2026 National Cost Intel
Exterior Painting Cost
by City — 2026
A exterior painting runs $2,430–$12,867 nationally, typically around $4,904. Pick your metro below for local 2026 pricing backed by live BLS labor data.
Low range
$2,430
Typical
$4,904
High range
$12,867
Exterior Painting cost in 152 US metros
San Francisco, CA
$4,289–$12,867
San Jose, CA
$4,232–$12,695
New York, NY
$4,146–$12,438
Honolulu, HI
$4,060–$12,181
Los Angeles, CA
$4,003–$12,009
Santa Cruz, CA
$3,946–$11,838
Santa Barbara, CA
$3,889–$11,666
San Diego, CA
$3,860–$11,580
Seattle, WA
$3,860–$11,580
Santa Rosa, CA
$3,774–$11,323
Washington, DC
$3,774–$11,323
Oxnard, CA
$3,717–$11,151
Riverside, CA
$3,717–$11,151
Salinas, CA
$3,717–$11,151
Boston, MA
$3,660–$10,980
Fairbanks, AK
$3,660–$10,980
Stockton, CA
$3,574–$10,722
Bridgeport, CT
$3,546–$10,637
Vallejo, CA
$3,546–$10,637
Denver, CO
$3,488–$10,465
Miami, FL
$3,488–$10,465
New Haven, CT
$3,431–$10,293
Portland, OR
$3,431–$10,293
Trenton, NJ
$3,374–$10,122
Worcester, MA
$3,374–$10,122
Boulder, CO
$3,317–$9,950
Sacramento, CA
$3,317–$9,950
Philadelphia, PA
$3,288–$9,865
Poughkeepsie, NY
$3,260–$9,779
Baltimore, MD
$3,145–$9,436
Bend, OR
$3,145–$9,436
Modesto, CA
$3,145–$9,436
Springfield, MA
$3,145–$9,436
Albany, NY
$3,088–$9,264
Allentown, PA
$3,088–$9,264
Bellingham, WA
$3,088–$9,264
Fresno, CA
$3,088–$9,264
Olympia, WA
$3,088–$9,264
New Orleans, LA
$3,059–$9,178
Reno, NV
$3,031–$9,093
Santa Fe, NM
$3,031–$9,093
Ann Arbor, MI
$3,002–$9,007
Austin, TX
$3,002–$9,007
Chicago, IL
$3,002–$9,007
Detroit, MI
$3,002–$9,007
Eugene, OR
$3,002–$9,007
Las Vegas, NV
$3,002–$9,007
Minneapolis, MN
$3,002–$9,007
Nashville, TN
$3,002–$9,007
Salem, OR
$3,002–$9,007
Hartford, CT
$2,974–$8,921
Providence, RI
$2,974–$8,921
Milwaukee, WI
$2,945–$8,835
Atlanta, GA
$2,916–$8,749
Charlottesville, VA
$2,916–$8,749
Duluth, MN
$2,916–$8,749
Fort Collins, CO
$2,916–$8,749
Harrisburg, PA
$2,916–$8,749
Madison, WI
$2,916–$8,749
Rochester, MN
$2,916–$8,749
Rochester, NY
$2,916–$8,749
Dallas, TX
$2,859–$8,578
Green Bay, WI
$2,859–$8,578
Lancaster, PA
$2,859–$8,578
Missoula, MT
$2,859–$8,578
North Port, FL
$2,859–$8,578
Orlando, FL
$2,859–$8,578
Pittsburgh, PA
$2,859–$8,578
Raleigh, NC
$2,859–$8,578
Salt Lake City, UT
$2,859–$8,578
Spokane, WA
$2,859–$8,578
Syracuse, NY
$2,859–$8,578
Tampa, FL
$2,859–$8,578
Boise, ID
$2,831–$8,492
Colorado Springs, CO
$2,831–$8,492
Albuquerque, NM
$2,802–$8,406
Asheville, NC
$2,802–$8,406
Buffalo, NY
$2,802–$8,406
Charlotte, NC
$2,802–$8,406
Greensboro, NC
$2,802–$8,406
Jacksonville, FL
$2,802–$8,406
Phoenix, AZ
$2,802–$8,406
Provo, UT
$2,802–$8,406
Richmond, VA
$2,802–$8,406
Scranton, PA
$2,802–$8,406
St. Louis, MO
$2,802–$8,406
Tucson, AZ
$2,802–$8,406
Virginia Beach, VA
$2,802–$8,406
Billings, MT
$2,774–$8,321
Cape Coral, FL
$2,774–$8,321
Charleston, SC
$2,774–$8,321
Des Moines, IA
$2,774–$8,321
Lansing, MI
$2,774–$8,321
Ogden, UT
$2,774–$8,321
Akron, OH
$2,745–$8,235
Cincinnati, OH
$2,745–$8,235
Cleveland, OH
$2,745–$8,235
Columbus, OH
$2,745–$8,235
Durham, NC
$2,745–$8,235
Grand Rapids, MI
$2,745–$8,235
Houston, TX
$2,716–$8,149
Kansas City, MO
$2,716–$8,149
Omaha, NE
$2,716–$8,149
San Antonio, TX
$2,716–$8,149
Toledo, OH
$2,716–$8,149
Appleton, WI
$2,688–$8,063
Cedar Rapids, IA
$2,688–$8,063
Deltona, FL
$2,688–$8,063
Indianapolis, IN
$2,688–$8,063
Lakeland, FL
$2,688–$8,063
Myrtle Beach, SC
$2,688–$8,063
Roanoke, VA
$2,688–$8,063
South Bend, IN
$2,688–$8,063
Dayton, OH
$2,659–$7,977
Gainesville, FL
$2,659–$7,977
Greenville, SC
$2,659–$7,977
Lincoln, NE
$2,659–$7,977
Savannah, GA
$2,659–$7,977
Winston-Salem, NC
$2,659–$7,977
Baton Rouge, LA
$2,631–$7,892
Columbia, SC
$2,631–$7,892
Fort Wayne, IN
$2,631–$7,892
Knoxville, TN
$2,631–$7,892
Lexington, KY
$2,631–$7,892
Pensacola, FL
$2,631–$7,892
Youngstown, OH
$2,631–$7,892
Chattanooga, TN
$2,602–$7,806
