15 Cannabis Industry Statistics: Sales, Categories, Dispensaries, and Jobs

Legal cannabis is now a mature retail industry, and 2025–2026 marked a turning point: more product is selling, but at lower prices. Point-of-sale data from Headset shows $24.3 billion in sales across the 16 state markets it tracks in the 12 months ending June 2026, nearly flat on the year even as unit sales grew. The statistics below cover market size, the biggest and fastest-growing states, which product categories lead, how dispensary shoppers behave, and what the industry looks like as an employer.

1. Tracked U.S. cannabis sales reached $24.3 billion

According to Headset point-of-sale data, legal cannabis sales totaled $24.3 billion across 16 state markets in the 12 months ending June 2026, up 0.8% from $24.1 billion the year before. These are register transactions at licensed dispensaries, not projections.

2. National legal sales posted their first-ever annual decline

Vangst and Whitney Economics estimate national legal sales at $29.1 billion, the first year-over-year decline since adult-use sales began in 2014. The cause is price compression from oversupply rather than falling demand.

3. Unit sales grew 5.5% while prices fell

Shoppers bought 1.42 billion items in the 12 months ending June 2026, 5.5% more than the year before. The average product sold for $15.91 in June 2026, and packaged flower prices fell 5.7% per gram year over year.

4. California is still the largest market at $3.88 billion

California sold $3.88 billion in the period despite a 3.6% decline, followed by Michigan at $3.09 billion. Florida, a medical-only market, ranked third at $1.93 billion.

5. New York and Ohio are the fastest-growing markets

New York sales grew 34.2% to $1.82 billion, passing Massachusetts, and Ohio grew 26.0%. Mature Western markets shrank, led by Nevada at −12.3%. State tax collections show the same split, as our cannabis tax revenue statistics detail.

6. Flower accounts for 39.4% of sales

Flower generated $9.6 billion, 39.4% of tracked sales, and appears in 37.8% of all dispensary baskets. Browse our ranked flower picks.

7. Vapes and pre-rolls take another 41%

Vapor pens brought in $6.15 billion (25.3%) and pre-rolls $3.84 billion (15.8%). Pre-rolls grew 10.1%, the fastest of any major category. See our pre-roll and vape rankings.

8. Edibles hold steady at 11.9%

Edibles sold $2.91 billion, 11.9% of sales, up 0.3%. Beverages are smaller at $289 million but grew 7.8%, while concentrates (−7.7%) and capsules (−24.6%) lost ground. More in our edibles statistics.

9. Dispensaries processed 473.8 million transactions

Tracked dispensaries rang up 473.8 million transactions, 6.5% more than the prior year. The average basket fell from $50.04 to $47.29 and held 2.74 items.

10. 4/20 is the biggest sales day of the year

Dispensaries sold $134.4 million on April 20, 2026, twice the $66.7 million average day. Green Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, was second at $113.5 million.

11. Millennials account for 42.8% of spending

Millennials make up 42.8% of cannabis spending, followed by Gen X (23.5%), Gen Z (21.2%), and Baby Boomers (12.6%). Gen Z's share has climbed from 18.2% in two years.

12. The U.S. has nearly 15,000 dispensaries

A Pew Research Center analysis counted 14,932 dispensaries nationwide. California had 3,659, more than double any other state, and Oklahoma had the most per capita at 36 per 100,000 residents. Find vetted shops in our dispensary directory.

13. Legal cannabis employs 412,500 Americans

The 2026 U.S. Cannabis Jobs Report from Vangst and Whitney Economics counts 412,500 cannabis jobs as of early 2026, a 2.7% dip and the first decline since adult-use sales began.

14. New York added 16,160 cannabis jobs in one year

New York's cannabis workforce grew 129% in a single year, making it the third-largest cannabis employer in the country. Six state markets grew employment by double digits.

15. Budtenders earn $17 to $26 an hour

Vangst's salary benchmarks put budtender pay at $17–26 per hour, store managers at $65,000–110,000, and directors of cultivation at $110,000–180,000.

A flat-dollar, rising-unit market is good news at the register. Falling prices and heavier discounting mean shoppers have more leverage than at any point since legalization. A few ways to use it:

• Compare price per gram, not sticker price. An ounce averaged $1.72 per gram in June 2026, about a fifth of the single-gram rate, so larger sizes are often far better value.
• Expect discounts around holidays. 4/20, Green Wednesday, and Black Friday are the biggest sales days of the year.
• Cheap is not the same as good. Oversupply pushes low prices, so check a certificate of analysis and our independent 8020 Scores before buying.
• Shop licensed stores. Licensed dispensaries sell tested products and pay state taxes; see our best flower eighths guide for top picks.

How big is the U.S. cannabis industry?

Headset's point-of-sale data shows $24.3 billion in sales across 16 tracked state markets in the 12 months ending June 2026. Vangst and Whitney Economics estimate national legal sales at $29.1 billion, including states Headset does not track.

Is the cannabis industry growing or shrinking?

Both. Dollar sales grew just 0.8% in Headset's tracked markets while unit sales grew 5.5%, because prices are falling. Nationally, sales and employment posted their first declines in 2025, while New York and Ohio grew by double digits.

What is the best-selling cannabis product category?

Flower. It generated $9.6 billion, or 39.4% of tracked sales, followed by vapor pens (25.3%), pre-rolls (15.8%), and edibles (11.9%).

How many people work in the cannabis industry?

The 2026 U.S. Cannabis Jobs Report counts 412,500 jobs in legal cannabis as of early 2026, down 2.7% from the prior year. It was the first year-over-year job loss since adult-use sales began in 2014.