Hardwood flooring cost in North Carolina
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (500 sq ft)
- $5,000 – $11,500
- Per sq ft
- $10 – $23
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $9,000
- Metros covered
- 11
What does it cost to install hardwood flooring in North Carolina? Plan on $5,000 to $11,500 for 500 sq ft. Wages (0.84x the US blend), materials (price index 96.6) and permit costs (94.3) put the state below the national midpoint by 9%.
Inside North Carolina, the metros we cover range from $8,150 (Greenville) to $8,400 (Charlotte) 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 North Carolina (statewide), standard level
$6,950 to $9,500
About $14 to $19 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 38% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,200 | $5,950 |
| Labor | $2,750 | $3,600 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $6,950 | $9,500 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in North Carolina
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,900 | $5,050 | $7,250 | 62% |
| Labor | $2,100 | $3,150 | $4,200 | 38% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $5,000 | $8,250 | $11,500 | 100% |
North Carolina against its neighbors
North Carolina ranks 44 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. North Carolina sits at $8,250. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 120 miles away | $5,000 – $11,500 | $8,250 | level |
| Virginia | 180 miles away | $5,300 – $12,100 | $8,700 | +6% |
| West Virginia | 240 miles away | $4,900 – $11,300 | $8,100 | −2% |
| District of Columbia | 260 miles away | $5,750 – $13,100 | $9,400 | +14% |
| Georgia | 270 miles away | $5,000 – $11,500 | $8,250 | level |
Basic, standard or premium: North Carolina 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
$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
$8,900 to $11,500
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $2,000 – $3,050 | $2,800 – $3,800 | $3,550 – $4,600 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $5,000 – $7,600 | $6,950 – $9,500 | $8,900 – $11,500 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $12,000 – $18,200 | $16,700 – $22,900 | $21,300 – $27,500 |
What carpenters and the other trades earn in North Carolina
North Carolina'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 0.84 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 70% of the weighting: a median of $23.61 an hour, 19% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $20.27 and $28.27 an hour. About 13,480 work in the state. That is 27.3 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 $24.86 an hour, 8% below the US median of $27.15. The middle half of them earn between $21.47 and $29.98 an hour. About 490 work in the state. That is 1.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 1.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($28.27 an hour) would add about $420 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($20.27) would take off about $300. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 4,941,820 jobs across North Carolina (May 2025), which is 3.2% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 70% | $20.27 | $23.61 | $28.27 | $29.12 | 0.81 | state |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $21.47 | $24.86 | $29.98 | $27.15 | 0.92 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.84 | |||||
Why two North Carolina 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.
North Carolina metro-by-metro prices
5 of the 11 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $8,250, and the top-to-bottom gap is 3%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | $5,100 – $11,700 | $8,400 | +2% |
| Durham, NC | $5,050 – $11,600 | $8,350 | +1% |
| Asheville, NC | $5,050 – $11,600 | $8,350 | +1% |
| Wilmington, NC | $5,050 – $11,600 | $8,300 | +1% |
| Raleigh, NC | $5,050 – $11,600 | $8,300 | +1% |
| Winston, NC | $5,050 – $11,500 | $8,250 | level |
| Greensboro, NC | $5,050 – $11,500 | $8,250 | level |
| Burlington, NC | $5,000 – $11,500 | $8,250 | level |
| Hickory, NC | $5,000 – $11,400 | $8,200 | level |
| Fayetteville, NC | $4,950 – $11,300 | $8,150 | −1% |
| Greenville, NC | $4,950 – $11,300 | $8,150 | −1% |
Other North Carolina jobs that often go with hardwood floor
Each project weights the trades differently, so North Carolina's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, kitchen remodel is −6% and bathroom remodel −10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,800 – $6,400 | −9% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,050 – $9,250 | −9% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,400 – $29,600 | −6% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,250 – $21,000 | −10% |
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Detailed hardwood flooring report for North Carolina, $9
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Hardwood flooring in North Carolina: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in North Carolina?
$5,000 to $11,500 for 500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside North Carolina can sit above or below that.
+Which city in North Carolina is cheapest for hardwood floor?
Greenville at about $8,150 (midpoint, 500 sq ft). The priciest is Charlotte at $8,400.
+Is hardwood floor cheaper in North Carolina than the US average?
It is 9% cheaper: $8,250 against $9,000 for 500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in North Carolina?
About 38% ($3,150). Materials are 62%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.84x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in North Carolina?
The BLS statewide median is $23.61 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.27 to $28.27.
+Where does North Carolina rank for hardwood floor costs?
44th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $8,250 for 500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in North Carolina?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $5,000 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 by city in North Carolina
- Charlotte, NC$8,400 midpoint
- Durham, NC$8,350 midpoint
- Asheville, NC$8,350 midpoint
- Wilmington, NC$8,300 midpoint
- Raleigh, NC$8,300 midpoint
- Winston, NC$8,250 midpoint
- Greensboro, NC$8,250 midpoint
- Burlington, NC$8,250 midpoint
- Hickory, NC$8,200 midpoint
- Fayetteville, NC$8,150 midpoint
- Greenville, NC$8,150 midpoint
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.