Metal roof cost in La Crosse, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $11,000 – $33,400
- Per sq ft of roof
- $5.40 – $16.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +4%
- US $21,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #86
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a metal roof in the La Crosse area: $11,000 to $33,400 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 4% higher than the US figure. Roofers earn a median of $28.54 an hour in the La Crosse area, 7% above the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in La Crosse, WI, standard level
$17,700 to $26,600
About $8.70 to $13 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 61% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,800 | $11,100 |
| Labor | $11,600 | $15,200 |
| Permits and fees | $230 | $360 |
| Total | $17,700 | $26,600 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in La Crosse, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,900 | $8,450 | $15,000 | 38% |
| Labor | $8,950 | $13,400 | $17,900 | 61% |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $300 | $460 | 1% |
| Total | $11,000 | $22,200 | $33,400 | 100% |
Why La Crosse prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: roofers at 70%, sheet metal workers at 20%, construction laborers at 10%. Weighted together, La Crosse wages are 1.12 times the national level. Labor makes up about 61% of the midpoint estimate (56% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. La Crosse is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $9,000 nationally becomes $8,450 here (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Permits follow the all-items index of 91.8: $140 to $460.
Data note: 70% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in La Crosse. The wage table below marks each row.
What nearby projects cost in La Crosse
Jobs that often go together with metal roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same La Crosse wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, roof replacement comes out highest (+4%) and attic insulation lowest (−2%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,400 – $12,800 | +4% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,350 – $4,300 | +3% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,000 – $3,900 | −2% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $8,500 – $25,400 | +1% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: metal roof pricing in La Crosse
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to La Crosse. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small (1,200 sq ft of roof) to large (2,800 sq ft of roof).
Basic
$11,000 to $19,900
Corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels
Standard
$17,700 to $26,600
Standing seam steel
Premium
$24,400 to $33,400
Aluminum or premium finish, complex roof
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $6,650 – $12,100 | $10,700 – $16,100 | $14,800 – $20,200 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $11,000 – $19,900 | $17,700 – $26,600 | $24,400 – $33,400 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $15,300 – $27,800 | $24,700 – $37,100 | $34,000 – $46,500 |
Who does the work: La Crosse trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 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 La Crosse the blend is 1.12.
Roofers (47-2181) carry 70% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the La Crosse metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median: $28.54 an hour against $26.65 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.01 and $31.41 an hour.
Sheet metal workers (47-2211), 20% of the weighting: a median of $36.15 an hour, 22% above the US median of $29.71. The middle half of them earn between $23.33 and $45.29 an hour. About 60 work in the metro. That is 7.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 7.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 10%) the local median is $28.32 an hour, which is 25% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.49 and $35.41 an hour. BLS counts 610 of them working in the area, 72.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (roofers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $900 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,750. That is a swing of roughly 7.9% to 4.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
La Crosse-Onalaska has 84,380 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 228th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 70% | $23.01 | $28.54 | $31.41 | $26.65 | 1.07 | state |
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | 20% | $23.33 | $36.15 | $45.29 | $29.71 | 1.22 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 10% | $22.49 | $28.32 | $35.41 | $22.66 | 1.25 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.12 | |||||
Is La Crosse cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (2,000 sq ft of roof), priced for the nearest metros. Rochester is the priciest of the group at $22,600. Waterloo is the cheapest at $19,800.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse, WIthis page | $11,000 – $33,400 | $22,200 | |
| Rochester, MN65 miles | $11,200 – $34,100 | $22,600 | +2% |
| Dubuque, IA85 miles | $9,450 – $30,400 | $19,900 | −10% |
| Eau Claire, WI85 miles | $10,200 – $31,800 | $21,000 | −5% |
| Madison, WI85 miles | $11,100 – $33,600 | $22,300 | +1% |
| Waterloo, IA105 miles | $9,400 – $30,200 | $19,800 | −11% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $11,000 – $33,500 | $22,200 | level |
| United States | $10,200 – $32,500 | $21,300 | −4% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, La Crosse ranks #86 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, La Crosse is 0% below the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $11,100 – $33,700 | $22,400 | +1% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $11,100 – $33,600 | $22,300 | +1% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $10,900 – $33,300 | $22,100 | level |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $11,400 – $34,200 | $22,800 | +3% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $10,500 – $32,300 | $21,400 | −3% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $10,200 – $31,800 | $21,000 | −5% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is La Crosse against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $9,050 – $29,900 | $19,500 | −12% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $9,400 – $30,200 | $19,800 | −11% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $10,200 – $31,800 | $21,000 | −5% |
| Houma, LA | 83,440 jobs | $8,950 – $29,300 | $19,200 | −14% |
The best months for metal roof in La Crosse
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, La Crosse Wfo (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in La Crosse are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February, March, November and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
La Crosse gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 54 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 4.0 and 2.9 inches. The station averages about 3 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24 | 8 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Feb | 29 | 13 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 41 | 24 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Apr | 55 | 36 | 4.0 | Workable |
| May | 67 | 48 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 76 | 58 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 80 | 62 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 78 | 60 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 71 | 52 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 58 | 40 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 42 | 28 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 29 | 15 | 1.5 | Cold |
Specs and site conditions that change a La Crosse bid
Other metals
Tin runs $600-$1,800 per roofing square (100 sq ft) installed and aluminum $700-$1,700 per square (HomeGuide).
Panel type
Corrugated sheet metal is $5-$12 per sq ft installed; standing seam is $9-$16 (HomeGuide).
Metal and gauge
Galvalume and galvanized steel are budget-friendly; copper and zinc are the top of the range.
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Detailed metal roof report for La Crosse, WI, $9
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Metal roof in La Crosse: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a metal roof in La Crosse?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $11,000 to $33,400 in the La Crosse area. A standard-spec job lands at $17,700 to $26,600. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft of roof and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft of roof for metal roof in La Crosse?
About $5.40 to $16.50 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $140 to $460 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $16.
+Is metal roof cheaper in La Crosse or Rochester?
Rochester is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $22,600, which is 2% more than La Crosse ($22,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in La Crosse?
About 61% at the midpoint, or $13,400 out of $22,200. Materials are 38% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 56%.
+What would average (2,000 sq ft of roof) cost in La Crosse?
$11,000 to $33,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does metal roof need a permit in La Crosse?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $140 to $460 for fees in the La Crosse area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is La Crosse expensive for metal roof compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
La Crosse is 0% below the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($22,200 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in La Crosse?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $28.54 an hour, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.01 to $31.41.
+What do basic and premium metal roof work cost in La Crosse?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $11,000 to $19,900 and premium work $24,400 to $33,400. Basic means: corrugated or exposed-fastener steel panels. Premium means: aluminum or premium finish, complex roof.
+When is the best time to install a metal roof in La Crosse?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. September and October are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Metal roof near La Crosse
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 a Metal Roof Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed range minus HomeGuide's $4-$8/sq ft labor range for metal roofs.