Oh, Christmas tree, Oh, Christmas tree… this year’s Christmas tree statistics look set to go down in history!
- 25-30 million Christmas trees are sold annually in the US
- The US Christmas trees industry employs over 100,000 people
- There are 350 million Christmas trees growing in the US
- Christmas tree farms in the US number 15,000
- 295,162 acres are dedicated to growing Christmas trees in the US
- The US Christmas market is worth $380 million
- Oregon is the number 1 Christmas tree-growing state in the US
As you can see at a glance, these Christmas tree statistics show a thriving industry that’s driven by festive season demand. Let’s take a closer look at the stats and the Christmas tree facts that drive this seasonal spending.
Jump To a Section Below
- Where Does The Christmas Tree Tradition Come From?
- The Christmas Tree Market in the US
- US Christmas Tree Statistics – Consumer Numbers
- The White House Christmas Tree for 2023
- Which State Grows The Most Christmas Trees?
- Christmas Tree Facts – The Global Christmas Tree Market
- Are Real Christmas Trees Better For The Earth?
- The Money Issue – 2023 Christmas Tree Facts
Where Does The Christmas Tree Tradition Come From?
Before Christianity’s spread, trees that remained evergreen all year held special meaning for people in the long and dark winters. Ancient tribes placed evergreen branches and sprays over their doors and windows. However, the tradition of decorated Christmas trees originated in Germany, where candlelit trees have been a feature of German life for centuries.
The Christmas tree tradition was brought to the US in the 19th century by German Lutheran immigrants to Pennsylvania. At the time, early Americans were said to find the Christmas trees odd. They were seen as pagan and frowned upon by Puritans. By the time the Victorian era dawned, Americans had embraced the Christmas tree tradition wholeheartedly.
Currently, Americans like their Christmas tree large (from floor to ceiling) and decorating the tree with handmade or store-bought decorations is now a favourite Christmas ritual.
So, let’s take a look at how the US Christmas tree industry is doing.
The Christmas Tree Market in the US
The Christmas trees industry is a lucrative and very serious business. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that 25-30 million Christmas trees are sold annually in the US.
More than 100,000 people are employed by the Christmas tree industry and more than 350 million trees are grown on more than 15,000 tree farms in the US. Christmas trees take between 3-10 years to grow before they are harvested for the festive season. 15,000 Christmas tree farmers across the US grow these trees, making up about 295,162 acres. Most Christmas trees are spruce, fir and pine trees.
The market worth of Christmas trees is estimated at close to $380 million in annual sales.
US Christmas Tree Statistics – Consumer Numbers
The National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) conducts an annual survey in January to ascertain facts about the seasonal sale of Christmas trees in the preceding December season.
The 2023 survey showed around 21 million Christmas trees were sold in 2023 at an average price of $99. The average age of Christmas tree buyers was 40 years old and lived in a household consisting of more than 3 people. Most were homeowners.
Where Americans bought their Christmas trees in 2023:
- Chain Stores (such as Walmart): 28.5%
- Choose & Cut Farm: 26.8%
- Retail Lot: 16.2%
- Nursery: 11.6%
- Non-Profit Group: 7.4%
- Online: 5.6%
- Other: 3.9%
The White House Christmas Tree for 2023
Every year, the White House has a spectacular Christmas tree and festive season display. This year, an 18,5-foot Concolor fir is to be displayed in the Blue Room of the White House in 2023. This special tree must fit exact specifications to fit into the historic Blue Room.
The tree was grown by Alex Church & Amber Scott in Fleetwood, North Carolina, and was named the 2023 Grand Champion Grower in the National Christmas Tree Association’s National Christmas Tree contest. North Carolina has produced more winners than any other state. The winners of the competition get to present a Christmas tree to the White House.
Which State Grows The Most Christmas Trees?
Christmas trees are grown across the northern (colder) areas of the US, and these 10 states dominate the market:
10. Ohio
– Trees harvested: 155,572
– Farms: 737
– Acres: 7,714
– Sales: $4.89 million.
Austrian pine, Scotch pine, eastern white pine, red pine, southwestern white pine, Norway spruce, and Serbian spruce are grown in Ohio. The Scotch Pine is the most popular choice of Christmas tree in Ohio.
9. Minnesota
– Trees harvested: 182,532
– Farms: 321
– Acres: 7,337
– Worth: $5.8 million
Minnesota Christmas tree farmers sell around 500,000 Christmas trees annually. The most popular Christmas trees include the Balsam fir, Fraser fir, and Scotch pine. The Norway pine, white pine, and Colorado spruce are also commonly grown.
8. New York
– Trees harvested: 295,260
– Farms: 1,187
– Acres: 19,762
– Sales: $8 million
The most common long-needled Christmas tree variety in New York is the Scots pine, while the most common short-needled tree in New York is the Douglas fir. It takes 7 to 12 years to grow a good and healthy 7-foot Christmas tree in New York.
