Hardwood flooring cost in Burlington, VT
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (500 sq ft)
- $5,400 – $12,300
- Per sq ft
- $11 – $24.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $9,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #94
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a hardwood floor in the Burlington area: $5,400 to $12,300 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 lands close to the US figure. Building materials run about 3% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 97.3).
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Burlington, VT, standard level
$7,450 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 | $7,450 | $10,200 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Burlington, VT
| 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% |
Why Burlington prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 70% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $30.19 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Burlington is 1.00 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 42% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Burlington is at 97.3 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,250 nationally becomes $5,100 here (midpoint, 500 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 100.9: $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 Burlington. The wage table below marks each row.
Related projects, priced for Burlington
Jobs that often go together with hardwood floor are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Burlington wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, bathroom remodel comes out highest (+2%) and laminate flooring lowest (−4%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,900 – $6,750 | −4% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,400 – $9,850 | −1% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,300 – $31,200 | −1% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,750 – $23,700 | +2% |
Burlington: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Burlington. 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
$5,400 to $8,150
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$7,450 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 | $7,450 – $10,200 | $9,550 – $12,300 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $13,000 – $19,600 | $17,900 – $24,500 | $22,900 – $29,500 |
Hardwood flooring: what moves the price in Burlington
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.
Burlington against nearby metros and the rest of Vermont
Same job, same size (500 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Pittsfield is the priciest of the group at $9,400.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington, VTthis page | $5,400 – $12,300 | $8,850 | |
| Albany, NY140 miles | $5,500 – $12,500 | $9,000 | +2% |
| Manchester, NH140 miles | $5,450 – $12,400 | $8,900 | +1% |
| Utica, NY140 miles | $5,550 – $12,500 | $9,050 | +2% |
| Portland, ME150 miles | $5,500 – $12,400 | $8,950 | +1% |
| Pittsfield, MA160 miles | $5,800 – $13,000 | $9,400 | +6% |
| Vermont (statewide) | $5,400 – $12,300 | $8,850 | level |
| United States | $5,500 – $12,500 | $9,000 | +2% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Burlington ranks #94 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Burlington is 0% above the Vermont figure.
Burlington is the only Vermont metro we cover, so the statewide page is the only in-state comparison. It uses statewide wages, which include rural areas.
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Burlington against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | 120,480 jobs | $5,450 – $12,400 | $8,950 | +1% |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $4,950 – $11,300 | $8,150 | −8% |
| Ocala, FL | 120,980 jobs | $5,000 – $11,400 | $8,200 | −7% |
| Greeley, CO | 119,540 jobs | $5,150 – $11,800 | $8,450 | −4% |
Who does the work: Burlington 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 Burlington the blend is 1.00.
Carpenters (47-2031), 70% of the weighting: a median of $30.19 an hour, 4% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $25.00 and $31.59 an hour. About 900 work in the metro. That is 74.9 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 Burlington metro, so we used the Vermont statewide median: $24.62 an hour against $27.15 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.75 and $29.94 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $130 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $470. That is a swing of roughly 5.3% to 1.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Burlington-South Burlington has 120,150 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 182nd 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% | $25.00 | $30.19 | $31.59 | $29.12 | 1.04 | metro |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $23.75 | $24.62 | $29.94 | $27.15 | 0.91 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
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Hardwood flooring in Burlington: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Burlington?
For 500 sq ft, expect $5,400 to $12,300 in the Burlington area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,450 to $10,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for hardwood floor in Burlington?
About $11 to $24.50 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 Burlington or Albany?
Albany is 140 miles away. The midpoint for 500 sq ft there is $9,000, which is 2% more than Burlington ($8,850). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Burlington?
About 42% at the midpoint, or $3,750 out of $8,850. Materials are 58% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would main floor (500 sq ft) cost in Burlington?
$5,400 to $12,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does hardwood floor need a permit in Burlington?
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 Burlington area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Burlington expensive for hardwood floor compared with the rest of Vermont?
Burlington is 0% above the Vermont statewide estimate ($8,850 at the midpoint).
+What do carpenters earn in Burlington?
The BLS median is $30.19 an hour in the Burlington area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $25.00 to $31.59.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Burlington?
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 near Burlington
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.