How Much Does Tree Removal Cost in 2023?

Tree removal costs anywhere from $200 to $2,000 or more, with the average price falling around $750. Shorter trees will cost closer to $200, while taller trees are harder to remove and can cost up to $2,000. Many tree removal professionals will charge by the foot, so removing a tall, shady elm tree will cost you more than a little flowering crape myrtle.

What Factors Influence Tree Removal Cost?

Tree removal costs vary widely based on height, the number of trees, the diameter of the trunks, and the tree’s accessibility. Whether you have an invasive tree species you want to remove or need it gone for landscaping purposes, take a look at the various costs of cutting down trees below.

Size of Tree

A tree's size affects several main tree removal cost factors: how long it takes to cut down, the accessibility to higher branches, and possible interference from other trees, power lines, or structures. For example, take a look at the primary tree removal price ranges by size:

• Up to 30 feet: $150–$450

• 30–60 feet: $450–$1,200

• 60–80 feet: $800–$1,500

• Over 80 feet: $1,000–$2,000

The price tends to take a leap once the tree grows over 80 feet high. At this stage, your team will need to bring in a crane to access its branches—and this comes at a cost of about $500 between the truck rental and additional staff. 

Also, keep in mind that trees get wider with age, making the diameter of their trunk more difficult and take longer to cut. In many species, branches and root systems also expand quite far in either direction, adding up to a possible multi-day project to safely remove the tree from the area without affecting other utilities.

Type of Tree

Trees are incredibly unique from one species to the next, making their safe removal all the more complex. The wood on some trees, for example, is incredibly heavy and dense, while others trees feature barriers to removal, such as expansive root systems, particularly long branches, or laws to protect their removal without a permit. 

We'll outline the cost of tree removal for the primary species below, but it's important to note that the type of tree can push prices up to $2,500. Some species, such as palm, eucalyptus, and sycamore, may require extra steps such as applying herbicide or removing palm fronds individually. 

Health of the Tree

Poor health and structural issues can account for up to 15% of the final cost of tree removal. On the one hand, a diseased tree with soft or easily breakable wood can make it easier and less expensive to remove at just $400 to $900. On the other, a tree removal team may also need specialized rigging methods and equipment to bring it down safely. 

Uprooted or fallen trees can cost as little as $300 to $500, as the team will just need to cut up and haul away the lumber. In this case, check your homeowners’ insurance policy to see if the plan covers tree removal. It may depend on the reason it fell and whether it affected the structure of your home.

Number of Trees

If you need multiple trees removed on a plot of land, a company may change by the acre instead of by specific tree count. The cost per acre will depend on how densely forested the acre is, the health of the trees, and their variety. You'll pay anywhere from $500 to $6,000 per acre for tree removal, up to $2,500 per acre for a lightly wooded acre and over $6,000 for a very densely wooded one.

Cost per Foot

If you break down the cost to remove a tree by foot, the range will vary depending on the species and how much height you’re dealing with. As we mentioned above, larger trees require more equipment, which can push up the per-foot price. The tiniest trees can cost as low as $8 per foot, while taller trees—typically over 80 feet—can cost $15 per foot or more.

Accessibility

Expect to pay 25% to 50% more to take out a tree in a tight, hard-to-reach, or unsafe spot. When the tree is close to power lines or has heavy branches hanging precariously over your property, it will make the job a bigger challenge. Removing a big tree from a tight space in a small yard isn’t straightforward, either. 

Agreeing to remove fences or major obstacles before the pros come out can sometimes cut costs.

Materials

Professional tree removal services may use a variety of saws and ladders in addition to a bucket truck and other items for cleanup. The service will also require safety materials, like hard hats, earplugs, goggles, gloves, and steel-toed boots.

Labor

Tree removal is a risky job that requires professional skills, which is why much of the cost of tree removal service is in the labor. 

Certified arborists can efficiently and safely remove trees, assessing nearby risks during the job and ensuring there is no unnecessary damage to your home or yard. That is why you can expect to pay per foot, as taller trees require more time and risk to remove, rather than hourly rates. Before hiring a pro, make sure they are insured.

Tree Removal Costs by Region

People living in locations with variable seasons can take advantage of off-season discounts that some tree removal companies offer during colder months. If you don’t need to urgently remove a tree, winter can be a great time to do so.