Evansville, IN
$2,602–$7,806
Huntsville, AL
$2,602–$7,806
Tallahassee, FL
$2,602–$7,806
Augusta, GA
$2,573–$7,720
Corpus Christi, TX
$2,573–$7,720
El Paso, TX
$2,573–$7,720
Fayetteville, NC
$2,573–$7,720
Lafayette, LA
$2,573–$7,720
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
$2,573–$7,720
Tulsa, OK
$2,573–$7,720
Wichita, KS
$2,573–$7,720
Fayetteville, AR
$2,545–$7,634
Little Rock, AR
$2,545–$7,634
Mobile, AL
$2,545–$7,634
Shreveport, LA
$2,545–$7,634
Springfield, MO
$2,545–$7,634
Waco, TX
$2,545–$7,634
Amarillo, TX
$2,516–$7,549
Jackson, MS
$2,516–$7,549
Lubbock, TX
$2,516–$7,549
Memphis, TN
$2,516–$7,549
Montgomery, AL
$2,516–$7,549
Oklahoma City, OK
$2,516–$7,549
Birmingham, AL
$2,430–$7,291
McAllen, TX
$2,430–$7,291
Where the money goes: labor vs. materials
Across the 152 metros tracked, labor averages about 80% of a exterior painting budget and materials about 20%. When you review a bid, judge its labor line against your metro's trade wages — the biggest source of overpricing we see — not a national average.
How we calculate these numbers
Every figure on this page is a blend of three independent cost sources — construction cost data (70%), homeowner-reported project spend (15%), and live U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics trade wages (15%) — localized to each metro with a regional cost factor and a current-year escalation index. Ranges refresh as the underlying wage and materials data moves, which is why they're dated 2026 rather than recycled from older surveys.
Full scoring methodology →Permits for a exterior painting
Budget another 0.5–2% of project value for permit fees. Rules and turnaround vary by city.
Building permit fees by city →Compare before you commit
Exterior Painting costs: FAQ
How much does a exterior painting cost in 2026?
A exterior painting typically costs $2,430 to $12,867 in 2026, with a national median around $4,904. Actual pricing varies by metro — San Francisco runs highest and McAllen lowest among the 152 markets tracked here.
Which cities have the highest exterior painting costs?
Among the 152 metros tracked, San Francisco, San Jose, New York carry the highest exterior painting costs in 2026, driven by local labor wages and material logistics. McAllen sits at the lower end.
Why does exterior painting cost vary so much by city?
The same exterior painting scope is priced differently across metros because of local trade wages, permit timelines, and material delivery costs. RemodelerIQ localizes every estimate using live 2026 BLS wage data for each metro rather than a single national average.
How do I know if my exterior painting bid is fair?
Find your city below for the local 2026 range, then compare your contractor's bid against it. RemodelerIQ analyzes your actual PDF estimate against live local labor and material data for free, flagging padded scope and inflated margins.
How much of a exterior painting cost is labor vs. materials?
Across the 152 metros tracked, labor averages about 80% of a exterior painting budget and materials about 20%. The split shifts with finish level and local wages — which is why a bid's labor line should be judged against local rates, not national ones.
Do I need a permit for a exterior painting?
Most exterior painting projects that touch structure, electrical, or plumbing require permits; purely cosmetic scopes usually don't. Permit fees typically run 0.5–2% of project value. See our city-by-city building permit guides for local fees, rules, and timelines.
Got a exterior painting bid?
We audit your PDF estimate against live local wage data to flag padded scope and hidden margins — free.
Data sources: Zonda Cost vs Value 2025; Houzz 2024 Cost Guides; BLS OEWS 2023; FRED regional price indices; Reddit homeowner & contractor reports.
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