True Cost Index
Painting cost by city.
Painting true cost benchmarks across 15 cities. Cost range, lowest realistic price, margin, and bid fairness inputs by city. Writing about costs? See the citeable whole house painting cost data → Part of the 2026 Remodeling Cost Index.
Data verified Jul 2026 · v2026-07-10
How this number is calculated
TheFatBook models painting from Craftsman labor hours, BLS regional wages, burden, PPI-adjusted materials, permit data where available, and contractor overhead benchmarks. Cost index version: 2026-07-10. Updated Jul 2026.
Data Sources Used On This Page
- Independent FatBook v3 cost index for Painting cost index.
- BLS OEWS wage inputs (https://www.bls.gov/oes/) and FRED PPI material inflation (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/) references.
- Craftsman labor-hour references and contractor overhead benchmarks.
- Verified permit/source data from PermitCalculator.com and permits_compiled where available.
Cost-index version: 2026-07-10
Updated: Jul 2026
Sources: BLS, Craftsman, FRED
Reviewed by: Leonard "Chuck" Thompson
Estimate Scope
What the painting benchmark includes.
Included in the benchmark
- Whole House Painting as the headline cost-index scope
- labor-hour assumptions, regional wage inputs, materials, overhead, and permit data where available
- low, average, high, lowest realistic price, margin, and savings benchmarks from the FatBook cost index
Not included automatically
- hidden damage, change orders, emergency service premiums, or unusual site access conditions
- contractor financing approval, warranties, provider recommendations, or guaranteed final quotes
- permit rulings for a specific address unless the city permit panel lists verified local data
| City | Range | Average | Low | High | Floor | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $8,939 | $8,094 | $10,481 | $8,094 | 16.7% | |
| Austin | $8,706 | $7,785 | $9,967 | $7,785 | 18.7% | |
| Chicago | $12,076 | $11,352 | $14,675 | $11,352 | 13% | |
| Dallas | $8,449 | $7,654 | $9,966 | $7,654 | 16.7% | |
| Denver | $10,133 | $9,214 | $12,139 | $9,214 | 16% | |
| Houston | $8,419 | $7,623 | $9,856 | $7,623 | 16.7% | |
| Kansas City | $9,205 | $8,612 | $11,291 | $8,612 | 13.4% | |
| Los Angeles | $11,079 | $10,066 | $13,165 | $10,066 | 16.2% | |
| Miami | $8,472 | $8,010 | $10,379 | $8,010 | 12.5% | |
| Minneapolis | $10,065 | $9,333 | $12,472 | $9,333 | 14.1% | |
| New York | $14,024 | $12,797 | $16,428 | $12,797 | 15.5% | |
| Philadelphia | $11,163 | $10,346 | $13,531 | $10,346 | 14.2% | |
| Phoenix | $9,301 | $8,422 | $10,877 | $8,422 | 16.7% | |
| Seattle | $10,448 | $9,500 | $12,481 | $9,500 | 16.1% | |
| Springfield, MO | $8,533 | $8,099 | $10,845 | $8,099 | 12.1% |
DO
Cost index built by David Olson, Creator of the Cost Index & Permit Dataset · Methodology reviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co., Owner (retired) · 2026-07-10