Tree Removal Costs by State

Different states have different requirements, such as permits or environmental laws, that can change the cost of tree removal. Here are the rates for tree removal in several states across the U.S.

Tree Removal Costs: Rural vs. City

Costs for tree removal can also vary based on if you live on a city block or on a farm. In a city, services are closer to you and won’t likely charge for the time spent traveling to your property. If you live in a rural area, tree removal companies will charge about $0.50 per mile to travel to your home or a flat rate ranging from $50 to $200.

Additional Costs to Consider

Unforeseen circumstances and ongoing maintenance can result in other overheads. It’s worth keeping the following in mind.

Cleanup and Debris Removal 

Most of the time, you aren’t going to want to keep the tree stump after the tree is removed. Removing a tree can also leave behind a trail of branches, bark, leaves, and the tree itself. The company might haul away your tree for about $70, put it through a chipper for an average cost of $95, or split it into firewood for your home at about $70.

Emergency 

Do you have a tree tipping precariously close to your home after a storm? In this situation, you can’t delay calling out the pros. 

Emergency tree removal usually comes at a premium, especially when services are in high demand, like they will be after a storm. How much you pay depends on the circumstances, but it isn’t unheard of to pay as much as $5,000 in an urgent situation.  

Home insurance policies often cover the cost of cutting down trees when it relates to some storm damage, so it's worth checking your policy conditions.

Fallen Tree

Expect to pay $75 to $150 to remove a tree that has already fallen. The pros don’t have any climbing or careful cutting to do, so it’s usually just a case of chopping it up or mulching it before removal. 

However, if you have a dead or dying tree, don’t let it get to the stage where it falls itself. It can do major damage to surrounding property, and you don’t want it to fall on family or unsuspecting passersby. Some local authorities will also charge fines for neglecting it.

Tree Removal by Type

Some trees can grow to a very stately 100 feet tall or more. American ash, bur oak, and maple are considered to be more difficult to remove than others, and therefore, removing them costs more.

Oak 

Some states, such as California, forbid the removal of oak trees, as they are considered heritage trees. Other trees that might fall into this category are the Douglas fir, Santa Cruz cypress, and redwoods. 

If, after contacting your city’s planning and building department, you discover you are allowed to remove an oak tree, you will likely spend $800 for a 60-foot tree. However, oak trees can reach up to 100 feet, so the average range is between $200 and $2,000.

Japanese Knotweed

Japanese knotweed is not a tree, but rather a shrub. It is often mistaken for a tree, as it can grow up to 10 feet high, and is highly invasive. In fact, some states, such as Michigan, prohibit the possession or introduction of it. It spreads very fast and aggressively via its rhizomes (an underground stem) which can be as long as 40 feet in length. 

Some people have even reported Japanese knotweed growing so aggressively that it knocked the flooring out from under their homes. If you have spotted a few young plants, remove them immediately, and take care to remove all the roots and rhizomes as well. 

A professional will likely charge based on the square footage of the area the knotweed has spread over, and the intensity of the invasion. Prices will likely start at $2,000 and go up to $10,000. 

Aspen

An aspen is a poplar tree, just like cottonwoods and balsams. These trees are enormous, reaching heights of 90 to 115 feet. Due to their complex and expansive root system, aspens can cost $1,000 to $1,800 to remove.

Pine

You will spend $250 to $1,500 to remove a pine tree, depending on its size and health. Older trees cost more not only because of their size, but because they could have a tap root living deep inside the soil. This feature requires a specialist to remove it by cutting into the surface roots, clearing the stump, and treating the soil. 

Without this extra care and expertise, you might leave seedlings in the soil and have a new pine tree on your hands before long.

Palm

Palms are extremely heavy, weighing between 100 and 1,000 pounds per foot of truck, depending on the variety. Because of this, the cost to remove a palm tree between 35 and 60 feet tall is $650. For palm trees taller than 80 feet, the price will jump between $1,100 and $1,500.

Maple

Maples can grow to 100 feet high and have very large branches, which makes them expensive to remove. Expect to pay between $250 and $2,000.

Ash 

Ash trees have strikingly colored leaves in autumn, coming in purple, red, orange, and more. These trees reach 80 feet with branches that spread as wide as 25 feet and cost $250 to $1,800 to remove.

