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Pool Search Trends: The US Pool Demand Seasonality Index by Month and State

A seasonality index built from 203 saved Google Trends pulls: the month, week and state pattern of US pool searches, compared with pool permit timing.
By PC&S Research Desk · Published October 8, 2026 · Data and tables licensed CC BY 4.0
Pool Search Trends: The US Pool Demand Seasonality Index by Month and State
The headline

Pool search trends in the United States follow a calendar: Google Trends interest in pool builders, inground pools and pool service peaks in June, opening searches in May and closing searches in September (2019 to 2024). Arizona and Florida lead the state index. A mid-2025 jump seen in unrelated terms too means 2025 and 2026 levels do not measure demand.

June
Peak month of US search interest for inground pools, above ground pools, pool service and pool supplies, 2019 to 2024 average
Source: Google Trends
100
Arizona's State Pool Demand Index, highest of 50 states + DC, 2019 to 2024 (Florida 97.4)
Source: Google Trends
-44.6%
Change in average US search interest for inground pools, 2020 to 2024
Source: Google Trends
48 days
Gap between the earliest (Florida, Mar 10) and latest (Illinois, Michigan, New York, Apr 27) spring rise in pool service searches, 2019 to 2024
Source: Google Trends

How the index is built

  1. Defined 9 pool terms (pool builder + pool builders, inground pool, above ground pool, pool service, pool cleaning, pool opening, pool closing, pool supplies, hot tub) and 3 control terms (plumber, roofing contractor, lawn mower).
  2. Pulled each term alone from the public Google Trends explore and widgetdata endpoints on 2026-10-08, for US monthly 2019 to 2024, US monthly 2019 to September 2026 and US weekly October 2021 to October 2026; saved every raw response with a timestamp.
  3. Pulled interest by subregion for 2019 to 2024, March 2020 to December 2022 and October 2025 to September 2026, and monthly 2019 to 2024 series for each of 51 areas, one area per request, for pool builder(s) and pool service.
  4. Computed seasonal indexes, peak and low months, peak weeks, spring half-rise dates, the State Pool Demand Index and period changes with scripts/analyze.py.
  5. Compared Sun Belt search seasonality with monthly permit counts from the PC&S city permit dataset, and checked national timing against NAHB and PHTA.
  6. Tested the stability of the data with two same-day repeat pulls, a joint pull of singular and plural builder terms, and three control terms.
  7. Cross-checked the pool calendar against SEC filings of Pool Corporation, Leslie’s, Hayward and Latham.

Included: Google Trends pulls made by PC&S on 2026-10-08, Google’s own documentation, peer-reviewed methodology papers, the PC&S municipal permit dataset, NAHB and PHTA permit releases, and SEC filings opened on 2026-10-08.

Excluded: Absolute search volume estimates (no sourced basis), Trends levels after mid-2025 as a demand measure, states with more than 8 zero-value months out of 72 for timing metrics, and the Wyoming latest-12-month score. Pages that describe pool seasonality without data were opened and not used.

Conflicting numbers: Where Trends and permit data disagree on timing, both are shown. Where control terms disagree on the size of the 2025 to 2026 change, no pool demand change is reported.

Derived metrics: Every derived number is in derived.csv with its formula and input rows and can be reproduced from raw/ with scripts/analyze.py and scripts/build_facts.py.

Caveats

  • Google Trends is a sampled, normalized index; values are relative and can change between pulls.
  • Search terms are generic; brand, retailer and ‘near me’ variants are only partly captured.
  • A level shift from about mid-2025 affects pool and control terms, so 2025 and 2026 levels are not comparable with earlier years.
  • State scores measure share of a state’s searches, not counts.
  • The permit comparison covers nine Sun Belt cities, not the whole country.

Method last reviewed October 8, 2026.

How the Pool Demand Seasonality Index was built

The index uses Google Trends, which reports relative search interest on a 0 to 100 scale, not search counts. This report reads the shape of the year and the ranking of states, and treats level changes after mid-2025 as unreliable.

PC&S pulled 9 pool search terms and 3 control terms (plumber, roofing contractor, lawn mower) for the United States through the public Trends explore endpoints on 2026-10-08. Each term was pulled alone for January 2019 to December 2024 (monthly), January 2019 to September 2026 (monthly) and October 2021 to October 2026 (weekly). Every raw response is kept in the package with a timestamp (Google Trends).

The builder term combines pool builder and pool builders, because Trends does not match singular and plural forms (Google). In a joint 2019 to 2024 pull, pool builders drew 3.3 times the interest of pool builder.

State figures come from two pull types. Interest by subregion gives each state’s share of searches, scaled so the top state is 100 (Google). Separate monthly series for each of the 51 areas give the timing of each state’s season, for pool builder(s) and pool service. 28 states had enough data for pool service timing and 11 for pool builder(s).

  • Seasonal index: each month’s value divided by that year’s monthly average, averaged across 2019 to 2024, times 100.
  • Spring half-rise date: the date on which interest first gets half way from its winter low to its summer peak, interpolated between mid-month points.
  • State Pool Demand Index: the average of a state’s pool builder(s) and pool service scores (2019 to 2024), rescaled so the top state is 100.

State Pool Demand Index: where pool search interest is strongest

Sun Belt states dominate searches for builders and service, the terms tied to hiring a company. Product searches follow a different map: Kentucky leads for inground pool searches and West Virginia for above ground pool searches.

