Hardwood flooring cost in Rhode Island
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (500 sq ft)
- $5,400 – $12,300
- Per sq ft
- $11 – $24.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $9,000
- Metros covered
- 1
Rhode Island prices for hardwood floor: $5,400 to $12,300 for 500 sq ft, or $11 to $24.50 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 2% below the national one. Local wages for carpenters are $29.25 an hour.
Rhode Island has one metro in our dataset, Providence, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas.
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Rhode Island (statewide), standard level
$7,500 to $10,200
About $15 to $20.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 42% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,250 | $6,000 |
| Labor | $3,250 | $4,250 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $7,500 | $10,200 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Rhode Island
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,900 | $5,100 | $7,300 | 58% |
| Labor | $2,500 | $3,750 | $5,000 | 42% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $5,400 | $8,850 | $12,300 | 100% |
Which Rhode Island city is cheapest for hardwood floor?
Rhode Island has one metro in our dataset, Providence, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence, RI | $5,450 – $12,400 | $8,900 | level |
Other Rhode Island jobs that often go with hardwood floor
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Rhode Island wages and prices. Against national midpoints, laminate flooring comes out highest (−1%) and tile flooring lowest (−4%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $2,000 – $6,900 | −1% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,250 – $9,600 | −4% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,200 – $31,000 | −2% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,650 – $23,100 | −1% |
Rhode Island labor market for hardwood floor
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 1.00 for Rhode Island.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 70%) the local median is $29.25 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $25.14 and $36.42 an hour. BLS counts 2,580 of them working in the state, 51.5 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) carry 30% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for Rhode Island, 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 crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($36.42 an hour) would add about $650 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($25.14) would take off about $370. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 501,340 jobs across Rhode Island (May 2025), which is 0.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 70% | $25.14 | $29.25 | $36.42 | $29.12 | 1.00 | state |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $21.95 | $27.15 | $35.50 | $27.15 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Quality levels and sizes in Rhode Island
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Rhode Island wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$5,400 to $8,150
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$7,500 to $10,200
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$9,550 to $12,300
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $2,150 – $3,250 | $3,000 – $4,100 | $3,800 – $4,900 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $5,400 – $8,150 | $7,500 – $10,200 | $9,550 – $12,300 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $13,000 – $19,600 | $18,000 – $24,600 | $22,900 – $29,500 |
Hardwood flooring: what moves the price in Rhode Island
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.
Rhode Island against its neighbors
Rhode Island ranks 16 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. Rhode Island sits at $8,850. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 50 miles away | $6,200 – $13,900 | $10,000 | +13% |
| Connecticut | 80 miles away | $5,400 – $12,300 | $8,850 | level |
| New Hampshire | 90 miles away | $5,500 – $12,400 | $8,950 | +1% |
| New York | 160 miles away | $6,100 – $13,900 | $10,000 | +13% |
| Maine | 170 miles away | $5,400 – $12,300 | $8,850 | level |
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Hardwood flooring in Rhode Island: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Rhode Island?
$5,400 to $12,300 for 500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Rhode Island can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Rhode Island is cheapest for hardwood floor?
Providence at about $8,900 (midpoint, 500 sq ft).
+Is hardwood floor cheaper in Rhode Island than the US average?
It is 2% cheaper: $8,850 against $9,000 for 500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Rhode Island?
About 42% ($3,750). Materials are 58%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.00x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Rhode Island?
The BLS statewide median is $29.25 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $25.14 to $36.42.
+Where does Rhode Island rank for hardwood floor costs?
16th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $8,850 for 500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Rhode Island?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $5,400 to $8,150 and premium work $9,550 to $12,300. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring by city in Rhode Island
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.