Beekeeping Statistics 2026: Hive Counts, Revenue & Trends

The most striking number in American beekeeping right now isn't a record yield it's a record loss. 

According to the Apiary Inspectors of America's 2024-2025 U.S. Beekeeping Survey, an estimated 55.6% of managed honey bee colonies in the United States were lost in a single year. 

That is the highest annual loss rate ever recorded since national colony tracking began in 2010.

These beekeeping statistics tell a complicated story: an industry expanding in global value, a domestic colony count under serious pressure and a market that keeps growing even as hives keep shrinking understanding both sides of that equation is essential for anyone operating in or researching apiculture today.

The global beekeeping industry is valued at over $13 billion and growing while U.S. honey production fell 14% in 2025 to 116 million pounds. Colony losses are at record highs but average honey prices have risen. 

The data reveals an industry facing structural supply challenges even as consumer demand and market value remain resilient.

Beekeeping at a Glance

The global apiculture market was valued at approximately $13.32 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $14.04 billion in 2026 according to The Business Research Company's apiculture global market report that represents a compound annual growth rate of 5.4%.

There are more than 90 million managed beehives worldwide supported by honey production that exceeded 1.8 million metric tons globally in 2023 according to apiculture market data from Market Reports World. 

Asia accounts for approximately 47% of that output with China alone contributing more than 500,000 metric tons.

In the United States specifically the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service reported that 2.41 million colonies produced honey in 2025, down 7% from 2.60 million the year prior according to the USDA NASS March 2026 honey production report. 

The Asia Pacific region led global market value at $4.48 billion in 2025 according to Fortune Business Insights underscoring where the industry's center of gravity sits geographically.

Who Keeps Bees in the United States

The American beekeeping community is large in headcount but concentrated in commercial production. 

According to the National Honey Board's honey industry fact sheet there are an estimated 115,000 to 125,000 beekeepers in the United States and the vast majority manage fewer than 25 hives as hobbyists.

Commercial beekeepers those operating 300 or more colonies number approximately 2,000 operations nationwide according to the USDA and the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center. 

That small group produces roughly 60% of all domestically harvested honey. Part time sideliner operations typically managing between 25 and 300 hives, fill the middle tier and supplement both production and pollination services.

The 2024-2025 U.S. Beekeeping Survey reinforces this concentration starkly. Commercial and sideline beekeepers made up just 5.5% of surveyed participants yet collectively managed 92% of all surveyed colonies according to the Apiary Inspectors of America's 2025 survey results. 

The remaining 94.5% nearly all backyard hobbyists share just 8% of the colony count. 

The vast majority of people keeping bees in America are doing so at a small scale while a thin layer of commercial operators carries the bulk of national production.

Honey Production Statistics

U.S. honey production has been in decline. According to the USDA NASS March 2026 honey report, total U.S. honey production in 2025 reached 116 million pounds down 14% from 134 million pounds in 2024. 

Yield per colony averaged 48.0 pounds in 2025, a 7% drop from 51.7 pounds the prior year.

Producer honey stocks fell to 34.8 million pounds on December 15, 2025 down 15% from 43.4 million a year earlier reflecting both lower output and continued demand pressure.

U.S. Honey Production: Key Figures (USDA NASS, 2024–2025)

Source: USDA NASS Honey Reports, March 2025 and March 2026

More hives on paper have not translated to more honey a trend analysts attribute to aggressive colony splitting to replace losses which produces weaker hives rather than productive ones.

Colony Loss Statistics

The colony loss data for 2024-2025 is the most alarming set of beekeeping statistics published in at least 15 years. 

U.S. beekeepers lost an estimated 55.6% of managed colonies between April 2024 and April 2025 the highest annual loss rate since national tracking began in 2010 and 14.2 percentage points above the 14-year average of 41.4% according to the Apiary Inspectors of America's 2024-2025 survey.

This season also reversed a long standing trend: backyard beekeepers historically fared worse than commercial operators but in 2024-2025, commercial operations averaged 56.2% annual losses compared to 51.4% for backyard beekeepers. 

The scale that once offered protection appears to have become a vulnerability particularly during winter.

According to Bee Culture magazine's April 2025 colony loss analysis roughly 1.6 million colonies were lost between June 2024 and March 2025 the combined economic toll exceeded $600 million in lost honey production and pollination income. 

Varroa mites and associated pathogens were identified as the leading cause accounting for roughly 45% of colony failures with a troubling new development: significant Amitraz resistance among mite populations undermining the most widely used commercial treatment.

Revenue and Market Statistics

Despite production declines the value of domestic honey held firm due to rising prices. 

The average U.S. producer price in 2024 was $2.69 per pound, up 5% from 2023 according to USDA NASS honey production data that price increase lifted the total U.S. crop value to $361.5 million a 1.6% gain in value despite a 4% volume decline.

Pollination services contribute significantly to beekeeper income beyond honey sales. In 2024, U.S. pollination income reached $226 million though that figure was down 11% from the prior year. 

Other hive related income including beeswax, pollen, propolis and queen sales added $51.3 million also down 11%, according to the same USDA data.

Beekeepers managing multiple hives who want to project their honey output against these national benchmarks can use SpeedCalcs honey yield calculator for beekeepers to model their expected production based on colony count and local conditions.

Key Takeaways

• The global apiculture market is valued at approximately $13.32 billion in 2025 growing at a 5.4% CAGR toward $14.04 billion in 2026.
• There are over 90 million managed beehives worldwide the U.S. accounts for roughly 2.41 million honey producing colonies as of 2025.
• U.S. honey production fell 14% in 2025 to 116 million pounds with yields averaging 48 pounds per colony both figures at multi-year lows.
• Colony losses hit a record 55.6% in 2024-2025 the worst annual rate since tracking began in 2010 costing the industry over $600 million.
• Despite falling volume, honey prices rose 5% in 2024 keeping U.S. crop value near $361.5 million illustrating the price support that comes with tighter supply.

The beekeeping statistics for 2025 and 2026 draw a clear line between a growing global market and a shrinking domestic supply base with colony losses at historic highs and yields declining for a second consecutive year the data points to structural pressure that rising prices can only partially offset. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How many beehives are there in the United States?

As of 2025 approximately 2.41 million colonies were producing honey in the United States, according to the USDA NASS. 

That figure is down from 2.60 million in 2024, continuing a trend of fewer productive colonies despite more hives existing on paper due to aggressive splitting.

What is the average honey yield per colony in the U.S.?

The national average yield per colony in 2025 was 48.0 pounds down from 51.7 pounds in 2024, according to USDA data. Yields vary significantly by region, season and management practices — North Dakota the nation's top producing state typically sees well above the national average.

How many beekeepers are in the United States?

Estimates range from 115,000 to 125,000 beekeepers with the vast majority being hobbyists managing fewer than 25 hives. 

The USDA has placed the number higher at around 212,000 when including very small scale operations. Commercial beekeepers those with 300 or more colonies the number is roughly 2,000 but produce about 60% of the country's honey.

What is causing record colony losses?

The 2024-2025 season saw a record 55.6% annual colony loss rate in the U.S. The primary driver is Varroa mite infestation combined with emerging resistance to Amitraz, the most widely used treatment. 

Secondary factors include poor nutrition, starvation and weather stress from heat waves and drought conditions affecting nectar availability.

Is the global beekeeping industry growing?

Yes. The global apiculture market was valued at $13.32 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach $14.04 billion in 2026 at a 5.4% compound annual growth rate. 

Long term projections place the market above $17 billion by 2030, driven by rising honey demand, increased awareness of pollination services and growth in natural and functional food markets.