State Pool Demand Index, 2019 to 2024, United StatesAverage of Google Trends state scores for pool builder(s) and pool service; top state = 100. Relative share of searches, not volume.
State Pool Demand Index, 2019 to 2024, United StatesUS tile map. Arizona (100) and Florida (97.4) have the highest Pool Demand Index, followed by Nevada (70.5) and Texas (65.8). Northern and mountain states such as Wyoming (8.8), Vermont (11.4) and Alaska (12.4) score lowest.AK: 12.4AK12.4ME: 21.2ME21.2VT: 11.4VT11.4NH: 17.1NH17.1WI: 15WI15WA: 14WA14ID: 17.1ID17.1MT: 14.5MT14.5ND: 24.9ND24.9MN: 13.5MN13.5IL: 17.6IL17.6MI: 18.7MI18.7NY: 29NY29MA: 20.2MA20.2OR: 16.1OR16.1NV: 70.5NV70.5WY: 8.8WY8.8SD: 13SD13IA: 15IA15IN: 24.4IN24.4OH: 22.8OH22.8PA: 24.9PA24.9NJ: 33.2NJ33.2CT: 25.4CT25.4RI: 22.3RI22.3CA: 44.6CA44.6UT: 21.8UT21.8CO: 15CO15NE: 18.7NE18.7MO: 22.3MO22.3KY: 21.8KY21.8WV: 18.7WV18.7VA: 29.5VA29.5MD: 31.1MD31.1DE: 35.2DE35.2AZ: 100AZ100NM: 25.9NM25.9KS: 24.4KS24.4AR: 25.9AR25.9TN: 33.7TN33.7NC: 39.9NC39.9SC: 45.1SC45.1DC: 21.8DC21.8OK: 37.3OK37.3LA: 38.3LA38.3MS: 34.2MS34.2AL: 34.2AL34.2GA: 39.4GA39.4HI: 27.5HI27.5TX: 65.8TX65.8FL: 97.4FL97.4< 16.116.1 to 21.821.8 to 25.925.9 to 35.235.2+n/a

Index uses 2019 to 2024 data, before the mid-2025 level shift in Google Trends.

Source: Source: Google Trends, retrieved 2026-10-08; PC&S analysis. Download chart data (CSV)

Arizona scored 100 on the State Pool Demand Index for 2019 to 2024, Florida 97.4, Nevada 70.5 and Texas 65.8 (Google Trends). Wyoming scored 8.8, Vermont 11.4 and Alaska 12.4.

Florida had the highest share for pool builder(s) searches (100) and Arizona the highest for pool service (100), 2019 to 2024 (Google Trends). Kentucky led for inground pool (100), West Virginia for above ground pool (100) and pool supplies (100), and Montana for hot tub (100) (Google Trends).

State Pool Demand Index and search scores by state, 2019 to 2024, with seasonal timing and later windows
statestate_namerank_2019_2024pool_demand_index_2019_2024pool_builders_score_2019_2024pool_service_score_2019_2024inground_pool_score_2019_2024above_ground_pool_score_2019_2024hot_tub_score_2019_2024pool_supplies_score_2019_2024pool_builders_peak_monthpool_builders_half_rise_datepool_service_peak_monthpool_service_half_rise_datepool_demand_index_mar2020_dec2022pool_demand_index_oct2025_sep2026data_flag
AZArizona1100.09310034383583MayMar 15JunMar 20100.061.5
FLFlorida297.41008859423194JunMar 4JunMar 1084.580.8
NVNevada370.5637326294153insufficient dataJunMar 2874.044.5
TXTexas465.8775036502956JunApr 4JunMar 2765.051.6
SCSouth Carolina545.1553284584267JunMar 22JunMar 2845.035.7
CACalifornia644.6384818243147JulApr 6JunApr 441.537.4
NCNorth Carolina739.9522557534456JulMar 26JunApr 939.031.3
GAGeorgia839.4423457483364JunMar 20JunMar 3034.539.6
LALouisiana938.3443066712975insufficient dataJunMar 1238.051.1
OKOklahoma1037.3383478754981insufficient dataJunApr 1535.029.1
DEDelaware1135.2353378564266insufficient datainsufficient data30.041.8
ALAlabama1234.2382889723576insufficient dataMayMar 1531.033.5
MSMississippi1334.2353175763169insufficient datainsufficient data35.023.1
TNTennessee1433.7392684695666JunApr 3MayApr 132.533.5
NJNew Jersey1533.2194589603575insufficient dataJunApr 2232.530.2
MDMaryland1631.1312944353448insufficient dataJunApr 2132.554.9latest-12-month score well above 2019 to 2024 baseline; may reflect the mid-2025 level shift
VAVirginia1729.5312647413643JunApr 22JunApr 1127.530.2
NYNew York1829.0272975454056JulMay 12JunApr 2723.555.5latest-12-month score well above 2019 to 2024 baseline; may reflect the mid-2025 level shift
HIHawaii1927.5282510132428insufficient datainsufficient data25.518.1
ARArkansas2025.9311975734356insufficient datainsufficient data26.028.0
NMNew Mexico2125.9282223425153insufficient datainsufficient data26.030.2
CTConnecticut2225.4193080634161insufficient dataJunApr 2323.036.3
NDNorth Dakota2324.9381014336320insufficient datainsufficient data24.515.9
PAPennsylvania2424.9173180624579insufficient dataJunApr 2225.524.7
INIndiana2524.4222576645876insufficient dataMayApr 2224.021.4
KSKansas2624.4252253554251insufficient datainsufficient data27.037.9
OHOhio2722.8212375605970JulMar 16MayApr 2222.019.2
MOMissouri2822.3212264634757insufficient dataJunApr 2220.019.2
RIRhode Island2922.3142991684861insufficient datainsufficient data23.015.4
DCDistrict of Columbia3021.825171282113insufficient datainsufficient data26.022.5
KYKentucky3121.82121100915496insufficient datainsufficient data22.020.3
UTUtah3221.8261614286829insufficient datainsufficient data22.036.3
MEMaine3321.2251650617555insufficient datainsufficient data22.514.8
MAMassachusetts3420.2132670524358insufficient dataJunApr 2619.020.9
MIMichigan3518.7152155487661insufficient dataJunApr 2717.514.3
NENebraska3618.7191733515840insufficient datainsufficient data16.017.6
WVWest Virginia3718.719177910070100insufficient datainsufficient data19.012.1
ILIllinois3817.6151949494043insufficient dataJunApr 2719.023.6
IDIdaho3917.1211219338231insufficient datainsufficient data17.019.8
NHNew Hampshire4017.1102379717075insufficient datainsufficient data16.531.3
OROregon4116.1181314288131insufficient datainsufficient data14.515.9
COColorado4215.0181110177119insufficient dataJunApr 2215.523.1
IAIowa4315.0171233585441insufficient datainsufficient data14.515.4
WIWisconsin4415.0171234375833insufficient dataJunApr 2215.016.5
MTMontana4514.5171191810018insufficient datainsufficient data13.08.8
WAWashington4614.0141316267526insufficient dataMayApr 914.017.6
MNMinnesota4713.5141225345021insufficient dataJunApr 2113.016.5
SDSouth Dakota4813.091617356923insufficient datainsufficient data12.011.5
AKAlaska4912.41113476510insufficient datainsufficient data10.05.5
VTVermont5011.461647457749insufficient datainsufficient data12.012.6
WYWyoming518.8988157116insufficient datainsufficient data7.5100.0latest-12-month value driven by an Apr to Jul 2026 burst after years of no data; treat as anomaly