7. Virginia
– Trees harvested: 474,902
– Farms: 464
– Acres: 11,151
– Sales: Data not available
The white pine is the most widely planted Christmas tree type in Virginia due to its ease of growth, adaptability and good needle retention. The Virginia pine, despite its name, is a popular choice for people in the Deep South.
6. Washington
– Trees harvested: 535,046
– Farms: 670
– Acres: 7,985
– Worth: Data not available
Many smallholders in southwest Washington farm and grow Christmas trees, as the state enjoys a long growing season and mild winters. Washington’s cooler autumn harvesting season and high humidity contribute to Christmas trees lasting well after they are harvested.
5. Wisconsin
– Trees harvested: 700,341
– Farms: 859
– Acres: 23,373
– Sales: $18.03 million
4. Pennsylvania
– Trees harvested: 1,050,159
– Farms: 1,281
– Acres: 30,793
– Sales: $28.81 million
Pennsylvania harvests more than 1 million Christmas trees each festive season.
3. Michigan
– Trees harvested: 1,551,185
– Farms: 1,233
– Acres: 36,986
– Sales: $28.73 million
The Christmas trees of choice in Michigan are the Scots pine, white pine, blue spruce, Black hills spruce, Balsam fir, Concolor fir, Douglas fir and Fraser fir. Amazon has been selling and delivering Michigan Christmas trees across the US since 2017.
2. North Carolina
– Trees harvested: 4,031,864
– Farms: 854
– Acres: 38,893
– Sales: $86.83 million
North Carolina is the home of the Fraser Fir. They travel widely, as Fraser firs are shipped to all 50 US states together with the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, and even Japan. The state grows more than 1 in 5 Christmas trees in the country.
1. Oregon
– Trees harvested: 4,714,298
– Farms: 1,431
– Acres: 45,283
– Sales: $120.68 million
Oregon “outgrows” North Carolina at # 2 by more than 2 million trees. 92% percent of Oregonian Christmas trees are exported to other states.
Currently, there are close to 350 million Christmas trees growing in the US. They are all planted by Christmas tree farmers.
With the US market being this big, let’s look at other regions.
Christmas Tree Facts – The Global Christmas Tree Market
Australia
Christmas tree farming is relatively new in Australia. Growing Christmas trees down under is a bit different from the Northern hemisphere. The growing and harvest seasons differ and lessons from the North cannot be applied in Australia. The favourite Christmas tree of Australians is the Pinus radiata or Monterey Pine which grows fast.
Europe
The European demand for live trees reaches about 50 million per year. Denmark is the biggest Christmas tree producer with around 90% of its annual harvest exported to the UK, France, Austria, and Germany.
While it’s difficult to pin down recent statistics, you can get an idea of Europe’s annual Christmas tree production with the earlier 2018 figures. Most natural Christmas trees grow in central and Western Europe. Some 18 million Christmas trees came from Germany, followed by France with 6 million trees. Denmark produces 10 million trees and the UK has under 5 million Christmas trees. The demand for Christmas trees in the UK currently sits at around 8 million, so the deficit is made up of imported trees.
The only relation China has to Christmas activities is the fact that the country is the major manufacturer of artificial Christmas trees.
Most artificial Christmas trees are made from 100% recycled plastic from used PVC packaging materials in China. Surprisingly, the biggest consumers of artificial Christmas trees are the Poles, with up to 20% of Christmas trees being artificial in Polish homes. Even more surprisingly, many households make their own Christmas trees.
Making artificial Christmas trees is economically important for many Polish families with a sizeable number of fake trees exported to Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Are Real Christmas Trees Better For The Earth?
This is a debate that often crops up. However, the simple answer is that real live Christmas trees are the best. Ethically-minded consumers favour live Christmas trees which can be planted after use.
Growing Christmas trees contribute to carbon sequestration, runoff reduction, soil stability, wildlife shelter and Oxygen production, literally the air we breathe. So, the Christmas tree industry offers many benefits to a large number of countries.
The Money Issue – 2023 Christmas Tree Facts
According to the latest Fox reports, consumers will have to dig deeper in their wallets similar to last year if they want to buy a real Christmas tree. Inflation and rising farm input costs are to blame.
The Real Christmas Tree Board surveyed 55 Christmas tree growers in August 2023 that make up around two-thirds of the US supply chain. However, compared to last year, only 25% of those surveyed expect to raise the wholesale prices they charge retailers by 5% to 15% compared to last year. Almost half expect to take a wholesale price increase of less than 5% this year. More than a quarter do not expect to increase their prices at all.
Now that we’ve got the bad news out of the way, now is the perfect time to go and get your tree!
Nathan has always been captivated by numbers and patterns. With a Master’s degree in Statistics, he’s honed his skills to decipher complex data sets and discern market trends.
Over the past decade, Nathan has worked with various firms compiling and analyzing industry spending figures to forecast market movements.