Where Pools Command Highest, Lowest Premiums

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It’s cool to have a pool in the pandemic. The backyard swimming pool has been in demand since the COVID-19 outbreak. But pools in real estate haven’t always been a slam dunk moneymaker. Real estate pros have expressed mixed opinions on the value they add to a home, especially given their high price tag.

Porch.com, a home improvement resource, analyzed how a swimming pool can impact the price of a home in the 500 largest cities across the U.S.

Overall, homes with pools tend to be more expensive than those without. A home with a swimming pool was worth, on average, 47% more than a home that didn’t have one, according to the study.

In some cities, that premium is much higher. For example, in New York, which boasts the highest pool premium in the country, a house with a pool costs six times the price of an average home.

The following cities see the highest “pool premium” (the average price of a home with a pool as a percentage of the average home price in the city), according to Porch.com’s analysis:

1. New York (548%)
2. Youngstown, Ohio (458%)
3. Columbus, Ga. (446%)
4. Birmingham, Ala. (437%)
5. Jackson, Miss. (413%)
6. San Angelo, Texas (358%)
7. Atlanta (328%)
8. Dayton, Ohio (327%)
9. Los Angeles (305%)
10. Monroe, La. (302%)

On the other hand, these cities have the lowest “pool premium” (the average price of a home with a pool as a percentage of the average home price in the city):

1. Sunnyvale, Calif. (–54%)
2. Eau Claire, Wis. (–51%)
3. Santa Clara, Calif. (–36%)
4. Bellingham, Wash. (–36%)
5. Ontario, Calif. (–32%)
6. Westminster, Calif. (–29.%)
7. Huntington Beach, Calif. (–25%)
8. Garden Grove, Calif. (–23%)
9. Santa Ana, Calif. (–22%)
10. Eugene, Ore. (–17%)

Cities that have the highest percentage of homes with a pool are Boca Raton, Fla. (74%); Miami (70%); Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (69%); Hollywood, Fla. (67%); and Pompano Beach, Fla. (67%).

Meanwhile, cities where pools are the least common are Anchorage, Alaska (2%); Lincoln, Neb. (2%); Pueblo, Colo. (2%); and Lancaster, Calif. (2%).