Source: Google Trends interest by subregion and per-state series, retrieved 2026-10-08; PC&S calculation Download CSV

State rankings barely moved during the pandemic boom: the index for March 2020 to December 2022 has a rank correlation of 0.98 with the 2019 to 2024 index. For October 2025 to September 2026 the correlation falls to 0.7, or 0.81 without Wyoming.

Which states start searching for pools earliest

The pool season starts in the Gulf states and moves north. Pool service searches reach their half-way point 48 days earlier in Florida than in Illinois, Michigan and New York.

Spring planning starts in March in Florida and late April in the North.
Spring planning starts in March in Florida and late April in the North.
When pool service searches start rising, by state, 2019 to 2024Day of year when interest gets half way from its winter low to its summer peak (69 = Mar 10, 117 = Apr 27)
When pool service searches start rising, by state, 2019 to 2024Horizontal bar chart of 28 states. Florida (Mar 10), Louisiana (Mar 12), Alabama (Mar 15) and Arizona (Mar 20) start earliest. Massachusetts (Apr 26), New York, Michigan and Illinois (Apr 27) start latest, 48 days after Florida.Florida: 69Florida69Louisiana: 71Louisiana71Alabama: 74Alabama74Arizona: 79Arizona79Texas: 86Texas86Nevada: 87Nevada87South Carolina: 87South Carolina87Georgia: 89Georgia89Tennessee: 91Tennessee91California: 94California94North Carolina: 99North Carolina99Washington: 99Washington99Virginia: 101Virginia101Oklahoma: 105Oklahoma105Maryland: 111Maryland111Minnesota: 111Minnesota111New Jersey: 112New Jersey112Pennsylvania: 112Pennsylvania112Indiana: 112Indiana112Ohio: 112Ohio112Missouri: 112Missouri112Colorado: 112Colorado112Wisconsin: 112Wisconsin112Connecticut: 113Connecticut113Massachusetts: 116Massachusetts116New York: 117New York117Michigan: 117Michigan117Illinois: 117Illinois117

Only states with 8 or fewer zero-value months out of 72 are shown.

Source: Source: Google Trends, retrieved 2026-10-08; PC&S analysis. Download chart data (CSV)

Pool service searches reached their spring half-rise point around Mar 10 in Florida, Mar 12 in Louisiana, Mar 15 in Alabama and Mar 20 in Arizona, 2019 to 2024 (Google Trends). Massachusetts followed around Apr 26, and Illinois, Michigan and New York around Apr 27.

Pool builder(s) searches started earlier than service searches in Florida (around Mar 4) and Arizona (around Mar 15), 2019 to 2024 (Google Trends). Nationally, the pool builder(s) half-rise came around Apr 3, against Apr 13 for pool service and Apr 20 for inground pool.

Search peaks versus pool permit peaks

Pool builder searches do not lead permits by a measurable margin. In the Sun Belt the two curves line up at the same month or one month apart, but permits are spread far more evenly across the year than searches.

