Hardwood flooring cost in Wisconsin
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (500 sq ft)
- $5,300 – $12,000
- Per sq ft
- $10.50 – $24
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $9,000
- Metros covered
- 12
What does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Wisconsin? Plan on $5,300 to $12,000 for 500 sq ft. Wages (0.99x the US blend), materials (price index 94.3) and permit costs (94.1) put the state below the national midpoint by 4%.
Inside Wisconsin, the metros we cover range from $8,150 (Wausau) to $9,650 (Oshkosh) 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 Wisconsin (statewide), standard level
$7,350 to $10,000
About $14.50 to $20 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 43% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,100 | $5,800 |
| Labor | $3,250 | $4,200 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $7,350 | $10,000 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Wisconsin
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,850 | $4,950 | $7,050 | 57% |
| Labor | $2,500 | $3,750 | $4,950 | 43% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $5,300 | $8,700 | $12,000 | 100% |
Wisconsin labor market for hardwood floor
Wisconsin'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 0.99 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 70% of the weighting: a median of $29.65 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.92 and $38.13 an hour. About 13,880 work in the state. That is 47.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042), 30% of the weighting: a median of $25.42 an hour, 6% below the US median of $27.15. The middle half of them earn between $22.49 and $34.27 an hour. About 700 work in the state. That is 2.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 1.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($38.13 an hour) would add about $760 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($23.92) would take off about $520. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 2,941,540 jobs across Wisconsin (May 2025), which is 1.9% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 70% | $23.92 | $29.65 | $38.13 | $29.12 | 1.02 | state |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $22.49 | $25.42 | $34.27 | $27.15 | 0.94 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.99 | |||||
Basic, standard or premium: Wisconsin 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
$5,300 to $8,000
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$7,350 to $10,000
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$9,350 to $12,000
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $2,150 – $3,200 | $2,950 – $4,000 | $3,750 – $4,800 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $5,300 – $8,000 | $7,350 – $10,000 | $9,350 – $12,000 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $12,800 – $19,200 | $17,600 – $24,100 | $22,400 – $28,900 |
How Wisconsin compares with nearby states
Wisconsin ranks 26 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. Wisconsin sits at $8,700. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 120 miles away | $6,350 – $14,200 | $10,300 | +18% |
| Iowa | 230 miles away | $5,200 – $11,800 | $8,500 | −2% |
| Michigan | 230 miles away | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,650 | level |
| Minnesota | 260 miles away | $5,700 – $12,900 | $9,250 | +7% |
| Indiana | 260 miles away | $5,350 – $12,100 | $8,750 | +1% |
Wisconsin metro-by-metro prices
5 of the 12 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $8,700, and the top-to-bottom gap is 18%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oshkosh, WI | $5,950 – $13,300 | $9,650 | +11% |
| Janesville, WI | $5,700 – $12,800 | $9,250 | +7% |
| Kenosha, WI | $5,600 – $12,800 | $9,250 | +6% |
| Milwaukee, WI | $5,350 – $12,100 | $8,750 | +1% |
| Green Bay, WI | $5,350 – $12,100 | $8,750 | +1% |
| Sheboygan, WI | $5,350 – $12,100 | $8,700 | level |
| Appleton, WI | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,700 | level |
| Madison, WI | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,650 | level |
| Eau Claire, WI | $5,200 – $11,900 | $8,550 | −2% |
| La Crosse, WI | $5,200 – $11,800 | $8,550 | −2% |
| Racine, WI | $5,200 – $11,800 | $8,500 | −2% |
| Wausau, WI | $4,950 – $11,300 | $8,150 | −6% |
Why two Wisconsin 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.
Other Wisconsin jobs that often go with hardwood floor
Each project weights the trades differently, so Wisconsin's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, bathroom remodel is +4% and laminate flooring −4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,950 – $6,700 | −4% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,650 – $10,000 | +2% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,000 – $30,700 | −3% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,900 – $24,300 | +4% |
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Hardwood flooring in Wisconsin: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Wisconsin?
$5,300 to $12,000 for 500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Wisconsin can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Wisconsin is cheapest for hardwood floor?
Wausau at about $8,150 (midpoint, 500 sq ft). The priciest is Oshkosh at $9,650.
+Is hardwood floor cheaper in Wisconsin than the US average?
It is 4% cheaper: $8,700 against $9,000 for 500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Wisconsin?
About 43% ($3,750). Materials are 57%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.99x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Wisconsin?
The BLS statewide median is $29.65 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.92 to $38.13.
+Where does Wisconsin rank for hardwood floor costs?
26th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $8,700 for 500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Wisconsin?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $5,300 to $8,000 and premium work $9,350 to $12,000. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring by city in Wisconsin
- Oshkosh, WI$9,650 midpoint
- Janesville, WI$9,250 midpoint
- Kenosha, WI$9,250 midpoint
- Milwaukee, WI$8,750 midpoint
- Green Bay, WI$8,750 midpoint
- Sheboygan, WI$8,700 midpoint
- Appleton, WI$8,700 midpoint
- Madison, WI$8,650 midpoint
- Eau Claire, WI$8,550 midpoint
- La Crosse, WI$8,550 midpoint
- Racine, WI$8,500 midpoint
- Wausau, WI$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.