Hardwood flooring cost in Arkansas
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (500 sq ft)
- $4,750 – $10,900
- Per sq ft
- $9.45 – $21.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −13%
- US $9,000
- Metros covered
- 4
What does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Arkansas? Plan on $4,750 to $10,900 for 500 sq ft. Wages (0.77x the US blend), materials (price index 93.6) and permit costs (86.9) put the state below the national midpoint by 13%.
Inside Arkansas, the metros we cover range from $7,550 (Fort Smith) to $8,000 (Fayetteville) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Arkansas (statewide), standard level
$6,550 to $9,000
About $13 to $18 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 37% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $5,750 |
| Labor | $2,500 | $3,250 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $6,550 | $9,000 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Arkansas
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,800 | $4,900 | $7,000 | 63% |
| Labor | $1,900 | $2,900 | $3,850 | 37% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $4,750 | $7,800 | $10,900 | 100% |
Hardwood flooring cost by metro in Arkansas
1 of the 4 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $7,800, and the top-to-bottom gap is 6%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (500 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, AR | $4,850 – $11,200 | $8,000 | +3% |
| Little Rock, AR | $4,750 – $10,900 | $7,800 | level |
| Jonesboro, AR | $4,600 – $10,600 | $7,650 | −2% |
| Fort Smith, AR | $4,550 – $10,600 | $7,550 | −3% |
Quality levels and sizes in Arkansas
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Arkansas wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$4,750 to $7,200
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$6,550 to $9,000
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$8,400 to $10,900
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $1,900 – $2,850 | $2,650 – $3,600 | $3,350 – $4,350 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $4,750 – $7,200 | $6,550 – $9,000 | $8,400 – $10,900 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $11,300 – $17,200 | $15,800 – $21,700 | $20,200 – $26,100 |
Other Arkansas jobs that often go with hardwood floor
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Arkansas wages and prices. Against national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−10%) and laminate flooring lowest (−18%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,600 – $5,800 | −18% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $1,800 – $8,700 | −15% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $16,700 – $28,400 | −10% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $3,950 – $19,500 | −16% |
Hardwood flooring: what moves the price in Arkansas
Solid versus engineered
Solid hardwood is $11-$25 per sq ft installed and engineered hardwood is $9-$20 (HomeGuide).
Materials and labor
Materials are $6-$15 per sq ft and installation labor adds $3-$10 per sq ft.
Layout
Room shape, stairs and installation method change the labor side.
Permit
Flooring rarely needs a permit, so no permit fee is included in this estimate.
Wages behind the Arkansas number
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 0.77 for Arkansas.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 70%) the local median is $22.96 an hour, which is 21% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $19.93 and $27.65 an hour. BLS counts 4,030 of them working in the state, 30.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
For floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042, weighted 30%) the local median is $19.59 an hour, which is 28% below the national $27.15. The middle half of them earn between $15.87 and $23.48 an hour. BLS counts 210 of them working in the state, 1.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 1.5), so the local bench is about average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($27.65 an hour) would add about $420 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($19.93) would take off about $270. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 1,303,630 jobs across Arkansas (May 2025), which is 0.8% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 70% | $19.93 | $22.96 | $27.65 | $29.12 | 0.79 | state |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $15.87 | $19.59 | $23.48 | $27.15 | 0.72 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.77 | |||||
How Arkansas compares with nearby states
Arkansas ranks 50 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for hardwood floor, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $11,100 and the cheapest Oklahoma at $7,700, both for 500 sq ft at the midpoint. Arkansas sits at $7,800. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 220 miles away | $4,650 – $10,800 | $7,700 | −1% |
| Missouri | 230 miles away | $5,350 – $12,200 | $8,800 | +13% |
| Kansas | 280 miles away | $5,100 – $11,600 | $8,300 | +7% |
| Mississippi | 330 miles away | $4,950 – $11,300 | $8,150 | +4% |
| Tennessee | 360 miles away | $5,000 – $11,500 | $8,250 | +6% |
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Hardwood flooring in Arkansas: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Arkansas?
$4,750 to $10,900 for 500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Arkansas can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Arkansas is cheapest for hardwood floor?
Fort Smith at about $7,550 (midpoint, 500 sq ft). The priciest is Fayetteville at $8,000.
+Is hardwood floor cheaper in Arkansas than the US average?
It is 13% cheaper: $7,800 against $9,000 for 500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Arkansas?
About 37% ($2,900). Materials are 63%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.77x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Arkansas?
The BLS statewide median is $22.96 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $19.93 to $27.65.
+Where does Arkansas rank for hardwood floor costs?
50th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $7,800 for 500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Arkansas?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $4,750 to $7,200 and premium work $8,400 to $10,900. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring by city in Arkansas
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.