Pool builder searches vs pool permits by month, Sun BeltShare of the year's total in each month, %
Pool builder searches vs pool permits by month, Sun BeltLine chart by month. Permit issuance in nine Sun Belt cities is nearly flat, between 7.2% (November) and 9.1% (March) of the year. Pool builder search interest in five Sun Belt states rises from 4.8% in December to 12.1% in July.0%3.8%7.5%11.2%15%JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecpermits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pct, Jan: 7.7%permits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pct, Feb: 7.6%permits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pct, Mar: 9.1%permits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pct, Apr: 8.3%permits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pct, May: 9%permits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pct, Jun: 8.7%permits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pct, Jul: 8.9%permits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pct, Aug: 9%permits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pct, Sep: 8.3%permits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pct, Oct: 8.8%permits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pct, Nov: 7.2%permits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pct, Dec: 7.3%permits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pctpool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pct, Jan: 6.3%pool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pct, Feb: 7.1%pool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pct, Mar: 8.2%pool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pct, Apr: 9.7%pool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pct, May: 11.5%pool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pct, Jun: 12%pool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pct, Jul: 12.1%pool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pct, Aug: 9.3%pool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pct, Sep: 7.5%pool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pct, Oct: 6.3%pool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pct, Nov: 5.1%pool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pct, Dec: 4.8%pool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pctpool_builders_search_us_share_pct, Jan: 6.2%pool_builders_search_us_share_pct, Feb: 7%pool_builders_search_us_share_pct, Mar: 7.9%pool_builders_search_us_share_pct, Apr: 9.4%pool_builders_search_us_share_pct, May: 11.2%pool_builders_search_us_share_pct, Jun: 12.5%pool_builders_search_us_share_pct, Jul: 12.5%pool_builders_search_us_share_pct, Aug: 9.8%pool_builders_search_us_share_pct, Sep: 7.4%pool_builders_search_us_share_pct, Oct: 6%pool_builders_search_us_share_pct, Nov: 5%pool_builders_search_us_share_pct, Dec: 5%pool_builders_search_us_share_pct

Source: Source: Google Trends (2019 to 2024), retrieved 2026-10-08; PC&S city permit dataset (2019 to 2025). Download chart data (CSV)

Share of annual pool permits and pool builder(s) search interest by month, Sun Belt and US
monthpermits_9_sunbelt_cities_share_pctpool_builders_search_5_sunbelt_states_share_pctpool_builders_search_us_share_pct
Jan7.76.36.2
Feb7.67.17.0
Mar9.18.27.9
Apr8.39.79.4
May9.011.511.2
Jun8.712.012.5
Jul8.912.112.5
Aug9.09.39.8
Sep8.37.57.4
Oct8.86.36.0
Nov7.25.15.0
Dec7.34.85.0

Source: PC&S permit dataset (nine cities, 2019 to 2025); Google Trends (2019 to 2024) Download CSV

Permits in nine Sun Belt cities peaked in March at 9.1% of the year and were lowest in November at 7.2%, 2019 to 2025 (PC&S). Pool builder(s) search interest in Texas, California, Arizona, Florida and North Carolina peaked in July at 12.1% and was lowest in December at 4.8%, 2019 to 2024 (Google Trends).

The two monthly patterns correlate best with no offset or a one-month offset (r = 0.73). Nationally, NAHB reports most pool permits are submitted in May and June (NAHB), while US pool builder(s) searches peak in June and July. Search peaks therefore coincide with or trail permit peaks; they do not lead them.

The 2020 to 2022 pool boom versus 2024 in search data

Search interest for pool construction and pool products fell back after the pandemic. Searches tied to owning a pool, such as service, cleaning and closing, held up better.

US search interest by year, January to September, 2019 = 100Each series indexed to its own 2019 level; control terms show the mid-2025 level shift
US search interest by year, January to September, 2019 = 100Line chart 2019 to 2026. Pool terms rise in 2020 and 2021 and fall back by 2024. In 2025 and 2026 every series, including the unrelated plumber and roofing contractor controls, jumps sharply, which signals a change in Google Trends data rather than in pool demand.07515022530020192020202120222023202420252026pool builder(s), 2019: 100pool builder(s), 2020: 148pool builder(s), 2021: 157pool builder(s), 2022: 112pool builder(s), 2023: 92pool builder(s), 2024: 93pool builder(s), 2025: 192pool builder(s), 2026: 299pool builder(s)inground pool, 2019: 100inground pool, 2020: 150inground pool, 2021: 117inground pool, 2022: 104inground pool, 2023: 87inground pool, 2024: 81inground pool, 2025: 89inground pool, 2026: 111inground poolabove ground pool, 2019: 100above ground pool, 2020: 212above ground pool, 2021: 153above ground pool, 2022: 130above ground pool, 2023: 114above ground pool, 2024: 109above ground pool, 2025: 108above ground pool, 2026: 149above ground poolpool service, 2019: 100pool service, 2020: 122pool service, 2021: 117pool service, 2022: 115pool service, 2023: 108pool service, 2024: 97pool service, 2025: 135pool service, 2026: 231pool servicehot tub, 2019: 100hot tub, 2020: 139hot tub, 2021: 150hot tub, 2022: 141hot tub, 2023: 130hot tub, 2024: 127hot tub, 2025: 128hot tub, 2026: 148hot tubplumber (control), 2019: 100plumber (control), 2020: 104plumber (control), 2021: 132plumber (control), 2022: 108plumber (control), 2023: 103plumber (control), 2024: 107plumber (control), 2025: 190plumber (control), 2026: 290plumber (control)lawn mower (control), 2019: 100lawn mower (control), 2020: 110lawn mower (control), 2021: 111lawn mower (control), 2022: 105lawn mower (control), 2023: 99lawn mower (control), 2024: 98lawn mower (control), 2025: 95lawn mower (control), 2026: 123lawn mower (control)

January to September averages from the 2019 to 2026 pull. 2025 and 2026 values are not comparable with earlier years. The roofing contractor control (in the CSV) reaches 953 in 2026 and is left off the chart for scale.

