Florists Revenue Benchmarks
The average florists business in the United States generates $783K in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 11,365 florists businesses in the U.S., employing 50,092 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%.
What Does a Florists Business Actually Do?
Florists selling cut flowers and arrangements. Split between event/wedding work (high-margin, project-based) and daily/holiday retail (higher volume, thinner margin).
Who buys: Consumers for gifts and holidays, event hosts (especially weddings), funeral services.
Average Revenue
$783K
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$178K
per year
Total Businesses
11,365
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$31K
small business avg
Labor Cost
14.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
3.4
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Florists Charge?
Florists price per arrangement, with wedding and event work at premium rates.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Grocery bouquet | $15–40 |
Mid-tier arrangement | $50–125 |
Upscale arrangement | $125–400 |
Bridal bouquet | $150–500 |
Full wedding flowers | $2,500–15,000+ |
Corporate event | $500–5,000 |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete florists business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a florists business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the florists industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $62 | $482K | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $14 | $110K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $64K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $32K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $8 | $64K | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $31K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
10.17%
openings/year
Closure Rate
10.19%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-1.82%
annual
Businesses Closed
932
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Florists Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
91 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a florists business do?
- Florists selling cut flowers and arrangements. Split between event/wedding work (high-margin, project-based) and daily/holiday retail (higher volume, thinner margin). Consumers for gifts and holidays, event hosts (especially weddings), funeral services.
- How much do florists charge?
- Florists price per arrangement, with wedding and event work at premium rates. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average florists make per year?
- The average florists business generates $783K in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $31K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many florists businesses are there in the US?
- There are 11,365 florists businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 50,092 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a florists business?
- Startup costs for a florists business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The florists industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of -1.8%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 10.2% and 10.2% respectively.
Approximately 58% of florists businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 932 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The florists industry has declined 51% since 2000 (from 20,992 to 10,280 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Florists revenue with other industries: