Hardwood flooring cost in Janesville, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (500 sq ft)
- $5,700 – $12,800
- Per sq ft
- $11.50 – $25.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +3%
- US $9,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #55
- 1 = most expensive
Janesville homeowners pay roughly $5,700 to $12,800 to install hardwood flooring at 500 sq ft, or $11.50 to $25.50 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Janesville is almost level. Carpenters earn a median of $36.24 an hour in the Janesville area, 24% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Janesville, WI, standard level
$7,800 to $10,700
About $15.50 to $21.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,100 | $5,750 |
| Labor | $3,750 | $4,900 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $7,800 | $10,700 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Janesville, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,800 | $4,900 | $7,050 | 53% |
| Labor | $2,900 | $4,300 | $5,750 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $5,700 | $9,250 | $12,800 | 100% |
Why Janesville 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 $36.24 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Janesville is 1.15 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 47% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Janesville metro is 93.8 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 500 sq ft comes to $4,900, compared with $5,250 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (93.7) and land at $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 Janesville. The wage table below marks each row.
What nearby projects cost in Janesville
Because every project leans on different trades, Janesville's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, bathroom remodel runs +6% and kitchen remodel −1%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $2,050 – $7,050 | +1% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,650 – $9,950 | +2% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,400 – $31,200 | −1% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,000 – $24,800 | +6% |
Hardwood flooring: what moves the price in Janesville
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.
Solid versus engineered
Solid hardwood is $11-$25 per sq ft installed and engineered hardwood is $9-$20 (HomeGuide).
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Janesville is 1.15 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 70%) the local median is $36.24 an hour, which is 24% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.92 and $39.98 an hour. BLS counts 360 of them working in the area, 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 the Janesville metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median: $25.42 an hour against $27.15 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $22.49 and $34.27 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($39.98 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $340. At the 25th percentile ($23.92) it shrinks by about $1,100. The total moves by 3.6% or 12.0%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 69,870 jobs in the Janesville-Beloit area. That makes it the 260th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 70% | $23.92 | $36.24 | $39.98 | $29.12 | 1.24 | metro |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $22.49 | $25.42 | $34.27 | $27.15 | 0.94 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.15 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Janesville
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Janesville wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$5,700 to $8,550
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$7,800 to $10,700
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$9,950 to $12,800
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $2,300 – $3,400 | $3,150 – $4,250 | $4,000 – $5,100 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $5,700 – $8,550 | $7,800 – $10,700 | $9,950 – $12,800 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $13,700 – $20,500 | $18,800 – $25,600 | $23,900 – $30,700 |
Janesville against nearby metros and the rest of Wisconsin
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 $8,500 to $9,250 across Janesville and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville, WIthis page | $5,700 – $12,800 | $9,250 | |
| Rockford, IL25 miles | $5,600 – $12,600 | $9,050 | −2% |
| Madison, WI40 miles | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,650 | −6% |
| Kenosha, WI60 miles | $5,600 – $12,800 | $9,250 | level |
| Milwaukee, WI65 miles | $5,350 – $12,100 | $8,750 | −5% |
| Racine, WI65 miles | $5,200 – $11,800 | $8,500 | −8% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,700 | −6% |
| United States | $5,500 – $12,500 | $9,000 | −3% |
Across 300 US metros, Janesville comes in at #55 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $11,500; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $7,300 (midpoints, 500 sq ft). Statewide, Janesville is 7% above the Wisconsin figure.
Other Wisconsin metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $5,350 – $12,100 | $8,750 | −5% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,650 | −6% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $5,350 – $12,100 | $8,750 | −5% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,700 | −6% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $5,950 – $13,300 | $9,650 | +4% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $5,200 – $11,900 | $8,550 | −8% |
Cities with a workforce like Janesville's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Janesville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $5,450 – $12,400 | $8,900 | −4% |
| Wausau, WI | 69,530 jobs | $4,950 – $11,300 | $8,150 | −12% |
| Bismarck, ND | 71,270 jobs | $5,100 – $11,600 | $8,350 | −10% |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $4,850 – $11,200 | $8,000 | −13% |
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Hardwood flooring in Janesville: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Janesville?
For 500 sq ft, expect $5,700 to $12,800 in the Janesville area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,800 to $10,700. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for hardwood floor in Janesville?
About $11.50 to $25.50 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 Janesville or Rockford?
Rockford is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 500 sq ft there is $9,050, which is 2% less than Janesville ($9,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Janesville?
About 47% at the midpoint, or $4,300 out of $9,250. Materials are 53% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would main floor (500 sq ft) cost in Janesville?
$5,700 to $12,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does hardwood floor need a permit in Janesville?
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 Janesville area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Janesville expensive for hardwood floor compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Janesville is 7% above the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($8,700 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Janesville?
The BLS median is $36.24 an hour in the Janesville area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.92 to $39.98.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Janesville?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $5,700 to $8,550 and premium work $9,950 to $12,800. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring near Janesville
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.