Source: Source: Google Trends, retrieved 2026-10-08; PC&S analysis. Download chart data (CSV)

US search interest by term: 2019, 2020 to 2022 and 2024 averages, with 2025 and 2026 changes flagged as not comparable
search_termtypeavg_index_2019avg_index_2020_2022boom_peak_yearavg_index_boom_peak_yearavg_index_2024change_2020_2022_avg_to_2024_pctchange_boom_peak_year_to_2024_pctchange_2019_to_2024_pctchange_jan_sep_2026_vs_jan_sep_2025_pct_NOT_COMPARABLEchange_jul_sep_2026_vs_jul_sep_2025_pct_NOT_COMPARABLE
pool builder(s)pool term3954.6202161.637.8-30.7-38.6-3.056.00.5
inground poolpool term2834.9202041.823.2-33.6-44.6-17.324.13.9
above ground poolpool term15.325.2202031.916.8-33.7-47.59.238.011.1
pool servicepool term42.150.1202051.242-16.2-17.9-0.271.07.1
pool cleaningpool term36.649.8202155.445.5-8.7-17.924.461.5-0.8
pool openingpool term14.817.5202021.817-2.9-22.114.675.90.0
pool closingpool term20.621.9202223.522.73.6-3.510.165.1-3.5
hot tubpool term49.370.4202173.562.6-11.1-14.926.915.84.4
pool suppliespool term29.833.1202039.115.7-52.7-59.9-47.518.9-12.3
plumber (control)control65.374.1202184.470.3-5.0-16.77.752.132.3
roofing contractor (control)control47.879.320218578.1-1.6-8.163.569.34.6
lawn mower (control)control44.649.2202150.643.4-11.7-14.2-2.630.315.4

Source: Google Trends, retrieved 2026-10-08; PC&S calculation Download CSV

US inground pool search interest in 2024 was 44.6% below 2020 and 17.3% below 2019 (Google Trends). Above ground pool interest in 2024 was 47.5% below 2020 (Google Trends). Pool builder(s) interest in 2024 was 38.6% below 2021 (Google Trends).

Ownership searches fell less. US pool service interest in 2024 was 17.9% below 2020 and 0.2% below 2019 (Google Trends). Pool closing interest in 2024 was 3.5% below its 2022 high (Google Trends). The plumber control term was 16.7% below its 2021 high (Google Trends).

The search decline matches the permit record. NAHB’s seasonally adjusted pool permit index peaked in 2021, and the December 2025 reading was the lowest in the series (NAHB).

Pool search trends in 2026 versus 2025

The timing of the 2026 season matched earlier years. The size of the 2026 season cannot be read from Trends because of the mid-2025 level shift, so this section relies on permit and company data for the year-over-year comparison.

In January to September 2026, US searches peaked in June for pool builder(s), inground pool, above ground pool, pool service and pool supplies, and in May for pool opening (Google Trends). US pool closing searches peaked in the week starting Sep 20, 2026 (Google Trends).

Comparing July to September 2026 with July to September 2025, pool terms moved between -12.3% (pool supplies) and +11.1% (above ground pool). The control terms moved by +4.6% (roofing contractor), +15.4% (lawn mower) and +32.3% (plumber) (Google Trends). Because the controls disagree, the pool results cannot be separated from the data shift.

Non-search data for 2026 is mixed. US pool permits rose 2.5% in June 2026 from June 2025, while the rolling 12 months to June 2026 fell 3.5% (PHTA). Pool Corporation’s building materials sales rose about 5% in the first six months of 2026 (Pool Corporation).

When pool season peaks for pool companies

Company filings describe the same calendar as the search data: sales concentrate in the spring and summer quarters for the distributor, retailer and pool maker reviewed here, while the equipment manufacturer also ships ahead of the season.

Pool Corporation, which describes itself as the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool supplies, generated about 61% of its 2025 net sales in the second and third quarters (Pool Corporation). Leslie’s, a direct-to-consumer pool supply brand, reports its highest sales in April through September (Leslie’s).

Latham Group, which describes itself as the largest maker of in-ground residential pools in North America, reports its highest net sales in the second and third quarters, the peak months of pool installation (Latham Group). Hayward, a pool equipment manufacturer, reports higher sales in the second and fourth quarters because of an Early Buy program ahead of the season (Hayward).

Search interest for pool service in the US stays above its annual average from April to August, 2019 to 2024 (Google Trends). For season length by city, see pool season length by city; for hot tub ownership, see homes with hot tubs.

