Hardwood flooring cost in Wichita, KS
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (500 sq ft)
- $4,900 – $11,200
- Per sq ft
- $9.80 – $22.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $9,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #248
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install hardwood flooring in Wichita, plan on $4,900 to $11,200 for 500 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $9.80 to $22.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 10% lower than the national one. Carpenters earn a median of $24.49 an hour in the Wichita area, 16% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Wichita, KS, standard level
$6,800 to $9,300
About $13.50 to $18.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 39% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,100 | $5,800 |
| Labor | $2,700 | $3,550 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $6,800 | $9,300 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Wichita, KS
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,800 | $4,950 | $7,050 | 61% |
| Labor | $2,100 | $3,100 | $4,150 | 39% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $4,900 | $8,050 | $11,200 | 100% |
Why Wichita prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 70% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $24.49 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Wichita is 0.83 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 39% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Wichita metro is 94.0 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 500 sq ft comes to $4,950, compared with $5,250 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (88.9) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 30% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Wichita. The wage table below marks each row.
Hardwood flooring: what moves the price in Wichita
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.
Solid versus engineered
Solid hardwood is $11-$25 per sq ft installed and engineered hardwood is $9-$20 (HomeGuide).
What nearby projects cost in Wichita
Because every project leans on different trades, Wichita's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, kitchen remodel runs −7% and laminate flooring −13%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,700 – $6,100 | −13% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,100 – $9,200 | −9% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,200 – $29,200 | −7% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,300 – $21,400 | −8% |
Cost by quality level and size in Wichita
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Wichita 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 3 common sizes.
Basic
$4,900 to $7,450
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$6,800 to $9,300
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$8,700 to $11,200
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $1,950 – $2,950 | $2,700 – $3,750 | $3,500 – $4,500 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $4,900 – $7,450 | $6,800 – $9,300 | $8,700 – $11,200 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $11,800 – $17,800 | $16,300 – $22,400 | $20,900 – $26,900 |
How Wichita compares
Same job, same size (500 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Kansas City is the priciest of the group at $8,600. Tulsa is the cheapest at $7,700.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita, KSthis page | $4,900 – $11,200 | $8,050 | |
| Tulsa, OK110 miles | $4,650 – $10,800 | $7,700 | −4% |
| Topeka, KS125 miles | $4,900 – $11,200 | $8,050 | level |
| Oklahoma City, OK155 miles | $4,750 – $10,900 | $7,800 | −3% |
| Joplin, MO155 miles | $4,950 – $11,300 | $8,150 | +1% |
| Kansas City, MO175 miles | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,600 | +7% |
| Kansas (statewide) | $5,100 – $11,600 | $8,300 | +3% |
| United States | $5,500 – $12,500 | $9,000 | +12% |
Across 300 US metros, Wichita comes in at #248 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $11,500; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $7,300 (midpoints, 500 sq ft). Statewide, Wichita is 3% below the Kansas figure.
Other Kansas metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | 115,750 jobs | $4,900 – $11,200 | $8,050 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Wichita's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Wichita against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs, CO | 316,060 jobs | $5,150 – $11,700 | $8,450 | +5% |
| Cape Coral, FL | 304,790 jobs | $5,050 – $11,600 | $8,300 | +3% |
| Akron, OH | 319,560 jobs | $5,350 – $12,100 | $8,750 | +9% |
| Provo, UT | 304,660 jobs | $5,050 – $11,600 | $8,300 | +3% |
Wichita labor market for hardwood floor
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Wichita is 0.83 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 70%) the local median is $24.49 an hour, which is 16% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.49 and $29.66 an hour. BLS counts 1,210 of them working in the area, 39.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is about average.
Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) carry 30% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Wichita metro, so we used the Kansas statewide median: $22.10 an hour against $27.15 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $20.21 and $26.05 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($29.66 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $470. At the 25th percentile ($22.49) it shrinks by about $180. The total moves by 5.8% or 2.2%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 308,570 jobs in the Wichita area. That makes it the 82nd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.20% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 70% | $22.49 | $24.49 | $29.66 | $29.12 | 0.84 | metro |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $20.21 | $22.10 | $26.05 | $27.15 | 0.81 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.83 | |||||
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Hardwood flooring in Wichita: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Wichita?
For 500 sq ft, expect $4,900 to $11,200 in the Wichita area. A standard-spec job lands at $6,800 to $9,300. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for hardwood floor in Wichita?
About $9.80 to $22.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $11 to $25.
+Is hardwood floor cheaper in Wichita or Tulsa?
Tulsa is 110 miles away. The midpoint for 500 sq ft there is $7,700, which is 4% less than Wichita ($8,050). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Wichita?
About 39% at the midpoint, or $3,100 out of $8,050. Materials are 61% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would main floor (500 sq ft) cost in Wichita?
$4,900 to $11,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does hardwood floor need a permit in Wichita?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Wichita area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Wichita expensive for hardwood floor compared with the rest of Kansas?
Wichita is 3% below the Kansas statewide estimate ($8,300 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Kansas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Wichita?
The BLS median is $24.49 an hour in the Wichita area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.49 to $29.66.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Wichita?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $4,900 to $7,450 and premium work $8,700 to $11,200. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring near Wichita
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.