Laminate flooring cost in Lincoln, NE
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (500 sq ft)
- $1,850 – $6,550
- Per sq ft
- $3.75 – $13
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −7%
- US $4,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #157
- 1 = most expensive
Lincoln homeowners pay roughly $1,850 to $6,550 to install laminate flooring at 500 sq ft, or $3.75 to $13 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Lincoln is 7% lower. Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) earn a median of $27.15 an hour in the Lincoln area, 0% above the US median of $27.15.
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Lincoln, NE, standard level
$3,250 to $5,150
About $6.55 to $10.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 61% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,200 | $2,100 |
| Labor | $2,100 | $3,000 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $3,250 | $5,150 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Lincoln, NE
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $1,650 | $2,800 | 39% |
| Labor | $1,400 | $2,550 | $3,700 | 61% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $1,850 | $4,200 | $6,550 | 100% |
What is behind the Lincoln number
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 $27.15 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Lincoln is 0.93 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 61% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the area, so we used the national median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Lincoln metro is 94.1 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 500 sq ft comes to $1,650, compared with $1,750 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (91.6) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 60% of the labor weighting for this project uses a national median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Lincoln. The wage table below marks each row.
Why two Lincoln quotes can differ
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.
Cost by quality level and size in Lincoln
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Lincoln 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
$1,850 to $3,750
Basic click-lock laminate on a flat subfloor
Standard
$3,250 to $5,150
Thicker waterproof laminate, standard trim
Premium
$4,650 to $6,550
Premium or brand-name laminate, subfloor repair
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $750 – $1,500 | $1,300 – $2,050 | $1,850 – $2,600 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $1,850 – $3,750 | $3,250 – $5,150 | $4,650 – $6,550 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $4,500 – $8,950 | $7,850 – $12,300 | $11,200 – $15,700 |
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 Lincoln is 0.93 times the national level.
Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) carry 60% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Lincoln metro, so we used the national median: $27.15 an hour against $27.15 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $21.95 and $35.50 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 40%) the local median is $24.00 an hour, which is 18% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.70 and $28.77 an hour. BLS counts 1,020 of them working in the area, 55.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($35.50 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $510. At the 25th percentile ($21.95) it shrinks by about $320. The total moves by 12.1% or 7.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 182,620 jobs in the Lincoln area. That makes it the 126th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.12% 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% | $21.95 | $27.15 | $35.50 | $27.15 | 1.00 | US |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $21.70 | $24.00 | $28.77 | $29.12 | 0.82 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.93 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Lincoln?
Because every project leans on different trades, Lincoln's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, tile flooring runs −1% and hardwood flooring −9%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring | 500 sq ft | $5,000 – $11,400 | −9% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,500 – $9,750 | −1% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,200 – $29,300 | −7% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,400 – $21,900 | −6% |
How Lincoln compares
Same job, same size (500 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Des Moines is the priciest of the group at $4,600. Topeka is the cheapest at $3,900.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NEthis page | $1,850 – $6,550 | $4,200 | |
| Omaha, NE55 miles | $1,900 – $6,600 | $4,250 | +1% |
| Sioux City, IA120 miles | $1,850 – $6,500 | $4,200 | −1% |
| Topeka, KS135 miles | $1,700 – $6,150 | $3,900 | −7% |
| Des Moines, IA170 miles | $2,100 – $7,100 | $4,600 | +9% |
| Kansas City, MO185 miles | $1,900 – $6,600 | $4,250 | +1% |
| Nebraska (statewide) | $1,850 – $6,550 | $4,200 | level |
| United States | $2,000 – $7,000 | $4,500 | +7% |
Across 300 US metros, Lincoln comes in at #157 from the top. The priciest is San Jose, CA at $6,350; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $3,550 (midpoints, 500 sq ft). Statewide, Lincoln is 0% below the Nebraska figure.
Other Nebraska metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE | 498,100 jobs | $1,900 – $6,600 | $4,250 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like Lincoln's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Lincoln against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $2,050 – $7,200 | $4,650 | +10% |
| Asheville, NC | 180,620 jobs | $1,800 – $6,450 | $4,150 | −2% |
| Tallahassee, FL | 186,160 jobs | $1,850 – $6,550 | $4,200 | level |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $1,900 – $6,600 | $4,250 | +1% |
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Detailed laminate flooring report for Lincoln, NE, $9
The report lays out the laminate flooring numbers for Lincoln, NE line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. 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 Lincoln: your questions
+How much does it cost to install laminate flooring in Lincoln?
For 500 sq ft, expect $1,850 to $6,550 in the Lincoln area. A standard-spec job lands at $3,250 to $5,150. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for laminate floor in Lincoln?
About $3.75 to $13 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 Lincoln or Omaha?
Omaha is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 500 sq ft there is $4,250, which is 1% more than Lincoln ($4,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Lincoln?
About 61% at the midpoint, or $2,550 out of $4,200. Materials are 39% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would main floor (500 sq ft) cost in Lincoln?
$1,850 to $6,550. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does laminate floor need a permit in Lincoln?
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 Lincoln area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Lincoln expensive for laminate floor compared with the rest of Nebraska?
Lincoln is 0% below the Nebraska statewide estimate ($4,200 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Nebraska; see the state page to compare them.
+What do floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) earn in Lincoln?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the national median of $27.15 an hour, compared with $27.15 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.95 to $35.50.
+What do basic and premium laminate floor work cost in Lincoln?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,850 to $3,750 and premium work $4,650 to $6,550. Basic means: basic click-lock laminate on a flat subfloor. Premium means: premium or brand-name laminate, subfloor repair.
Laminate flooring near Lincoln
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.