From small plunge pools to $150,000 for gunite, how New Englanders are leveling up their backyard swim

Massachusetts is emerging as a hotspot for residential pool installations amid rising temperatures and longer summers. The state ranks in the top 10 nationally, with 1,847 inground pools per 100,000 residents, according to PKData’s 2025 figures cited by the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance. Plunge and natural pools are gaining traction.

From Cambridge to Nantucket, smaller plunge pools and gunite projects are gaining traction, with gunite installations reaching up to about $150,000. Advocates of natural pools, including designer Jesse Dutra, emphasize chlorine-free systems that use regeneration zones while meeting standard pool codes, addressing ecological concerns about energy, water, and chemicals.