Laminate flooring cost in Illinois
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (500 sq ft)
- $2,400 – $8,150
- Per sq ft
- $4.85 – $16.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +18%
- US $4,500
- Metros covered
- 6
Illinois prices for laminate floor: $2,400 to $8,150 for 500 sq ft, or $4.85 to $16.50 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 18% above the national one. Local wages for floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) are $33.60 an hour.
Inside Illinois, the metros we cover range from $4,400 (Rockford) to $5,400 (Chicago) 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 Illinois (statewide), standard level
$4,150 to $6,450
About $8.30 to $13 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 66% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,300 | $2,350 |
| Labor | $2,850 | $4,100 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $4,150 | $6,450 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Illinois
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $520 | $1,800 | $3,100 | 34% |
| Labor | $1,900 | $3,500 | $5,050 | 66% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $2,400 | $5,300 | $8,150 | 100% |
Wages behind the Illinois number
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 1.26 for Illinois.
For floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042, weighted 60%) the local median is $33.60 an hour, which is 24% above the national $27.15. The middle half of them earn between $24.98 and $43.79 an hour. BLS counts 1,330 of them working in the state, 2.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 1.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 40%) the local median is $37.98 an hour, which is 30% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $27.00 and $51.42 an hour. BLS counts 19,570 of them working in the state, 32.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) ($43.79 an hour) would add about $620 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($24.98) 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 6,098,130 jobs across Illinois (May 2025), which is 3.9% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 60% | $24.98 | $33.60 | $43.79 | $27.15 | 1.24 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $27.00 | $37.98 | $51.42 | $29.12 | 1.30 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.26 | |||||
Quality levels and sizes in Illinois
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Illinois wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$2,400 to $4,700
Basic click-lock laminate on a flat subfloor
Standard
$4,150 to $6,450
Thicker waterproof laminate, standard trim
Premium
$5,850 to $8,150
Premium or brand-name laminate, subfloor repair
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $970 – $1,900 | $1,650 – $2,600 | $2,350 – $3,250 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $2,400 – $4,700 | $4,150 – $6,450 | $5,850 – $8,150 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $5,800 – $11,300 | $9,950 – $15,500 | $14,100 – $19,600 |
Laminate flooring: what moves the price in Illinois
Floating versus glued
Click-lock or floating laminate is the easiest and cheapest to install (HomeGuide).
Trim
Baseboards run $6-$9 per linear foot and are a common add-on.
Heated floors
Radiant floor heating adds $7-$17 per sq ft and has to go in before the floor does.
Brand
Name-brand laminate such as Pergo runs $5-$17 per sq ft installed.
Illinois versus the states around it
Illinois ranks 4 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for laminate floor, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Alaska at $5,900 and the cheapest Oklahoma at $3,600, both for 500 sq ft at the midpoint. Illinois sits at $5,300. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 120 miles away | $1,950 – $6,700 | $4,300 | −18% |
| Indiana | 140 miles away | $1,900 – $6,700 | $4,300 | −19% |
| Michigan | 220 miles away | $1,850 – $6,500 | $4,150 | −21% |
| Iowa | 240 miles away | $1,900 – $6,650 | $4,300 | −19% |
| Kentucky | 280 miles away | $1,800 – $6,400 | $4,100 | −22% |
Illinois metro-by-metro prices
1 of the 6 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $5,300, and the top-to-bottom gap is 22%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $2,450 – $8,350 | $5,400 | +2% |
| Springfield, IL | $2,350 – $7,800 | $5,100 | −4% |
| Bloomington, IL | $2,350 – $7,750 | $5,050 | −5% |
| Peoria, IL | $2,350 – $7,750 | $5,050 | −5% |
| Champaign, IL | $2,250 – $7,550 | $4,900 | −7% |
| Rockford, IL | $2,000 – $6,850 | $4,400 | −16% |
If you are planning more than one job in Illinois
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Illinois wages and prices. Against national midpoints, bathroom remodel comes out highest (+20%) and kitchen remodel lowest (+10%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring | 500 sq ft | $6,350 – $14,200 | +14% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,850 – $10,900 | +11% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $20,300 – $34,600 | +10% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,650 – $27,900 | +20% |
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Detailed laminate flooring report for Illinois, $9
Multi-page report for Illinois: 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.
Laminate flooring in Illinois: your questions
+How much does it cost to install laminate flooring in Illinois?
$2,400 to $8,150 for 500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Illinois can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Illinois is cheapest for laminate floor?
Rockford at about $4,400 (midpoint, 500 sq ft). The priciest is Chicago at $5,400.
+Is laminate floor cheaper in Illinois than the US average?
It is 18% more expensive: $5,300 against $4,500 for 500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Illinois?
About 66% ($3,500). Materials are 34%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.26x the national wage level.
+What do floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) earn in Illinois?
The BLS statewide median is $33.60 an hour, against $27.15 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.98 to $43.79.
+Where does Illinois rank for laminate floor costs?
4th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $5,300 for 500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium laminate floor work cost in Illinois?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $2,400 to $4,700 and premium work $5,850 to $8,150. Basic means: basic click-lock laminate on a flat subfloor. Premium means: premium or brand-name laminate, subfloor repair.
Laminate flooring by city in Illinois
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.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Laminate Flooring Installation Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed price minus HomeGuide's $3-$8 per sq ft laminate labor, matched low-to-low and high-to-high.