Bathroom remodel cost in Boston, MA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (45 sq ft)
- $5,600 – $27,800
- Per sq ft
- $120 – $598
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +19%
- US $14,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #10
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to remodel a bathroom in Boston, plan on $5,600 to $27,800 for 45 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $120 to $598 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 19% higher than the national one. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn a median of $46.52 an hour in the Boston area, 52% above the US median of $30.67.
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Estimated cost for 45 sq ft in Boston, MA, standard level
$12,200 to $21,100
About $263 to $454 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 60% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,450 | $7,650 |
| Labor | $7,400 | $12,800 |
| Permits and fees | $410 | $670 |
| Total | $12,200 | $21,100 |
Cost breakdown for 45 sq ft in Boston, MA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,000 | $6,050 | $10,100 | 36% |
| Labor | $3,350 | $10,100 | $16,800 | 60% |
| Permits and fees | $220 | $540 | $870 | 3% |
| Total | $5,600 | $16,700 | $27,800 | 100% |
Why Boston prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, who do 25% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $46.52 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Boston is 1.36 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 60% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Boston metro is 99.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 45 sq ft comes to $6,050, compared with $6,100 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (108.3) and land at $220 to $870.
Data note: 10% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Boston. The wage table below marks each row.
Boston labor market for bathroom remodel
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 6 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Boston is 1.36 times the national level.
For plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152, weighted 25%) the local median is $46.52 an hour, which is 52% above the national $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $30.12 and $56.68 an hour. BLS counts 9,200 of them working in the area, 34.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.0), so the local bench is about average.
For tile and stone setters (47-2044, weighted 25%) the local median is $39.54 an hour, which is 48% above the national $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $37.62 and $46.13 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 20%) the local median is $36.16 an hour, which is 24% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $29.26 and $47.47 an hour. BLS counts 12,720 of them working in the area, 47.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is about average.
Electricians (47-2111), 10% of the weighting: a median of $38.42 an hour, 26% above the US median of $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $28.03 and $49.11 an hour. About 13,410 work in the metro. That is 49.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 48.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) carry 10% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Boston metro, so we used the Massachusetts statewide median: $33.42 an hour against $28.33 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $29.51 and $38.60 an hour.
For painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141, weighted 10%) the local median is $27.80 an hour, which is 17% above the national $23.75. The middle half of them earn between $23.30 and $33.92 an hour. BLS counts 3,220 of them working in the area, 11.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 14.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($56.68 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $610. At the 25th percentile ($30.12) it shrinks by about $990. The total moves by 3.7% or 6.0%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 2,703,890 jobs in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton area. That makes it the 10th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 1.74% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 25% | $30.12 | $46.52 | $56.68 | $30.67 | 1.52 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 25% | $37.62 | $39.54 | $46.13 | $26.77 | 1.48 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 20% | $29.26 | $36.16 | $47.47 | $29.12 | 1.24 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $28.03 | $38.42 | $49.11 | $30.38 | 1.26 | metro |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $29.51 | $33.42 | $38.60 | $28.33 | 1.18 | state |
| Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141) | 10% | $23.30 | $27.80 | $33.92 | $23.75 | 1.17 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.36 | |||||
How Boston compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 45 sq ft range from $13,900 to $16,700 across Boston and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, MAthis page | $5,600 – $27,800 | $16,700 | |
| Manchester, NH45 miles | $4,650 – $23,100 | $13,900 | −17% |
| Worcester, MA50 miles | $5,100 – $25,400 | $15,300 | −8% |
| Providence, RI60 miles | $4,800 – $23,900 | $14,400 | −14% |
| Barnstable, MA70 miles | $5,250 – $26,000 | $15,600 | −6% |
| Portland, ME85 miles | $4,950 – $24,600 | $14,800 | −11% |
| Massachusetts (statewide) | $5,550 – $27,400 | $16,500 | −1% |
| United States | $4,700 – $23,300 | $14,000 | −16% |
Across 300 US metros, Boston comes in at #10 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $18,400; the cheapest is Jonesboro, AR at $11,600 (midpoints, 45 sq ft). Statewide, Boston is 1% above the Massachusetts figure.
