Goodyear ranks as the second most expensive city in the nation to water a lawn, according to a new 2025 analysis by Lawn Love, and rising utility rates could push costs even higher.

The lawn care service compared nearly 500 U.S. cities using metrics like water prices, yard size, rainfall, and drought conditions. Buckeye claimed the top spot, while Yuma, Tucson, Surprise, Avondale, and Glendale also landed in the national top 10.

Arizona cities dominated the list, in part because of long growing seasons, low rainfall, and already-high utility costs. Goodyear and Buckeye each average 331 growing days per year, increasing the need for year-round irrigation. Meanwhile Love Lawn states that Goodyear’s newest rate hike, effective July 1, reflects the rising cost of drought-impacted water supplies.

“Water bills are hitting hard,” said Sharon Sullivan, editor-in-chief at Lawn Love. “Households here spend 1% or more of their income on water.”

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that lawn watering makes up nearly 8 billion gallons of daily U.S. water use,  much of it lost to evaporation or runoff. 

For residents, the report suggests swapping the classic green lawn for turf for drought-tolerant plants, installing smart irrigation systems, or considering xeriscaping to cut down on water use.

The full report is available at lawnlove.com.