Laminate flooring cost in Manchester, NH
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (500 sq ft)
- $2,000 – $6,950
- Per sq ft
- $4 – $14
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −1%
- US $4,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #88
- 1 = most expensive
Manchester homeowners pay roughly $2,000 to $6,950 to install laminate flooring at 500 sq ft, or $4 to $14 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Manchester is almost level. Building materials run about 2% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 97.7).
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Manchester, NH, standard level
$3,500 to $5,450
About $6.95 to $11 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 62% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,200 | $2,200 |
| Labor | $2,250 | $3,250 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $3,500 | $5,450 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Manchester, NH
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $1,700 | $2,950 | 38% |
| Labor | $1,500 | $2,750 | $4,000 | 62% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $2,000 | $4,450 | $6,950 | 100% |
What is behind the Manchester 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 Manchester is 1.00 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 62% 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 Manchester metro is 97.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 500 sq ft comes to $1,700, compared with $1,750 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (105.7) 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 Manchester. The wage table below marks each row.
Cost by quality level and size in Manchester
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Manchester 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
$2,000 to $4,000
Basic click-lock laminate on a flat subfloor
Standard
$3,500 to $5,450
Thicker waterproof laminate, standard trim
Premium
$4,950 to $6,950
Premium or brand-name laminate, subfloor repair
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $800 – $1,600 | $1,400 – $2,200 | $2,000 – $2,800 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $2,000 – $4,000 | $3,500 – $5,450 | $4,950 – $6,950 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $4,800 – $9,550 | $8,350 – $13,100 | $11,900 – $16,700 |
Planning more than one job in Manchester?
Because every project leans on different trades, Manchester's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, bathroom remodel runs −1% and tile flooring −5%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring | 500 sq ft | $5,450 – $12,400 | −1% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,200 – $9,600 | −5% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,300 – $31,100 | −1% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,650 – $23,100 | −1% |
Is Manchester cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Manchester. Portland is the lowest at about $4,450 (midpoint, 500 sq ft), 85 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester, NHthis page | $2,000 – $6,950 | $4,450 | |
| Worcester, MA45 miles | $2,350 – $7,850 | $5,100 | +14% |
| Boston, MA45 miles | $2,800 – $9,150 | $6,000 | +34% |
| Amherst, MA60 miles | $2,400 – $8,050 | $5,250 | +17% |
| Springfield, MA70 miles | $2,400 – $8,000 | $5,200 | +16% |
| Portland, ME85 miles | $2,000 – $6,900 | $4,450 | −1% |
| New Hampshire (statewide) | $2,000 – $6,950 | $4,500 | level |
| United States | $2,000 – $7,000 | $4,500 | +1% |
Across 300 US metros, Manchester comes in at #88 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, Manchester is 0% below the New Hampshire figure.
Manchester is the only New Hampshire metro we cover, so the statewide page is the only in-state comparison. It uses statewide wages, which include rural areas.
Cities with a workforce like Manchester's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Manchester against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria, CA | 200,760 jobs | $2,250 – $7,750 | $5,000 | +12% |
| Savannah, GA | 198,360 jobs | $1,650 – $6,050 | $3,850 | −14% |
| Springfield, MA | 201,240 jobs | $2,400 – $8,000 | $5,200 | +16% |
| Modesto, CA | 195,230 jobs | $2,000 – $7,100 | $4,550 | +2% |
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 Manchester is 1.00 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 Manchester 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 $29.47 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.91 and $35.02 an hour. BLS counts 820 of them working in the area, 41.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is about 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 11.3% or 7.1%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 199,560 jobs in the Manchester-Nashua area. That makes it the 115th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.13% 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% | $23.91 | $29.47 | $35.02 | $29.12 | 1.01 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Why two Manchester quotes can differ
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.
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $3,500 to $5,450 for Manchester, NH is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
The report lays out the laminate flooring numbers for Manchester, NH 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 Manchester: your questions
+How much does it cost to install laminate flooring in Manchester?
For 500 sq ft, expect $2,000 to $6,950 in the Manchester area. A standard-spec job lands at $3,500 to $5,450. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for laminate floor in Manchester?
About $4 to $14 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 Manchester or Worcester?
Worcester is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 500 sq ft there is $5,100, which is 14% more than Manchester ($4,450). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Manchester?
About 62% at the midpoint, or $2,750 out of $4,450. Materials are 38% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would main floor (500 sq ft) cost in Manchester?
$2,000 to $6,950. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does laminate floor need a permit in Manchester?
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 Manchester area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Manchester expensive for laminate floor compared with the rest of New Hampshire?
Manchester is 0% below the New Hampshire statewide estimate ($4,500 at the midpoint).
+What do floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) earn in Manchester?
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 Manchester?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $2,000 to $4,000 and premium work $4,950 to $6,950. Basic means: basic click-lock laminate on a flat subfloor. Premium means: premium or brand-name laminate, subfloor repair.
Laminate flooring near Manchester
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.