Other Massachusetts metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | 349,880 jobs | $5,100 – $25,400 | $15,300 | −8% |
| Springfield, MA | 201,240 jobs | $5,250 – $26,100 | $15,700 | −6% |
| Barnstable, MA | 94,110 jobs | $5,250 – $26,000 | $15,600 | −6% |
| Amherst, MA | 65,670 jobs | $5,250 – $26,000 | $15,600 | −6% |
| Pittsfield, MA | 56,810 jobs | $5,200 – $25,800 | $15,500 | −7% |
Cities with a workforce like Boston's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Boston against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | 2,819,940 jobs | $4,550 – $22,400 | $13,500 | −19% |
| Phoenix, AZ | 2,375,760 jobs | $4,550 – $22,500 | $13,500 | −19% |
| Atlanta, GA | 2,889,670 jobs | $4,450 – $22,200 | $13,300 | −20% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $5,650 – $28,000 | $16,900 | +1% |
Boston: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Boston wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$5,600 to $14,500
Cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring
Standard
$12,200 to $21,100
Full remodel with new tub or shower and tile
Premium
$18,900 to $27,800
Primary bath, custom tile, layout change
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| half bath (20 sq ft) | $2,600 – $6,700 | $5,650 – $9,750 | $8,750 – $12,800 |
| small full bath (40 sq ft) | $5,000 – $12,900 | $10,900 – $18,800 | $16,900 – $24,800 |
| average bath (60 sq ft) | $7,400 – $19,100 | $16,200 – $27,900 | $25,000 – $36,700 |
| primary bath (100 sq ft) | $12,200 – $31,600 | $26,700 – $46,100 | $41,300 – $60,600 |
Why two Boston quotes can differ
Size
HomeGuide's average-size bathroom comes to $3,500-$25,000+; per square foot it's $100-$500.
Tile
New tile costs $10-$50 per square foot installed, and regrouting runs $7-$28 per square foot.
Moving plumbing
Keeping the toilet, tub and vanity in place keeps plumbing costs down. Moving them does not.
Related projects, priced for Boston
Because every project leans on different trades, Boston's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, shower pan runs +29% and kitchen remodel +6%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,300 – $3,500 | +29% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $19,600 – $33,400 | +6% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,600 – $16,100 | +14% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $5,350 – $17,100 | +15% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $370 – $1,750 | +19% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $12,200 to $21,100 for Boston, MA is attached.
Detailed bathroom remodel report for Boston, MA, $9
Multi-page report for Boston, MA: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Bathroom remodel in Boston: your questions
+How much does it cost to remodel a bathroom in Boston?
For 45 sq ft, expect $5,600 to $27,800 in the Boston area. A standard-spec job lands at $12,200 to $21,100. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for bathroom remodel in Boston?
About $120 to $598 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $220 to $870 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $100 to $500.
+Is bathroom remodel cheaper in Boston or Manchester?
Manchester is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 45 sq ft there is $13,900, which is 17% less than Boston ($16,700). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Boston?
About 60% at the midpoint, or $10,100 out of $16,700. Materials are 36% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 53%.
+What would average bath (60 sq ft) cost in Boston?
$7,400 to $36,700. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does bathroom remodel need a permit in Boston?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $220 to $870 for fees in the Boston area (our national range of $200 to $800 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Boston expensive for bathroom remodel compared with the rest of Massachusetts?
Boston is 1% above the Massachusetts statewide estimate ($16,500 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Massachusetts; see the state page to compare them.
+What do plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters earn in Boston?
The BLS median is $46.52 an hour in the Boston area, compared with $30.67 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $30.12 to $56.68.
+What do basic and premium bathroom remodel work cost in Boston?
For 45 sq ft, basic work runs $5,600 to $14,500 and premium work $18,900 to $27,800. Basic means: cosmetic refresh: vanity, fixtures, paint, flooring. Premium means: primary bath, custom tile, layout change.
Bathroom remodel near Boston
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = 45% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range split for bathroom projects (50% labor, 45% materials, 5% permits and design). Their sample is their own guides, not a survey of contractors, so treat the split as approximate.