Christmas Tree Statistics 2026: 52 Facts on Real vs Artificial Trees

Harriet Ashdown · Published October 7, 2026

For most American families, the tree is the centerpiece of Christmas. It is also a surprisingly big farming business.

Some trees take ten years to grow. Others are made in a factory overseas. The two camps argue about price, smell and the environment every December.

This page collects the most reliable numbers on real and artificial trees in the United States: who buys what, where trees grow, what they cost and what happens afterward. Every figure links to its source. Lights, music, food and the rest of the season are in our US Christmas facts and figures.

Many figures come from the National Christmas Tree Association. Official farm counts come from the USDA Economic Research Service.

Christmas trees at a glance

83%of households displaying a tree chose an artificial one in 2025¹

14.5mreal Christmas trees cut on US farms in 2022²

$553msales of cut Christmas trees in 2022, up from $377m in 2017²

8 to 10years it takes to grow a real Christmas tree³

Contents:

Real or artificial: what Americans put in the living room
How many trees Americans buy and grow
Where Christmas trees grow
Species and growing time
What a Christmas tree costs
How long trees last and what they do to the climate
Fire and safety
What the numbers mean for businesses
My take
FAQ
Sources

Real or artificial: what Americans put in the living room

1. 83% of households will choose an artificial tree

In an Ipsos survey for the American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA) in October 2025, 83% of households planning to display a tree said it would be artificial. The sample was 1,033 US adults.¹

2. In 2016, the split was 81% to 19%

A Nielsen survey for ACTA in 2016 found that 78% of US households, nearly 100 million, would display a Christmas tree. Of those trees, 81% were artificial and 19% real.⁴

3. Who is behind the biggest survey

The Real Christmas Tree Board points out that ACTA does not represent real tree growers and that its CEO is also the founder and CEO of Balsam Hill, a seller of artificial trees.³ Read industry surveys with that in mind.

4. An independent poll found a much closer race

YouGov asked 6,647 US adults on December 15 and 16, 2022: 45% preferred an artificial tree and 39% a fresh one.⁵ The question was about preference, not what people actually put up.

5. Artificial trees are seen as the cheaper option

In the same YouGov poll, 60% of Americans said artificial trees are more affordable, while 21% said real trees are.⁵

6. Women lean artificial more than men

YouGov found that 52% of women prefer an artificial tree, compared with 38% of men. Men tend to switch from real to artificial around age 50.⁵

7. Real tree fans cite scent first

In the Real Christmas Tree Board survey of 1,500 adults aged 21 to 54 (August and September 2025), 89% said the scent of a real tree makes their home feel festive. 85% agreed that real trees bring joy to everyone who sees and smells them.⁶

8. First-time real tree buyers want something different

The top reasons for first-time buyers of a real tree in 2025 were wanting to try something different (42%), a more authentic holiday experience (37%) and the scent (36%).⁶

9. 91% of real tree buyers said the price was worth it

In a survey fielded from December 26, 2025 to January 7, 2026, 91% of people who bought a real tree said the price was worth it, and 56% said it was less than they expected.³

How many trees Americans buy and grow

10. 25 to 30 million real trees are sold each year

The National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) estimates that 25 to 30 million real Christmas trees are sold in the US every year.⁷

11. The federal count is lower: 14.5 million trees cut in 2022

The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted more than 14.5 million Christmas trees cut, about 550,000 fewer than the 15.05 million in 2017. The USDA links the drop to prolonged drought in several growing regions.²

12. Sales value rose by almost half in five years

US growers sold $553 million of cut Christmas trees in 2022, compared with $377 million in 2017, even though fewer trees were cut.²

13. About 16,000 farms grow Christmas trees

Christmas trees are grown on roughly 16,000 US farms in all 50 states, according to the USDA.² The NCTA puts the figure at close to 15,000 farms and 350,000 acres.

14. About 350 million trees are growing right now

The NCTA says close to 350 million Christmas trees are currently growing on US tree farms, and more than 100,000 people work in the industry full or part time.⁷

15. Almost 2.8 million trees are imported, mostly from Canada

In 2022, the US imported nearly 2.8 million live Christmas trees worth $68 million. Between 2000 and 2015, imports averaged about 2 million trees a year. 99% of the trade happens in November and December.⁸

16. Canada ships 95% of its Christmas tree exports south

Canadian Christmas tree exports were worth C$83.8 million in 2024, and 95.4% went to the United States. Quebec supplied 63.0% and Nova Scotia 19.9%.⁹

Where Christmas trees grow

17. Oregon grows about a third of the nation's trees

Oregon farmers cut 4.82 million Christmas trees in 2022 on 48,433 acres in production, worth $167.3 million.¹⁰ That is about a third of the national total.

