Hardwood flooring cost in Wausau, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (500 sq ft)
- $4,950 – $11,300
- Per sq ft
- $9.90 – $22.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $9,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #232
- 1 = most expensive
A hardwood floor in Wausau, WI usually costs $4,950 to $11,300 for 500 sq ft. That works out to about $9.90 to $22.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $860 less. Carpenters earn a median of $24.03 an hour in the Wausau area, 17% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Wausau, WI, standard level
$6,850 to $9,400
About $13.50 to $19 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,100 | $5,750 |
| Labor | $2,800 | $3,650 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $6,850 | $9,400 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Wausau, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,800 | $4,900 | $7,050 | 60% |
| Labor | $2,150 | $3,200 | $4,300 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $4,950 | $8,150 | $11,300 | 100% |
Why Wausau prices look the way they do
Labor is 40% of the midpoint bill here, against 42% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is carpenters (70%), floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (30%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Wausau the blended ratio comes out at 0.86.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Wausau is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,250 nationally becomes $4,900 here (midpoint, 500 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 92.7: $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 Wausau. The wage table below marks each row.
What local crews earn in Wausau
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 Wausau the blend is 0.86.
Carpenters (47-2031), 70% of the weighting: a median of $24.03 an hour, 17% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.14 and $29.66 an hour. About 370 work in the metro. That is 53.2 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 Wausau 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.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $510 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $80. That is a swing of roughly 1.0% to 6.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Wausau has 69,530 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 261st 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% | $23.14 | $24.03 | $29.66 | $29.12 | 0.83 | 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% | 0.86 | |||||
Hardwood flooring: what moves the price in Wausau
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.
Cost by quality level and size in Wausau
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Wausau. 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
$4,950 to $7,500
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$6,850 to $9,400
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$8,800 to $11,300
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $2,000 – $3,000 | $2,750 – $3,750 | $3,500 – $4,550 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $4,950 – $7,500 | $6,850 – $9,400 | $8,800 – $11,300 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $11,900 – $18,000 | $16,500 – $22,600 | $21,100 – $27,200 |
Is Wausau cheap or dear? The local comparison
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 $8,150 to $9,650 across Wausau and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WIthis page | $4,950 – $11,300 | $8,150 | |
| Eau Claire, WI75 miles | $5,200 – $11,900 | $8,550 | +5% |
| Oshkosh, WI80 miles | $5,950 – $13,300 | $9,650 | +18% |
| Appleton, WI80 miles | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,700 | +7% |
| Green Bay, WI90 miles | $5,350 – $12,100 | $8,750 | +7% |
| La Crosse, WI105 miles | $5,200 – $11,800 | $8,550 | +5% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,700 | +7% |
| United States | $5,500 – $12,500 | $9,000 | +11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Wausau ranks #232 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Wausau is 6% below the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $5,350 – $12,100 | $8,750 | +7% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,650 | +6% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $5,350 – $12,100 | $8,750 | +7% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,700 | +7% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $5,950 – $13,300 | $9,650 | +18% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $5,200 – $11,900 | $8,550 | +5% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Wausau against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $5,700 – $12,800 | $9,250 | +14% |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $4,850 – $11,200 | $8,000 | −2% |
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $5,450 – $12,400 | $8,900 | +9% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $5,450 – $12,400 | $8,900 | +9% |
Related projects, priced for Wausau
Jobs that often go together with hardwood floor are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Wausau wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, bathroom remodel comes out highest (+3%) and laminate flooring lowest (−9%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,800 – $6,400 | −9% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,600 – $9,950 | +1% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,700 – $30,100 | −5% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,850 – $24,000 | +3% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed hardwood flooring report for Wausau, WI, $9
Multi-page report for Wausau, WI: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Hardwood flooring in Wausau: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Wausau?
For 500 sq ft, expect $4,950 to $11,300 in the Wausau area. A standard-spec job lands at $6,850 to $9,400. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for hardwood floor in Wausau?
About $9.90 to $22.50 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 Wausau or Eau Claire?
Eau Claire is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 500 sq ft there is $8,550, which is 5% more than Wausau ($8,150). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Wausau?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $3,200 out of $8,150. Materials are 60% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would main floor (500 sq ft) cost in Wausau?
$4,950 to $11,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does hardwood floor need a permit in Wausau?
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 Wausau area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Wausau expensive for hardwood floor compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Wausau is 6% below 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 Wausau?
The BLS median is $24.03 an hour in the Wausau area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.14 to $29.66.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Wausau?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $4,950 to $7,500 and premium work $8,800 to $11,300. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring near Wausau
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.