Index results

  1. US search interest for above ground pools had the widest swing of any pool term: 283 in June and 15 in December, a ratio of 18.4 (2019 to 2024, Google Trends).
  2. US search interest for pool supplies peaked in June at 235 and bottomed in December at 33 (2019 to 2024, Google Trends).
  3. US search interest for pool service rose above its annual average in April (120) and peaked in June (178), 2019 to 2024 (Google Trends).
  4. The peak week for US pool opening searches fell in mid-May in every year from 2022 to 2026: weeks starting May 15, May 21, May 19, May 18 and May 17 (Google Trends).
  5. The peak week for US pool closing searches fell between Aug 31 and Sep 20 in every year from 2022 to 2026 (Google Trends).
  6. US hot tub searches were close to flat through the year: 117 in May and 91 in September, a ratio of 1.3 (2019 to 2024, Google Trends).
  7. Kentucky ranked first for inground pool search share (100), West Virginia for above ground pool (100) and Montana for hot tub (100), 2019 to 2024 (Google Trends).
  8. Florida had the earliest spring rise in pool builder(s) searches, around Mar 4, and New York the latest of 11 measurable states, around May 12 (2019 to 2024, Google Trends).
  9. US pool builder(s) search interest in 2024 was 38.6% below its 2021 peak and 3.0% below 2019 (Google Trends).
  10. US pool supplies search interest in 2024 was 59.9% below 2020 and 47.5% below 2019 (Google Trends).
  11. Sun Belt pool builder(s) search seasonality matched Sun Belt permit seasonality best at an offset of 0 to 1 month (r = 0.73), 2019 to 2025 (PC&S calculation from Google Trends and the PC&S permit dataset).
  12. NAHB reports that most US pool permits are submitted in warmer months such as May and June, and that its seasonally adjusted index for December 2025 was the lowest in the series (NAHB).
  13. US pool permits totaled 5,499 in June 2026, up 2.5% from June 2025, while the rolling 12 months to June 2026 were down 3.5% (PHTA).
  14. Pool Corporation generated about 61% of its 2025 net sales and 78% of its operating income in the second and third quarters (Pool Corporation 10-K).
  15. Two same-day pulls of the same US monthly series differed by at most 1 index point, in 6 of 93 months for pool builder and 5 of 93 for pool service (Google Trends).

Scores, ranks and sensitivity

National peak month and peak week by term

When in the year does each pool search peak in the US?

FormulaSeasonal index = monthly value / that year's monthly mean, averaged 2019 to 2024, x100; peak week = highest weekly value in each year 2022 to 2026

Inputs: Google Trends base and weekly pulls (fact rows for each term); derived rows peak::, low::, weeks::

Pool opening peaks in May (415), pool closing in September (407), and inground pool (212), above ground pool (283), pool service (178) and pool supplies (235) in June. Pool builder(s) ties June and July (150). Pool opening’s peak week fell between May 15 and May 21 every year from 2022 to 2026.

Limitations: Relative index, sampled. Monthly resolution. 2025 peak weeks may be distorted by the mid-2025 level shift.

State Pool Demand Index

Which states search most intensively for pool builders and pool service?

FormulaIndex = (pool builder(s) state score + pool service state score) / 2, rescaled so the top state = 100; window 2019 to 2024

Inputs: Google Trends interest by subregion for pool builder + pool builders and pool service, 2019 to 2024

Arizona 100, Florida 97.4, Nevada 70.5, Texas 65.8, South Carolina 45.1. Lowest: Wyoming 8.8, Vermont 11.4, Alaska 12.4. Rank correlation with the March 2020 to December 2022 window: 0.98.

Limitations: Measures share of each state’s searches, not volume. Large states such as California can rank lower on share while producing many more searches.

Lead time between search peak and permit peak

Do pool builder searches lead pool permits?

FormulaPearson r between monthly permit shares (nine Sun Belt cities) and monthly pool builder(s) search shares (TX, CA, AZ, FL, NC) with the search series shifted -3 to +6 months

Inputs: PC&S permit counts by month (2019 to 2025) and per-state Google Trends series (2019 to 2024)

Best fit at 0 or 1 month (r = 0.73). The busiest Sun Belt permit month, March (9.1%), comes four months before the busiest search month, July (12.1%). Nationally, NAHB places most permits in May and June, while pool builder(s) searches peak in June and July. Search peaks coincide with or trail permit peaks; they do not lead them.

Limitations: Permits by issue month, not contract date. The permit curve is nearly flat, so the correlation rests on 12 points with little variation.

Pandemic boom versus 2024

Did pool search interest fall after the pandemic?

Formula(mean 2024 - mean of boom peak year) / mean of boom peak year x 100, per term, from 2019 to 2024 pulls

Inputs: Google Trends base pulls per term

Inground pool -44.6% (2020 to 2024), above ground pool -47.5%, pool supplies -59.9%, pool builder(s) -38.6% (2021 to 2024), pool service -17.9%, hot tub -14.9%. Control plumber -16.7%.

Limitations: Generic terms only; searches may have moved to brand or retailer names. Before the mid-2025 shift, so the comparison is internally consistent.

Spring half-rise date by state

Which states start searching earliest?

FormulaDate when the seasonal index first gets half way from its November to February low to its peak; linear interpolation between mid-month values

Inputs: Per-state Google Trends series, pool service (28 states) and pool builder(s) (11 states), 2019 to 2024

Pool service: Florida Mar 10, Louisiana Mar 12, Alabama Mar 15, Arizona Mar 20; Illinois, Michigan and New York Apr 27. The gap is 48 days.

Limitations: About one week of interpolation uncertainty; low-volume states excluded.

Level-shift detection with control terms

Can 2025 and 2026 Trends levels be compared with earlier years?

FormulaCompare pool-term changes with changes in unrelated control terms pulled the same way

Inputs: Weekly and monthly plumber, roofing contractor and lawn mower pulls

Weekly plumber interest rose 29.7% from March to May 2025 to July to September 2025, although plumber has a peak-to-low ratio of only 1.1 in 2019 to 2024. Control terms rose 30.3% to 69.3% in January to September 2026 versus 2025. Levels after mid-2025 are not comparable.

