Hardwood flooring cost in Lincoln, NE
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (500 sq ft)
- $5,000 – $11,400
- Per sq ft
- $10 – $23
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $9,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #212
- 1 = most expensive
A hardwood floor in Lincoln, NE usually costs $5,000 to $11,400 for 500 sq ft. That works out to about $10 to $23 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $770 less. Carpenters earn a median of $24.00 an hour in the Lincoln area, 18% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Lincoln, NE, standard level
$6,950 to $9,500
About $14 to $19 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,100 | $5,800 |
| Labor | $2,850 | $3,750 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $6,950 | $9,500 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Lincoln, NE
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,800 | $4,950 | $7,050 | 60% |
| Labor | $2,200 | $3,300 | $4,400 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $5,000 | $8,250 | $11,400 | 100% |
Where the Lincoln price comes from
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, Lincoln wages are 0.88 times the national level. Labor makes up about 40% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Lincoln is at 94.1 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,250 nationally becomes $4,950 here (midpoint, 500 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 91.6: $0 to $0.
Data note: 30% of the labor weighting for this project uses a national median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Lincoln. The wage table below marks each row.
Why two Lincoln 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.
What local crews earn in Lincoln
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 Lincoln the blend is 0.88.
Carpenters (47-2031), 70% of the weighting: a median of $24.00 an hour, 18% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.70 and $28.77 an hour. About 1,020 work in the metro. That is 55.9 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 Lincoln metro, so we used the national median: $27.15 an hour against $27.15 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $21.95 and $35.50 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $430 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $210. That is a swing of roughly 2.5% to 5.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Lincoln has 182,620 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 126th 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% | $21.70 | $24.00 | $28.77 | $29.12 | 0.82 | metro |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $21.95 | $27.15 | $35.50 | $27.15 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
How Lincoln compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 500 sq ft range from $8,050 to $8,850 across Lincoln and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NEthis page | $5,000 – $11,400 | $8,250 | |
| Omaha, NE55 miles | $5,100 – $11,600 | $8,350 | +1% |
| Sioux City, IA120 miles | $5,050 – $11,500 | $8,250 | level |
| Topeka, KS135 miles | $4,900 – $11,200 | $8,050 | −2% |
| Des Moines, IA170 miles | $5,400 – $12,300 | $8,850 | +7% |
| Kansas City, MO185 miles | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,600 | +5% |
| Nebraska (statewide) | $5,050 – $11,500 | $8,250 | level |
| United States | $5,500 – $12,500 | $9,000 | +9% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Lincoln ranks #212 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Lincoln is 0% below the Nebraska figure.
Elsewhere in Nebraska
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE | 498,100 jobs | $5,100 – $11,600 | $8,350 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Lincoln against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $5,600 – $12,700 | $9,150 | +11% |
| Asheville, NC | 180,620 jobs | $5,050 – $11,600 | $8,350 | +1% |
| Tallahassee, FL | 186,160 jobs | $5,000 – $11,400 | $8,200 | level |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $5,250 – $11,900 | $8,600 | +4% |
Planning more than one job in Lincoln?
Jobs that often go together with hardwood floor are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Lincoln wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, tile flooring comes out highest (−1%) and kitchen remodel lowest (−7%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,850 – $6,550 | −7% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,500 – $9,750 | −1% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,200 – $29,300 | −7% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,400 – $21,900 | −6% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: hardwood flooring pricing in Lincoln
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Lincoln. 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
$5,000 to $7,600
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$6,950 to $9,500
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$8,850 to $11,400
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $2,000 – $3,050 | $2,800 – $3,800 | $3,550 – $4,600 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $5,000 – $7,600 | $6,950 – $9,500 | $8,850 – $11,400 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $12,000 – $18,200 | $16,700 – $22,800 | $21,300 – $27,500 |
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Hardwood flooring in Lincoln: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Lincoln?
For 500 sq ft, expect $5,000 to $11,400 in the Lincoln area. A standard-spec job lands at $6,950 to $9,500. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for hardwood floor in Lincoln?
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 Lincoln or Omaha?
Omaha is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 500 sq ft there is $8,350, which is 1% more than Lincoln ($8,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Lincoln?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $3,300 out of $8,250. Materials are 60% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would main floor (500 sq ft) cost in Lincoln?
$5,000 to $11,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does hardwood floor need a permit in Lincoln?
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 Lincoln area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Lincoln expensive for hardwood floor compared with the rest of Nebraska?
Lincoln is 0% below the Nebraska statewide estimate ($8,250 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Nebraska; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Lincoln?
The BLS median is $24.00 an hour in the Lincoln area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.70 to $28.77.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Lincoln?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $5,000 to $7,600 and premium work $8,850 to $11,400. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring near Lincoln
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.