Laminate flooring cost in Wisconsin
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (500 sq ft)
- $1,950 – $6,700
- Per sq ft
- $3.85 – $13.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $4,500
- Metros covered
- 12
What does it cost to install laminate flooring in Wisconsin? Plan on $1,950 to $6,700 for 500 sq ft. Wages (0.97x the US blend), materials (price index 94.3) and permit costs (94.1) put the state below the national midpoint by 4%.
Inside Wisconsin, the metros we cover range from $4,100 (Racine) to $4,700 (Oshkosh) 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 Wisconsin (statewide), standard level
$3,350 to $5,250
About $6.70 to $10.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 62% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,200 | $2,100 |
| Labor | $2,200 | $3,150 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $3,350 | $5,250 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Wisconsin
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $1,650 | $2,850 | 38% |
| Labor | $1,450 | $2,650 | $3,900 | 62% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $1,950 | $4,300 | $6,700 | 100% |
Wisconsin versus the states around it
Wisconsin ranks 23 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. Wisconsin sits at $4,300. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 120 miles away | $2,400 – $8,150 | $5,300 | +23% |
| Iowa | 230 miles away | $1,900 – $6,650 | $4,300 | level |
| Michigan | 230 miles away | $1,850 – $6,500 | $4,150 | −3% |
| Minnesota | 260 miles away | $2,100 – $7,250 | $4,650 | +8% |
| Indiana | 260 miles away | $1,900 – $6,700 | $4,300 | level |
Which Wisconsin city is cheapest for laminate floor?
5 of the 12 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $4,300, and the top-to-bottom gap is 15%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oshkosh, WI | $2,150 – $7,300 | $4,700 | +9% |
| Janesville, WI | $2,050 – $7,050 | $4,550 | +6% |
| Green Bay, WI | $2,050 – $7,000 | $4,500 | +4% |
| Kenosha, WI | $1,950 – $7,000 | $4,500 | +4% |
| Milwaukee, WI | $1,950 – $6,750 | $4,350 | +1% |
| Sheboygan, WI | $1,950 – $6,700 | $4,350 | level |
| Appleton, WI | $1,950 – $6,700 | $4,300 | level |
| Eau Claire, WI | $1,900 – $6,600 | $4,250 | −1% |
| La Crosse, WI | $1,900 – $6,600 | $4,250 | −1% |
| Madison, WI | $1,900 – $6,600 | $4,250 | −2% |
| Wausau, WI | $1,800 – $6,400 | $4,100 | −5% |
| Racine, WI | $1,800 – $6,400 | $4,100 | −5% |
Quality levels and sizes in Wisconsin
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Wisconsin wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$1,950 to $3,850
Basic click-lock laminate on a flat subfloor
Standard
$3,350 to $5,250
Thicker waterproof laminate, standard trim
Premium
$4,800 to $6,700
Premium or brand-name laminate, subfloor repair
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $770 – $1,550 | $1,350 – $2,100 | $1,900 – $2,700 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $1,950 – $3,850 | $3,350 – $5,250 | $4,800 – $6,700 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $4,600 – $9,200 | $8,050 – $12,700 | $11,500 – $16,100 |
Related projects, priced for Wisconsin
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Wisconsin wages and prices. Against national midpoints, bathroom remodel comes out highest (+4%) and hardwood flooring lowest (−4%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring | 500 sq ft | $5,300 – $12,000 | −4% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,650 – $10,000 | +2% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,000 – $30,700 | −3% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,900 – $24,300 | +4% |
Laminate flooring: what moves the price in Wisconsin
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.
What floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) and the other trades earn in Wisconsin
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 0.97 for Wisconsin.
For floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042, weighted 60%) the local median is $25.42 an hour, which is 6% below the national $27.15. The middle half of them earn between $22.49 and $34.27 an hour. BLS counts 700 of them working in the state, 2.4 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 $29.65 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.92 and $38.13 an hour. BLS counts 13,880 of them working in the state, 47.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is about average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) ($34.27 an hour) would add about $540 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($22.49) would take off about $180. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 2,941,540 jobs across Wisconsin (May 2025), which is 1.9% 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% | $22.49 | $25.42 | $34.27 | $27.15 | 0.94 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $23.92 | $29.65 | $38.13 | $29.12 | 1.02 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.97 | |||||
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Laminate flooring in Wisconsin: your questions
+How much does it cost to install laminate flooring in Wisconsin?
$1,950 to $6,700 for 500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Wisconsin can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Wisconsin is cheapest for laminate floor?
Racine at about $4,100 (midpoint, 500 sq ft). The priciest is Oshkosh at $4,700.
+Is laminate floor cheaper in Wisconsin than the US average?
It is 4% cheaper: $4,300 against $4,500 for 500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Wisconsin?
About 62% ($2,650). Materials are 38%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.97x the national wage level.
+What do floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) earn in Wisconsin?
The BLS statewide median is $25.42 an hour, against $27.15 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.49 to $34.27.
+Where does Wisconsin rank for laminate floor costs?
23rd most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $4,300 for 500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium laminate floor work cost in Wisconsin?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,950 to $3,850 and premium work $4,800 to $6,700. Basic means: basic click-lock laminate on a flat subfloor. Premium means: premium or brand-name laminate, subfloor repair.
Laminate flooring by city in Wisconsin
- Oshkosh, WI$4,700 midpoint
- Janesville, WI$4,550 midpoint
- Green Bay, WI$4,500 midpoint
- Kenosha, WI$4,500 midpoint
- Milwaukee, WI$4,350 midpoint
- Sheboygan, WI$4,350 midpoint
- Appleton, WI$4,300 midpoint
- Eau Claire, WI$4,250 midpoint
- La Crosse, WI$4,250 midpoint
- Madison, WI$4,250 midpoint
- Wausau, WI$4,100 midpoint
- Racine, WI$4,100 midpoint
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.