Limitations: Cause not documented by Google. Control terms may be affected differently from pool terms.

Download the calculation sheet (CSV)

Takeaways

  • US search interest for inground pools peaked in June at 212 on a seasonal index where the annual average is 100, and fell to 32 in December (2019 to 2024, Google Trends).
  • US searches for pool opening peaked in May at 415 and searches for pool closing peaked in September at 407 (2019 to 2024, Google Trends).
  • US pool builder(s) searches were the least seasonal construction term: 150 in June and July against 60 in December, a ratio of 2.5 (2019 to 2024, Google Trends).
  • Arizona (100) and Florida (97.4) top the State Pool Demand Index for pool builder(s) and pool service searches, followed by Nevada (70.5) and Texas (65.8), 2019 to 2024 (Google Trends).
  • Pool service searches started their spring rise around Mar 10 in Florida and around Apr 27 in Illinois, Michigan and New York, 2019 to 2024 (Google Trends).
  • US inground pool search interest in 2024 was 44.6% below 2020, while pool service interest was 17.9% below 2020 (Google Trends).
  • Pool permits in nine Sun Belt cities were spread evenly, from 7.2% of the year in November to 9.1% in March (2019 to 2025, PC&S permit dataset), while Sun Belt pool builder searches ranged from 4.8% to 12.1%.
  • Weekly US interest in the unrelated term plumber rose 29.7% between March to May 2025 and July to September 2025 (Google Trends), so 2025 and 2026 Trends levels are treated as not comparable.

Questions this index answers

When is the best time to look for a pool builder?

Search competition is lowest in November and December, when US pool builder(s) interest sits at 60 to 61 on an index where the annual average is 100, against 150 in June and July (2019 to 2024, Google Trends). Sun Belt permit issuance stays between 7.2% and 9.1% of the year in every month (PC&S). For selection steps, see how to choose a pool builder.

When do people start shopping for pools?

US pool builder(s) searches pass their annual average in April and reach the spring half-way point around Apr 3; inground pool searches reach it around Apr 20 (2019 to 2024, Google Trends). In Florida, pool builder(s) searches reach that point around Mar 4. A pool planning checklist covers the steps after that first search.

Which state searches for pools the most?

Relative to all searches in each state, Arizona (100) and Florida (97.4) lead the State Pool Demand Index for 2019 to 2024 (Google Trends). Kentucky leads for inground pool searches and West Virginia for above ground pool searches. These are shares, not counts.

Did pool demand drop after the pandemic?

Yes, in search and in permits. US inground pool search interest in 2024 was 44.6% below 2020 (Google Trends). NAHB’s pool permit index for December 2025 was 34.3% below its January 2020 base, not seasonally adjusted (NAHB).

When is pool season for pool companies?

US pool service searches are above their annual average from April to August and peak in June (178), 2019 to 2024 (Google Trends). Pool Corporation earned about 61% of 2025 net sales in the second and third quarters (Pool Corporation). For service pricing context, see pool cleaning service.

Data vintage

  • First release. All Google Trends pulls retrieved on 2026-10-08 and saved with timestamps.
  • 2026 season: US pool opening searches peaked in the week starting May 17, pool builder(s) in the week starting Jun 7 and pool closing in the week starting Sep 20, 2026 (Google Trends).
  • Pool Corporation reported building materials sales up about 5% in the first six months of 2026 versus 2025 (Pool Corporation 10-Q).
  • Google announced a Trends API (alpha) with consistently scaled data; the website still rescales 0 to 100 on every request (Google Search Central).
  • A level shift begins in Google Trends: unrelated control terms such as plumber jump from mid-2025 (Google Trends).

FAQ

What does a Google Trends value of 100 mean?

It marks the highest relative popularity of a term in the chosen place and period; each data point is divided by total searches and scaled 0 to 100 (Google). In this report the seasonal index sets each term’s annual average to 100, so June inground pool interest of 212 is more than double that term’s yearly average (2019 to 2024).

Can Google Trends show how many people search for pool builders?

No. Trends is a sampled, normalized index (Google). This report makes no search volume claims; it compares timing and relative share. Pool builders drew 3.3 times the relative interest of pool builder in a joint 2019 to 2024 pull.

Why did pool search interest jump in 2025 and 2026?

The jump also appears in unrelated terms: weekly US plumber interest rose 29.7% between March to May and July to September 2025 (Google Trends). Google says Trends can retain some automated searches in rare cases (Google). The cause is not confirmed, so the jump is not read as demand.

When do pool opening searches peak?

In mid-May. The peak US week started May 17 in 2026 and May 18 in 2025 (Google Trends). The May seasonal index for pool opening was 415, 2019 to 2024.

When do pool closing searches peak?

In September. The US pool closing seasonal index reached 407 in September, 2019 to 2024, and the 2026 peak week started Sep 20 (Google Trends).

Are hot tub searches seasonal?

Only slightly. US hot tub interest ranged from 91 in September to 117 in May, 2019 to 2024, a ratio of 1.3 (Google Trends). Above ground pool searches had a ratio of 18.4.

Do pool builder searches predict pool permits?

Not as a lead indicator. In the Sun Belt, search and permit seasonality align best at a 0 to 1 month offset (r = 0.73), 2019 to 2025, and permits peak in March while searches peak in July (PC&S).

Why does Wyoming rank first in the latest 12 months?

