Are you about to mow your lawn and don’t know fast you can get it done or how much it might cost? Or maybe you already have and are wondering if you did it fast enough or paid the right amount. Don’t worry; you aren’t the only one. So, acreage mowing, how long does it take, and what is the cost?
It generally takes 1 hour to mow and acre and costs around $75 to have a professional crew take care of the job. The times to cut it and the cost for a crew to handle it varies depending on several factors. Incline, access, soil condition, obstacles, and height of grass all play a role.
When mowing a lawn, one size doesn’t fit all. Several conditions determine the speed and price of cutting your grass. Would you like to find out what they are?
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How Long Does It Take to Mow 1 Acre?
The time it takes to mow 1 acre varies, and it could take anywhere from 10 minutes to well over an hour, depending on certain conditions. Here is a rundown of some of the major scenarios and how long it takes to mow an acre of grass.
To mow 1 acre of grass:
- Normal turf with a push mower – over 1 hour
- High grass with a push mower – 1 1/2 hours
- Normal turf with a riding mower – under 1 hour
- High grass with a riding mower – 1 hour
- Normal turf with a zero-turn mower – under 1/2 hour
- High grass with a zero-turn mower – 45 minutes
Several factors determine the time it takes to mow a lawn. These factors above are to give a general idea. There are other issues including the size and speed of the mower, the size of the lawn, and the lawn condition such as trees, hills, or obstacles.
Let’s look at some of them.
Size of the Lawn
The size of your lawn heavily determines the time it will take to mow it. No matter how big or fast your mower is, it will take longer to cut a more extensive lawn. However, if you have a smaller yard, the time it takes to mow it will be considerably shorter.
The average size of the American lawn has been shrinking with housing prices, inflation, and the rise of neighborhoods with more and more regulated construction. In ages past, the average yard size in the united states was 0.22 acres.
Today the average changes between different sections of the US and varies because of things like the average household income, family sizes, and population density. Newer yard size averages have went down considerably in the South and West.
According to research, even though in the North some lawn sizes remain in the range of the past few decades, in the West and South they have shrunk noticeably.
Average yard sizes for new construction:
| U.S. Region | Average Lawn Size 1992 (in acres) | Current Average Lawn Size (in acres) |
| North | 0.22 | 0.25 |
| South | 0.22 | 0.17 |
| West | 0.22 | 0.16 |
For our purposes here, this means that times to mow have come down not only because of innovations in lawnmower design, but because the sizes of our yards have shrunk. If you still have an acre or more, read on to find out more about what could change your mowing schedule.
The Mower’s Operator
Some lawn mowers cut grass faster than others, and the size of the engine also affects the speed of the mower. However, as the owner of the mower, you have to maintain it to ensure its blades are sharp and can cut adequately.
Also, you have to be careful not to push your mower too hard, so it doesn’t break down, cut your grass unevenly, or damage your lawn.
Regular maintenance schedules and repairs can help your machine speed up mowing. Neglect can slow it down considerably.
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Lawn Condition
Not all lawns are the same. Some have overgrown or wet patches, trees, walls, hills, and other obstacles, while some do not have any challenges. Depending on the state of your lawn, it could take a longer or shorter time to mow it.
Size and Speed of the Mower
Another factor to consider is the size and speed of the mower. A larger deck will allow you to mow a large patch of grass in a single swipe, which will lead to a shorter time mowing your lawn. However, larger mowers cost more because they have longer blades and a larger engine.
There are four common lawn mower types with different average speeds. The mowers are push mower, lawn tractor, residential zero-turn, and commercial zero-turn.
Keep in mind that these estimates were made for a perfect-squared lawn with no obstacles. An irregular-shaped lawn or a lawn with obstacles like flowerbeds could take slightly longer.
Push Mower
Push mowers are just as straightforward as they sound; you push them forward, and they mow your lawn. They have an average speed of 3 MPH.
A 22-inch push mower mows about 0.6 acres per hour which means mowing 1 acre should take about 1 hour 30 minutes.
A 30-inch push mows about 0.75 acres per hour, leading to an average of about 1 hour 10 minutes for 1 acre.
Lawn Tractor
Lawn tractors are mid-range mowers. They are not as fast as zero-turn mowers but are faster and more powerful than push engine mowers. These have an average speed between 3-5 MPH.
The lawn tractor comes in 38, 42, 46, and 54-inch models. These tractors can mow between 1 – 2.5 acres per hour. So you are looking to cut for about 25 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of your lawn tractor.
Zero-Turn Mower
Zero-turn mowers are the best option for mowing all kinds of lawns quickly. You can easily avoid obstacles using these mowers, even at top speed.
These are broken into two types. There is the residential and commercial zero-turn. The residential zero-turn has an average speed of 5-8 MPH, while the commercial zero-turn has 7-13 MPH.
Just like the lawn tractor, the zero-turn comes in various models. There are 42, 46, 54, 66, and 72-inch models. The zero-turn can mow between 2.3 to 6.6 acres per hour, depending on the model. So, you are looking at about 9 to 26 minutes to cut 1 acre.
How Much Does It Cost to Mow 1 Acre?
If you do not own a mower or do not want to stress about mowing your lawn, you can easily hire a lawn mowing service to get the job done.
If the company you hire will use their equipment, bring their gas, and then do some edging or trimming, you should be looking at about $70 to $100 for 1 acre. This is the easiest way to get the job done though it may not be the cheapest when compared to doing yourself or hiring an individual.
On the other hand, if you can find a handyman or local teenager to do the work, you can provide all the necessary equipment and gas. You should expect to be paying between $20 to $25 per hour. This is when the speed and power of your mower come into play.
If you are not sure of the exact size of your lawn, many lawn mowing services can use satellite imaging software to give you accurate measurements for larger jobs. You will find that for most yards, a professional can tell you the approximate size simply by looking at the property.
However, remember that the prices, regardless of who provides the equipment, may differ depending on your location and the nature of your lawn.
Factors that affect the price of mowing your lawn include its shape and access.
Shape
If your lawn is a perfect rectangle or square, the time it would take the lawn mowing service to mow it is considerably shorter than if your lawn has several sections that are unconnected, narrow, or obstructed. The extra time it would take to mow your lawn could make the price go up.
Inclines
Hills, banks, or steep areas will necessitate slowing mower speeds and in some circumstances creative techniques. If a bank is steep enough, other machines besides a mower may have to be used.
It not only takes a slower mowing speed due to safety concerns, sliding and skidding could cause damage to the lawn.
Access
If you have a lawn with a small access point, this will hinder the lawn mowing service from using their larger mowing equipment. This means they’ll have to use smaller equipment, which will take longer and is more tedious.
Another access issue is if you have limited parking. If the mowing company has to park farther away from your lawn, it will take more time to set up, increasing the service price.
The Final Touches On Acreage Mowing…
In the most general terms, it takes around an hour to mow an acre and will cost in the neighborhood of $75 to have a professional crew mow it.
One thing to keep in mind, we had an incident once mowing a couple acre yard surrounded by new construction. The ground was poorly leveled and due to the many bumps and holes the frame on our mower broke. Many landscaping crews will walk over the terrain and can adjust the price for uneven ground.
Don’t immediately chalk up any increases in prices to unscrupulous business practices. Sometimes times or prices higher than the ones given here could be due to the type of ground you are wanting them to cover.
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