Cedar 

The tree in your yard could be a “true cedar,” which is native to places with very high altitudes, such as the Himalayas or the Mediterranean and can reach heights of 160 feet. False cedars are more common in North America, though, and look very similar to true cedars. 

The false variety can range from 50 to 230 feet in height. Depending on the height, removing a cedar can cost between $250 and $1,500.

Additional Tree Service Costs

Several costs related to tree removal account for what happens to the stump after the tree is cut down or how to handle moving and trimming healthy trees. These prices can also come in handy if you're on the fence about cutting down or saving a tree.

Stump Removal 

Stump removal is typically $100 to $150 for the first stump, with a deal on multiple stumps, such as $50 per additional stump removal. Removing a tree stump is dangerous, but if you are comfortable and skilled with handling a chainsaw (and put on the proper personal protection equipment), you can remove tree stumps with a chainsaw to save a little bit of money.

Tree Trimming and Pruning

If you decide against removing a tree entirely—or have more than one tree in your yard—you may also want to pay for pruning. The cost to prune a tree ranges from $75 to $1,500. How much you pay depends on whether it’s a small sapling or a mature monster. Pruning is normally done every few years to rid the tree of dead, diseased, or damaged branches.  

Trimming is usually an annual undertaking and costs between $200 and $760, but it’s all about aesthetics rather than health. It keeps your tree looking neat in terms of size and shape. 

The pros might shave around $25 to $100 off their bill if you’re happy to clean up the chopped branches and debris yourself.

Transplanting

The cost to transplant a tree starts at around $400, but it can go up to $5,000 or more for long-distance moves of large trees with sprawling roots. This might only be something you want to consider if you’ve got a tree with particular sentimental or prize-winning value. 

How Much Does DIY Tree Removal Cost?

Tree removal is a dangerous job you should leave to skilled professionals. If you have the required skill set, you might save a couple hundred dollars going the DIY route and learning how to cut down a tree yourself, but the money saved doesn’t outweigh the associated risks. In some cities, it’s even illegal to remove a tree yourself.

Cost of Materials

Safety is essential, so many materials are directly related to keeping yourself protected. Expect to pay $200 to $300 for gloves, protective goggles, steel-toed boots, a hard hat, chainsaw chaps, and earplugs. You’ll also need a chainsaw ($50 to $150) and felling wedges ($20 for six).

Skills Required

Tree removal is best left to certified arborists, who can remove trees with minimal environmental impact while also avoiding risks of property damage or injury. Removing a tree requires navigating the potential interference of wires, underground pipes, and other infrastructure on the property that isn’t always in plain sight.

Risks

We can’t stress this enough: tree removal is dangerous. It’s almost always a better idea to hire a local tree removal pro.

Many times, removing a tree, even by a professional, requires proper permits. If you don’t already have the necessary equipment, it can actually be even more expensive to handle this task on your own. 

Even for small trees, there is a high risk of hurting yourself or damaging your property and incurring fines. For larger trees, there’s a greater risk of serious injury or even death by attempting DIY tree removal. You’ll also need to take other nearby trees and electrical lines into consideration—these make a DIY job even more dangerous.

How to Know if a Tree Needs Removal

There are a few signs to heed that might indicate a tree that should be removed:

• The tree is dead, or over 25% of its branches are dead.

• The trunk is hollowed or in otherwise poor health; a weak trunk cannot support the rest of a tree.

• There are signs of pest infestation or fungus.

• The tree is too close to power lines or an existing structure.

• The tree is leaning 15 degrees or more, indicating a problem in its root system.

How You Can Save Money on Tree Removal

There are a few ways to save on tree removal—the first is confirming that you need the tree removed in the first place.

Reuse Debris

Any healthy wood scraps (free from pests or disease) can likely be reused in the form of firewood or to make furniture and other household items. In addition, it’s possible that a local woodworker or furniture maker might take the wood off your hands for their own work, and will haul it away for free.

Talk to the Utility Company

If the tree is intersecting with a power line or is about to, your utility company might remove it at no cost to you.

Get an Evaluation

A local arborist can confirm if you need the entire tree removed, or if cutting some branches will suffice. In addition, it’s important to have a professional maintain and check your trees every year. With the right care, trees should live a long time.