Drycleaners in the Northeast maintain the highest base prices, according to AmericanDrycleaner.com’s survey panel of industry operators who provide financial and cost data anonymously for use at the site.
As shown in last month’s StatShot report, drycleaners in the region were also most likely to raise prices earlier this year, and raised prices faster than any other area, with an average increase of 8.8%.
Drycleaners in the Northeast charge an average of $14.14 to clean a two-piece suit, while those in the West and Midwest charged close to the national average of $10.72. Drycleaners in the South charge an average of just $7.96 for the same work.
The price of a laundered shirt shows the least regional disparities. Drycleaners in the water-conscious Western states charge the most ($2.41), with the Northeast not far behind ($2.23). Operators in the Midwest and South report charging less than the national average of $2.12, with $1.89 and $1.94, respectively.
For a drycleaned shirt or blouse, plants in the Northeast again report charging the highest prices, averaging $6.00 — more than $1.00 more than the national average of $4.86. In the West, a drycleaned shirt or blouse goes for an average of $4.68; in the Midwest, the price is $4.82; and in the South, it’s $3.93.
Next month, AmericanDrycleaner.com will conclude this two-part report with details on the average prices reported for basic clothing separates such as pants, dresses and sweaters. AmericanDrycleaner.com regularly posts information on sales, wages, costs and other financial data based on anonymous survey information provided by industry operators. If you would like to join the survey panel, e-mail [email protected].
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].