Hardwood flooring cost in Illinois
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (500 sq ft)
- $6,350 – $14,200
- Per sq ft
- $12.50 – $28.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +14%
- US $9,000
- Metros covered
- 6
Illinois prices for hardwood floor: $6,350 to $14,200 for 500 sq ft, or $12.50 to $28.50 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 14% above the national one. Local wages for carpenters are $37.98 an hour.
Inside Illinois, the metros we cover range from $9,050 (Rockford) to $10,500 (Chicago) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
Estimate your hardwood flooring cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Illinois (statewide), standard level
$8,700 to $11,800
About $17.50 to $23.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $6,400 |
| Labor | $4,150 | $5,450 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $8,700 | $11,800 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Illinois
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $3,100 | $5,450 | $7,800 | 53% |
| Labor | $3,200 | $4,800 | $6,400 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $6,350 | $10,300 | $14,200 | 100% |
Why two Illinois quotes can differ
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.
How Illinois compares with nearby states
Illinois ranks 3 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. Illinois sits at $10,300. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 120 miles away | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,700 | −15% |
| Indiana | 140 miles away | $5,350 – $12,100 | $8,750 | −15% |
| Michigan | 220 miles away | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,650 | −16% |
| Iowa | 240 miles away | $5,200 – $11,800 | $8,500 | −17% |
| Kentucky | 280 miles away | $5,050 – $11,600 | $8,350 | −19% |
What carpenters and the other trades earn in Illinois
Illinois's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.28 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 70% of the weighting: a median of $37.98 an hour, 30% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $27.00 and $51.42 an hour. About 19,570 work in the state. That is 32.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042), 30% of the weighting: a median of $33.60 an hour, 24% above the US median of $27.15. The middle half of them earn between $24.98 and $43.79 an hour. About 1,330 work in the state. That is 2.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 1.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($51.42 an hour) would add about $1,200 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($27.00) would take off about $990. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 6,098,130 jobs across Illinois (May 2025), which is 3.9% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 70% | $27.00 | $37.98 | $51.42 | $29.12 | 1.30 | state |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $24.98 | $33.60 | $43.79 | $27.15 | 1.24 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.28 | |||||
Hardwood flooring cost by metro in Illinois
1 of the 6 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $10,300, and the top-to-bottom gap is 16%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $6,500 – $14,600 | $10,500 | +2% |
| Springfield, IL | $5,950 – $13,300 | $9,650 | −6% |
| Bloomington, IL | $5,900 – $13,200 | $9,600 | −7% |
| Peoria, IL | $5,900 – $13,200 | $9,550 | −7% |
| Champaign, IL | $5,650 – $12,700 | $9,200 | −10% |
| Rockford, IL | $5,600 – $12,600 | $9,050 | −12% |
If you are planning more than one job in Illinois
Each project weights the trades differently, so Illinois's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, bathroom remodel is +20% and kitchen remodel +10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $2,400 – $8,150 | +18% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,850 – $10,900 | +11% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $20,300 – $34,600 | +10% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,650 – $27,900 | +20% |
Basic, standard or premium: Illinois prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from one room (200 sq ft) to whole house (1,200 sq ft).
Basic
$6,350 to $9,500
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$8,700 to $11,800
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$11,100 to $14,200
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $2,550 – $3,800 | $3,500 – $4,750 | $4,400 – $5,700 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $6,350 – $9,500 | $8,700 – $11,800 | $11,100 – $14,200 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $15,200 – $22,700 | $20,900 – $28,400 | $26,500 – $34,100 |
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 $8,700 to $11,800 for Illinois is attached.
Detailed hardwood flooring report for Illinois, $9
The report lays out the hardwood flooring numbers for Illinois line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Hardwood flooring in Illinois: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Illinois?
$6,350 to $14,200 for 500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Illinois can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Illinois is cheapest for hardwood floor?
Rockford at about $9,050 (midpoint, 500 sq ft). The priciest is Chicago at $10,500.
+Is hardwood floor cheaper in Illinois than the US average?
It is 14% more expensive: $10,300 against $9,000 for 500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Illinois?
About 47% ($4,800). Materials are 53%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.28x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Illinois?
The BLS statewide median is $37.98 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.00 to $51.42.
+Where does Illinois rank for hardwood floor costs?
3rd most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $10,300 for 500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Illinois?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $6,350 to $9,500 and premium work $11,100 to $14,200. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring by city in Illinois
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.