Wyoming scored 100 for pool service in October 2025 to September 2026 after years with too little data to register (Google Trends). The score comes from an April to July 2026 burst and is treated as an anomaly; Wyoming ranks last (8.8) on the 2019 to 2024 index.

How stable are Google Trends numbers between downloads?

Two same-day pulls of the same monthly US series differed by at most 1 point, in 6 of 93 months for pool builder (Google Trends). Researchers have documented larger differences across days (Cebrian and Domenech, 2023; Eichenauer et al., 2022).

Which pool searches fell most after the pandemic?

Pool supplies (59.9% below 2020 in 2024), above ground pool (47.5% below 2020) and inground pool (44.6% below 2020), all US (Google Trends). Pool service fell 17.9% from 2020 to 2024.

Using and citing the index

Index figures to quote

  • US search interest for inground pools peaks in June at 212 on a seasonal index where the annual average is 100 (Google Trends, 2019 to 2024). (Google)
  • Arizona and Florida lead the State Pool Demand Index for pool builder and pool service searches, at 100 and 97.4 (Google Trends, 2019 to 2024). (Google)
  • Pool service searches start their spring rise around Mar 10 in Florida and around Apr 27 in Illinois, Michigan and New York, a 48-day gap (2019 to 2024). (Google)
  • US inground pool search interest in 2024 was 44.6% below its 2020 level (Google Trends). (Google)
  • Pool permits in nine Sun Belt cities ranged only from 7.2% to 9.1% of the year by month, 2019 to 2025. (Pool Construction & Service)
  • Pool Corporation generated about 61% of its 2025 net sales in the second and third quarters. (Pool Corporation (SEC))
  • US pool opening searches peaked in a week starting between May 15 and May 21 in every year from 2022 to 2026 (Google Trends). (Google)

Underlying datasets

Index brief

A new PC&S analysis of Google Trends data shows that US pool searches follow a fixed calendar. Interest in inground pools, above ground pools, pool service and pool supplies peaks in June, pool opening searches peak in mid-May and pool closing searches in September (2019 to 2024 averages). Arizona (100) and Florida (97.4) lead a State Pool Demand Index built from pool builder and pool service searches. Pool service searches start rising around Mar 10 in Florida and around Apr 27 in Illinois, Michigan and New York. In the Sun Belt, builder searches peak in July while permits are spread almost evenly, so searches do not lead permits. US inground pool search interest in 2024 was 44.6% below 2020. The analysis also finds a level shift in Google Trends from mid-2025 that lifted unrelated terms such as plumber, so 2025 and 2026 Trends levels should not be read as pool demand. Every pull is saved with a timestamp.

Headlines the index supports

  • Pool season starts 48 days earlier in Florida than in Illinois, search data shows
  • Arizona and Florida lead the US in pool builder and pool service searches
  • Inground pool searches in 2024 were 44.6% below the 2020 boom
  • Pool opening searches peak in mid-May every year from 2022 to 2026
  • Google Trends jump in 2025 hit plumbers and pools alike, so 2026 demand cannot be read from search

Cite the index

Pool Construction & Service. "Pool Search Trends: The US Pool Demand Seasonality Index by Month and State." PC&S Research Desk, October 8, 2026. https://poolconstructionandservice.com/research/pool-search-trends/

Reuse terms

The data tables and charts in this report are licensed under CC BY 4.0. Reuse them with this attribution: “Source: Pool Construction & Service (poolconstructionandservice.com), Pool Search Trends: The US Pool Demand Seasonality Index by Month and State.” Figures from third-party sources remain subject to their publishers’ terms.

Index data

Source grading

Tier 1: primary and government sources (9)

Tier 2: trade bodies, public companies, market research (8)

Data sources

  1. Google. Google Trends explore data: pool and control terms, US and state pulls (retrieved 2026-10-08). Accessed 2026-10-08.
  2. Google (Trends Help). FAQ about Google Trends data. Accessed 2026-10-08.
  3. Google (Trends Help). Compare Trends search terms. Accessed 2026-10-08.
  4. Google (Trends Help). Explore results by region. Accessed 2026-10-08.
  5. Google Search Central Blog. Introducing the Google Trends API (alpha). Accessed 2026-10-08.
  6. Google News Lab. What is Google Trends data, and what does it mean?. Accessed 2026-10-08.
  7. Google. Predicting the Present with Google Trends (Choi and Varian). Accessed 2026-10-08.
  8. Applied Economics Letters. Is Google Trends a quality data source? (Cebrian and Domenech, 2023). Accessed 2026-10-08.
  9. Economic Inquiry. Obtaining consistent time series from Google Trends (Eichenauer et al., 2022). Accessed 2026-10-08.
  10. Pool Construction & Service. Pool construction statistics: city permit dataset. Accessed 2026-10-08.
  11. National Association of Home Builders (Eye on Housing). Pool Permitting Falls Lower in 2025. Accessed 2026-10-08.
  12. Pool & Hot Tub Alliance. Market Intelligence Report: Pool Permit Activity Improves in June. Accessed 2026-10-08.
  13. Pool Corporation (SEC). Form 10-K for fiscal 2025. Accessed 2026-10-08.
  14. Pool Corporation (SEC). Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. Accessed 2026-10-08.
  15. Leslie's, Inc. (SEC). Form 10-K for fiscal 2025. Accessed 2026-10-08.
  16. Hayward Holdings (SEC). Form 10-K for fiscal 2025. Accessed 2026-10-08.
  17. Latham Group (SEC). Form 10-K for fiscal 2025. Accessed 2026-10-08.
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