18. Oregon sales were up 39% from 2017

The value of Oregon Christmas tree sales rose from $120.7 million in 2017 to $167.3 million in 2022, while the number of trees cut rose only slightly, from 4.71 million to 4.82 million.¹⁰

19. Oregon and North Carolina cut more than half of all trees

Together, Oregon and North Carolina produced more than half of the trees cut in 2022. Michigan, Washington, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Virginia are also major producers.²

20. More than half of Oregon's trees go to California

Oregon sold 3.17 million trees in 2023, and more than half of them were sold in California. Other markets include Mexico, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan.¹¹

21. Michigan cut 1.8 million trees in 2022

Michigan had 1,236 Christmas tree farms with 33,135 acres in production in 2022 and cut 1,799,391 trees, up from 1.55 million in 2017. Sales were worth $48.9 million.¹²

22. Pennsylvania cut a third fewer trees than in 2017

Pennsylvania farmers cut 721,480 Christmas trees in 2022, down from 1,050,159 in 2017, while sales edged up from $28.8 million to $31.4 million.¹³

23. Washington nearly doubled its acreage

Washington State had 13,245 acres of Christmas trees in production in 2022, up from 7,985 in 2017, and cut 936,904 trees.¹⁴

24. A county in the mountains leads the nation

North Carolina is the second largest Christmas tree state, and NC State University calls Ashe County the nation's number one county for Christmas tree production.¹⁵ How often snow actually falls on December 25 is covered in our white Christmas statistics.

Species and growing time

25. It takes 8 to 10 years to grow a tree

The Real Christmas Tree Board says it takes eight to 10 years to grow a Christmas tree, depending on variety and location.³

26. The range runs from 4 to 15 years

According to the NCTA, a tree of typical height (6 to 7 feet) can take as many as 15 years or as little as 4. The average is 7 years.⁷

27. Fraser fir needs 8 to 12 years

On well-drained sites in North Carolina, Fraser fir transplants take 8 to 12 years to reach 7 to 8 feet. Virginia pine takes 4 to 6 years and Leyland cypress 3 to 6.¹⁶

28. Researchers want to cut two years off the clock

NC State is breeding faster growing Fraser firs. The average field needs about 10 years to be fully harvested, and the goal is to shorten that by two years.¹⁵

29. Three seedlings replace each cut tree in Pennsylvania

Penn State Extension says growers plant on average three new seedlings for each tree they cut. At 5 by 5 feet spacing, about 1,500 trees fit on an acre.¹⁷

30. Noble fir is just over half of Oregon sales

Native noble fir makes up just over half of Oregon's Christmas tree sales. Nordmann and Turkish fir are a small but growing share and can hold their needles for four to six weeks indoors with water.¹¹

31. Growers plant one to three trees for every one harvested

The NCTA says growers plant one to three seedlings the following spring for every tree harvested, and that more than 20 species are sold nationwide.⁷

What a Christmas tree costs

32. A real tree costs $80 to $100 or more

FOX 9, citing ACTA, put the national average price of a real tree in 2025 at roughly $80 to more than $100, and artificial trees at major retailers at $64 to more than $600 depending on size.¹⁸

33. Oregon growers expected $12 to $15 per foot

Oregon State University reported that prices were expected to stay stable, averaging about $12 to $15 per foot of tree.¹¹

34. 91% of growers will not raise wholesale prices in 2026

In an August 2026 survey of 47 wholesale growers, 91% said they do not plan to raise wholesale prices for the 2026 season, up from 84% a year earlier. Retailers still set the price you pay.³

35. Growers expect steady supply

In the same survey, nearly 8 in 10 growers expect to sell the same number of trees or more in 2026, and 85% describe supply as strong to very strong.³

36. Tariffs add 10 to 20% to artificial trees

ACTA estimated that artificial trees would cost 10 to 20% more in 2025 because of tariffs, and that major retailers cut their purchases by 15 to 20%.¹⁸

37. 87% of Christmas decor comes from China

ACTA estimates that 87% of Christmas decor sold in the US is sourced from China, according to a CNBC report in April 2026.¹⁹

38. The US imported $2.97 billion of decorations from China

The Census Bureau reports that US imports of Christmas decorations from China were worth $2.97 billion in 2024, 86.8% of all such imports.²⁰

39. 80% of artificial trees are made in China

The NCTA says 80% of the world's artificial trees are manufactured in China, citing the US Commerce Department.⁷

How long trees last and what they do to the climate

40. Artificial trees are kept for 10 years, says ACTA

ACTA says a well-made artificial tree is reused for an average of 10 years, and that 62% of owners plan to keep theirs for up to six years.²¹

