Laminate flooring cost in Dubuque, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (500 sq ft)
- $1,950 – $6,750
- Per sq ft
- $3.90 – $13.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $4,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #107
- 1 = most expensive
A laminate floor in Dubuque, IA usually costs $1,950 to $6,750 for 500 sq ft. That works out to about $3.90 to $13.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $160 less. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 93.7).
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Dubuque, IA, standard level
$3,400 to $5,300
About $6.75 to $10.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 62% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $2,100 |
| Labor | $2,200 | $3,200 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $3,400 | $5,300 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Dubuque, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $1,650 | $2,800 | 38% |
| Labor | $1,450 | $2,700 | $3,900 | 62% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $1,950 | $4,350 | $6,750 | 100% |
Where the Dubuque price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles), who do 60% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $26.42 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Dubuque is 0.98 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 62% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Iowa statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Dubuque is at 93.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,750 nationally becomes $1,650 here (midpoint, 500 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 87.3: $0 to $0.
Data note: 60% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Dubuque. The wage table below marks each row.
Dubuque against nearby metros and the rest of Iowa
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Dubuque. Iowa City is the lowest at about $4,150 (midpoint, 500 sq ft), 75 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque, IAthis page | $1,950 – $6,750 | $4,350 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA45 miles | $2,000 – $6,900 | $4,450 | +3% |
| Iowa City, IA75 miles | $1,850 – $6,450 | $4,150 | −4% |
| Davenport, IA75 miles | $1,900 – $6,600 | $4,250 | −2% |
| Madison, WI80 miles | $1,900 – $6,600 | $4,250 | −2% |
| Waterloo, IA80 miles | $1,900 – $6,600 | $4,250 | −2% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $1,900 – $6,650 | $4,300 | −1% |
| United States | $2,000 – $7,000 | $4,500 | +4% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Dubuque ranks #107 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Dubuque is 1% above the Iowa figure.
Elsewhere in Iowa
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $2,100 – $7,100 | $4,600 | +6% |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $1,900 – $6,600 | $4,250 | −2% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $2,000 – $6,900 | $4,450 | +3% |
| Iowa City, IA | 93,760 jobs | $1,850 – $6,450 | $4,150 | −4% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $1,900 – $6,600 | $4,250 | −2% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $1,850 – $6,500 | $4,200 | −4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dubuque against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona, PA | 58,650 jobs | $2,050 – $7,100 | $4,550 | +5% |
| Albany, GA | 58,390 jobs | $1,600 – $5,850 | $3,750 | −14% |
| Kingston, NY | 59,140 jobs | $2,100 – $7,200 | $4,650 | +7% |
| Wheeling, WV | 58,130 jobs | $1,700 – $6,150 | $3,900 | −10% |
What local crews earn in Dubuque
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 Dubuque the blend is 0.98.
Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) carry 60% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Dubuque metro, so we used the Iowa statewide median: $26.42 an hour against $27.15 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $15.32 and $31.73 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 40% of the weighting: a median of $28.89 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.41 and $30.47 an hour. About 260 work in the metro. That is 44.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles)) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $320 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $670. That is a swing of roughly 15.6% to 7.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Dubuque has 58,470 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 292nd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 60% | $15.32 | $26.42 | $31.73 | $27.15 | 0.97 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $23.41 | $28.89 | $30.47 | $29.12 | 0.99 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.98 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Dubuque bid
Brand
Name-brand laminate such as Pergo runs $5-$17 per sq ft installed.
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.
Related projects, priced for Dubuque
Jobs that often go together with laminate floor are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Dubuque wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, hardwood flooring comes out highest (−4%) and kitchen remodel lowest (−6%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring | 500 sq ft | $5,300 – $12,000 | −4% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,350 – $9,500 | −4% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,400 – $29,600 | −6% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,450 – $22,100 | −5% |
Dubuque: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Dubuque. 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
$1,950 to $3,850
Basic click-lock laminate on a flat subfloor
Standard
$3,400 to $5,300
Thicker waterproof laminate, standard trim
Premium
$4,800 to $6,750
Premium or brand-name laminate, subfloor repair
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $780 – $1,550 | $1,350 – $2,100 | $1,950 – $2,700 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $1,950 – $3,850 | $3,400 – $5,300 | $4,800 – $6,750 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $4,650 – $9,250 | $8,100 – $12,700 | $11,600 – $16,200 |
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Detailed laminate flooring report for Dubuque, IA, $9
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Laminate flooring in Dubuque: your questions
+How much does it cost to install laminate flooring in Dubuque?
For 500 sq ft, expect $1,950 to $6,750 in the Dubuque area. A standard-spec job lands at $3,400 to $5,300. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for laminate floor in Dubuque?
About $3.90 to $13.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $4 to $14.
+Is laminate floor cheaper in Dubuque or Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 500 sq ft there is $4,450, which is 3% more than Dubuque ($4,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dubuque?
About 62% at the midpoint, or $2,700 out of $4,350. Materials are 38% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would main floor (500 sq ft) cost in Dubuque?
$1,950 to $6,750. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does laminate floor need a permit in Dubuque?
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 Dubuque area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dubuque expensive for laminate floor compared with the rest of Iowa?
Dubuque is 1% above the Iowa statewide estimate ($4,300 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Iowa; see the state page to compare them.
+What do floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) earn in Dubuque?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $26.42 an hour, compared with $27.15 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $15.32 to $31.73.
+What do basic and premium laminate floor work cost in Dubuque?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,950 to $3,850 and premium work $4,800 to $6,750. Basic means: basic click-lock laminate on a flat subfloor. Premium means: premium or brand-name laminate, subfloor repair.
Laminate flooring near Dubuque
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.