Hardwood flooring cost in Missoula, MT
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (500 sq ft)
- $5,050 – $11,500
- Per sq ft
- $10 – $23
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $9,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #199
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a hardwood floor in the Missoula area: $5,050 to $11,500 for 500 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 8% lower than the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $27.48 an hour in the Missoula area, 6% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Missoula, MT, standard level
$6,950 to $9,550
About $14 to $19 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 39% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,200 | $5,900 |
| Labor | $2,800 | $3,650 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $6,950 | $9,550 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Missoula, MT
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,900 | $5,050 | $7,200 | 61% |
| Labor | $2,150 | $3,250 | $4,300 | 39% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $5,050 | $8,250 | $11,500 | 100% |
What is behind the Missoula number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 70%, floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) at 30%. Weighted together, Missoula wages are 0.86 times the national level. Labor makes up about 39% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Missoula is at 96.0 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,250 nationally becomes $5,050 here (midpoint, 500 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 96.4: $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 Missoula. The wage table below marks each row.
Is Missoula cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Missoula. Idaho Falls comes closest at about $8,450.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MTthis page | $5,050 – $11,500 | $8,250 | |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID120 miles | $5,250 – $12,000 | $8,600 | +4% |
| Spokane, WA175 miles | $5,700 – $13,000 | $9,350 | +13% |
| Bozeman, MT185 miles | $5,200 – $11,800 | $8,500 | +3% |
| Kennewick, WA240 miles | $5,750 – $13,100 | $9,450 | +14% |
| Idaho Falls, ID255 miles | $5,150 – $11,700 | $8,450 | +2% |
| Montana (statewide) | $5,100 – $11,600 | $8,350 | +1% |
| United States | $5,500 – $12,500 | $9,000 | +9% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Missoula ranks #199 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Missoula is 1% below the Montana figure.
Elsewhere in Montana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | 93,800 jobs | $5,100 – $11,600 | $8,350 | +1% |
| Bozeman, MT | 72,210 jobs | $5,200 – $11,800 | $8,500 | +3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Missoula against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction, CO | 67,170 jobs | $5,250 – $11,900 | $8,550 | +4% |
| Logan, UT | 66,800 jobs | $4,950 – $11,400 | $8,150 | −1% |
| Morgantown, WV | 67,370 jobs | $4,900 – $11,300 | $8,100 | −2% |
| Flagstaff, AZ | 66,610 jobs | $5,100 – $11,600 | $8,350 | +1% |
Why two Missoula quotes can differ
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).
Related projects, priced for Missoula
Jobs that often go together with hardwood floor are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Missoula wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, bathroom remodel comes out highest (+3%) and laminate flooring lowest (−15%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,650 – $6,000 | −15% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,500 – $9,900 | level |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,100 – $30,800 | −2% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,850 – $24,000 | +3% |
Missoula: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Missoula. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from one room (200 sq ft) to whole house (1,200 sq ft).
Basic
$5,050 to $7,600
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$6,950 to $9,550
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$8,900 to $11,500
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $2,000 – $3,050 | $2,800 – $3,850 | $3,550 – $4,600 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $5,050 – $7,600 | $6,950 – $9,550 | $8,900 – $11,500 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $12,100 – $18,300 | $16,700 – $23,000 | $21,400 – $27,600 |
Who does the work: Missoula trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Missoula the blend is 0.86.
Carpenters (47-2031), 70% of the weighting: a median of $27.48 an hour, 6% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.35 and $30.07 an hour. About 400 work in the metro. That is 59.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) carry 30% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Missoula metro, so we used the Montana statewide median: $18.13 an hour against $27.15 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $14.49 and $23.34 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $230 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $370. That is a swing of roughly 4.5% to 2.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Missoula has 67,070 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 270th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 70% | $23.35 | $27.48 | $30.07 | $29.12 | 0.94 | metro |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $14.49 | $18.13 | $23.34 | $27.15 | 0.67 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.86 | |||||
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Hardwood flooring in Missoula: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Missoula?
For 500 sq ft, expect $5,050 to $11,500 in the Missoula area. A standard-spec job lands at $6,950 to $9,550. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for hardwood floor in Missoula?
About $10 to $23 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 Missoula or Coeur d'Alene?
Coeur d'Alene is 120 miles away. The midpoint for 500 sq ft there is $8,600, which is 4% more than Missoula ($8,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Missoula?
About 39% at the midpoint, or $3,250 out of $8,250. Materials are 61% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would main floor (500 sq ft) cost in Missoula?
$5,050 to $11,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does hardwood floor need a permit in Missoula?
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 Missoula area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Missoula expensive for hardwood floor compared with the rest of Montana?
Missoula is 1% below the Montana statewide estimate ($8,350 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in Montana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Missoula?
The BLS median is $27.48 an hour in the Missoula area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.35 to $30.07.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Missoula?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $5,050 to $7,600 and premium work $8,900 to $11,500. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring near Missoula
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.