41. The NCTA assumes 6 to 9 years

The National Christmas Tree Association says the average family uses an artificial tree for only six to nine years before throwing it away.²²

42. A 2018 study: artificial wins after five years

A life cycle assessment by WAP Sustainability Consulting, commissioned by ACTA, found that an artificial tree has a more favorable environmental effect if it is reused for at least five years. Real trees were assumed to need 7 to 8 years of field growth.²³

43. An older study set the break-even at 20 years

In a Canadian study (Ellipsos) cited by Purdue University, a 7 foot real tree had a carbon balance of 24 kg of CO2 against 48 kg for a 6 foot artificial tree. The artificial tree had to be displayed for more than 20 years to compare favorably.²⁴

44. Composting is the best end for a real tree

Of three disposal options for a real tree (landfill, incineration, composting), the 2018 assessment recommends composting, which returns the tree to the soil.²³

45. More than 4,000 local recycling programs

The NCTA counts more than 4,000 Christmas tree recycling programs across the United States.⁷

46. New York chipped 52,569 trees in one winter

NYC Parks recycled 52,569 holiday trees at its 2025 Mulchfest, the city's record. Residents could drop trees at dozens of sites, and the chips become mulch for parks and gardens.²⁵

Fire and safety

47. 155 home fires a year start with a Christmas tree

NFPA data for 2018 to 2022 show US fire departments responded to an average of 155 home structure fires a year caused by Christmas trees, with four civilian deaths, seven injuries and $15 million in damage.²⁶

48. Lights cause most tree fires

41% of home Christmas tree fires involved electrical distribution or lighting equipment, 20% lamps or bulbs and 11% candles. 40% began in the living room.²⁶

49. Tree fires are 4.5 times as deadly

A 2017 NFPA report found that home fires that started with a Christmas tree were nearly 4.5 times as deadly as fires started by any other item.²⁷

50. A dry tree burns far faster

University of Maryland fire engineers burned well-watered and dried-out Douglas firs in December 2025. A dry tree fire can grow very large very quickly, which is why daily watering matters.²⁷

51. A tree drinks a quart of water per inch of trunk

Michigan State University advises that each inch of trunk diameter needs about a quart of water per day, and that growers should cut half an inch to an inch off the base before setting up the tree.²⁸

52. Older federal data counted 100 fires and 10 deaths

The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated for 2012 to 2014 an average of 100 Christmas tree fires a year, with 10 deaths and $15.7 million in property loss.²⁹ The NFPA counts differ because the two agencies use different methods.

What the numbers mean for businesses

Three things stand out for anyone who uses Christmas for marketing or employee engagement. First, the tree is a shared ritual, not just a product: people talk about scent, memories and family. Second, the choice is split between tradition and convenience, so a message that respects both travels furthest. Third, the season is long, because trees go up early and stay until January, much like the daily countdown in our advent calendar statistics. For more on how people spend around the tree, see our Christmas spending statistics.

A digital advent calendar plays on the same ritual without needles or shipping: 24 doors with quizzes, coupons or videos, sent as a link. See how it works for customers, as a marketing campaign or for employees.

My take

Harriet Ashdown

I grew up with a real tree, and I still think the smell is the whole point. A tree that never drops a needle misses what the ritual is about.

But I understand why most families go artificial. It is easy, it is cheaper over time, and it survives a busy December.

The honest answer is that the best tree is the one you keep using. Whatever stands in your living room, use it for years and recycle it well.

Frequently asked questions

How many Americans have an artificial Christmas tree?

In an Ipsos survey for ACTA in October 2025, 83% of households planning to display a tree said it would be artificial. A YouGov poll from 2022 found a closer split: 45% preferred artificial and 39% fresh.

How many real Christmas trees are sold in the US each year?

The National Christmas Tree Association estimates 25 to 30 million. The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted more than 14.5 million trees cut on US farms, worth $553 million.

Which state grows the most Christmas trees?

Oregon. Its farmers cut 4.82 million trees in 2022, worth $167.3 million. Oregon and North Carolina together produced more than half of all trees cut.

How long does it take to grow a Christmas tree?

The Real Christmas Tree Board says 8 to 10 years. The range is 4 to 15 years, with an average of 7, according to the NCTA.

Is a real or an artificial tree better for the environment?

It depends on how long you use it. A 2018 study found that an artificial tree needs at least five years of use to beat a real one, while an older Canadian study put the break-even at more than 20 years.

How many house fires does a Christmas tree cause?

NFPA data for 2018 to 2022 show an average of 155 home fires a year started by Christmas trees, with four deaths. Water your tree daily and keep it away from heat.

Where can I use these statistics?

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