with over 1.5 million residential pools, which also makes it the country with the most pools in Europe.
(LiveAbout, French-Property)
What percentage of the world can swim?
At least 4 billion people in the world don’t know how to swim. Therefore, less than 50% of the global population can swim. In the US, we notice a similar situation—54% of Americans can’t swim or haven’t learned all the basic swimming skills.
(MySwimPro, Red Cross)
What city has the most swimming pools?
The top three cities in the US that have the highest number of public swimming pools per 100,000 residents are the following:
- Cleveland, OH – 10.7 pools
- Cincinnati, OH – 8.8 pools
- Pittsburgh, PA – 6.2 pools
(TPL)
What is the deepest pool in the world?
The deepest indoor swimming pool in the world, the Y-40 or the Deep Joy, offers a dive that’s 131 feet deep. This architectural masterpiece, located near Venice, Italy, is the feat of Italian architect Emanuele Boaretto. What makes this incredible abyss even more special is that it’s filled with thermal water.
(New York Post)
Wrapping Up
Whether you like swimming laps or just soaking in a hot tub, getting into a pool is an amazing way to end a stressful day and relax. So if you’re considering getting your own piece of luxury, these swimming pool statistics may help you decide if this is the right choice for you.
