Hardwood flooring cost in Massachusetts
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (500 sq ft)
- $6,200 – $13,900
- Per sq ft
- $12.50 – $27.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +11%
- US $9,000
- Metros covered
- 6
Massachusetts prices for hardwood floor: $6,200 to $13,900 for 500 sq ft, or $12.50 to $27.50 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 11% above the national one. Local wages for carpenters are $36.16 an hour.
Inside Massachusetts, the metros we cover range from $9,400 (Pittsfield) to $10,400 (Boston) 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 Massachusetts (statewide), standard level
$8,500 to $11,600
About $17 to $23 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 48% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,300 | $6,100 |
| Labor | $4,200 | $5,500 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $8,500 | $11,600 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Massachusetts
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,950 | $5,200 | $7,400 | 52% |
| Labor | $3,250 | $4,850 | $6,450 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $6,200 | $10,000 | $13,900 | 100% |
Hardwood flooring: what moves the price in Massachusetts
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 Massachusetts compares with nearby states
Massachusetts ranks 5 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. Massachusetts sits at $10,000. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 40 miles away | $5,500 – $12,400 | $8,950 | −11% |
| Rhode Island | 50 miles away | $5,400 – $12,300 | $8,850 | −12% |
| Connecticut | 110 miles away | $5,400 – $12,300 | $8,850 | −12% |
| Maine | 120 miles away | $5,400 – $12,300 | $8,850 | −12% |
| Vermont | 180 miles away | $5,400 – $12,300 | $8,850 | −12% |
If you are planning more than one job in Massachusetts
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Massachusetts wages and prices. Against national midpoints, laminate flooring comes out highest (+20%) and kitchen remodel lowest (+5%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $2,500 – $8,300 | +20% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $3,300 – $11,200 | +17% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $19,400 – $33,100 | +5% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,550 – $27,400 | +18% |
Quality levels and sizes in Massachusetts
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Massachusetts wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$6,200 to $9,250
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$8,500 to $11,600
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$10,800 to $13,900
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $2,500 – $3,700 | $3,400 – $4,600 | $4,300 – $5,550 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $6,200 – $9,250 | $8,500 – $11,600 | $10,800 – $13,900 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $14,900 – $22,200 | $20,400 – $27,700 | $25,900 – $33,300 |
Wages behind the Massachusetts 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 1.29 for Massachusetts.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 70%) the local median is $36.16 an hour, which is 24% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $29.21 and $46.88 an hour. BLS counts 18,540 of them working in the state, 51.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
For floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042, weighted 30%) the local median is $38.12 an hour, which is 40% above the national $27.15. The middle half of them earn between $31.54 and $52.63 an hour. BLS counts 1,060 of them working in the state, 2.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 1.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($46.88 an hour) would add about $970 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($29.21) would take off about $630. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 3,637,650 jobs across Massachusetts (May 2025), which is 2.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 70% | $29.21 | $36.16 | $46.88 | $29.12 | 1.24 | state |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $31.54 | $38.12 | $52.63 | $27.15 | 1.40 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.29 | |||||
Which Massachusetts city is cheapest for hardwood floor?
1 of the 6 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $10,000, and the top-to-bottom gap is 11%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, MA | $6,450 – $14,400 | $10,400 | +4% |
| Springfield, MA | $6,050 – $13,600 | $9,800 | −2% |
| Barnstable, MA | $6,000 – $13,500 | $9,750 | −3% |
| Worcester, MA | $5,950 – $13,400 | $9,650 | −4% |
| Amherst, MA | $5,900 – $13,200 | $9,550 | −5% |
| Pittsfield, MA | $5,800 – $13,000 | $9,400 | −6% |
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Hardwood flooring in Massachusetts: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Massachusetts?
$6,200 to $13,900 for 500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Massachusetts can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Massachusetts is cheapest for hardwood floor?
Pittsfield at about $9,400 (midpoint, 500 sq ft). The priciest is Boston at $10,400.
+Is hardwood floor cheaper in Massachusetts than the US average?
It is 11% more expensive: $10,000 against $9,000 for 500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Massachusetts?
About 48% ($4,850). Materials are 52%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.29x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Massachusetts?
The BLS statewide median is $36.16 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $29.21 to $46.88.
+Where does Massachusetts rank for hardwood floor costs?
5th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $10,000 for 500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Massachusetts?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $6,200 to $9,250 and premium work $10,800 to $13,900. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring by city in Massachusetts
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.