Roof replacement cost in El Centro, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $6,800 – $13,800
- Per sq ft of roof
- $3.35 – $6.65
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +11%
- US $9,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #36
- 1 = most expensive
El Centro homeowners pay roughly $6,800 to $13,800 to replace a roof at 2,000 sq ft of roof, or $3.35 to $6.65 per sq ft of roof (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, El Centro is 11% higher. Roofers earn a median of $30.58 an hour in the El Centro area, 15% above the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in El Centro, CA, standard level
$8,900 to $11,700
About $4.35 to $5.65 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 63% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,750 | $4,200 |
| Labor | $5,950 | $7,150 |
| Permits and fees | $210 | $360 |
| Total | $8,900 | $11,700 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in El Centro, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,700 | $3,450 | $5,250 | 34% |
| Labor | $5,050 | $6,550 | $8,000 | 63% |
| Permits and fees | $95 | $290 | $480 | 3% |
| Total | $6,800 | $10,300 | $13,800 | 100% |
Why El Centro prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on roofers, who do 85% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $30.58 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for El Centro is 1.15 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 63% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the California statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the El Centro metro is 105.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 2,000 sq ft of roof comes to $3,450, compared with $3,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (95.2) and land at $95 to $480.
Data note: 85% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in El Centro. The wage table below marks each row.
El Centro against nearby metros and the rest of California
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 2,000 sq ft of roof range from $8,400 to $10,500 across El Centro and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CAthis page | $6,800 – $13,800 | $10,300 | |
| San Diego, CA80 miles | $6,850 – $13,900 | $10,400 | +1% |
| Yuma, AZ85 miles | $5,450 – $11,300 | $8,400 | −19% |
| Riverside, CA115 miles | $6,750 – $13,600 | $10,200 | −1% |
| Los Angeles, CA180 miles | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,500 | +2% |
| Phoenix, AZ190 miles | $5,500 – $11,400 | $8,450 | −18% |
| California (statewide) | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,500 | +2% |
| United States | $6,100 – $12,500 | $9,300 | −10% |
Across 300 US metros, El Centro comes in at #36 from the top. The priciest is Worcester, MA at $13,800; the cheapest is El Paso, TX at $7,200 (midpoints, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Statewide, El Centro is 2% below the California figure.
Other California metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,500 | +2% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $7,900 – $15,600 | $11,700 | +14% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $6,750 – $13,600 | $10,200 | −1% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $6,850 – $13,900 | $10,400 | +1% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $7,900 – $15,600 | $11,700 | +14% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $6,900 – $13,900 | $10,400 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like El Centro's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is El Centro against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg, VA | 65,460 jobs | $5,350 – $11,200 | $8,300 | −19% |
| Dalton, GA | 65,300 jobs | $5,300 – $11,100 | $8,200 | −20% |
| Amherst, MA | 65,670 jobs | $7,400 – $14,500 | $10,900 | +6% |
| Terre Haute, IN | 65,120 jobs | $5,600 – $11,500 | $8,550 | −17% |
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 El Centro is 1.15 times the national level.
Roofers (47-2181) carry 85% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the El Centro metro, so we used the California statewide median: $30.58 an hour against $26.65 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $28.57 and $36.27 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 15% of the weighting: a median of $25.75 an hour, 14% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.21 and $32.82 an hour. About 270 work in the metro. That is 41.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the roofers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($36.27 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $1,050. At the 25th percentile ($28.57) it shrinks by about $370. The total moves by 10.1% or 3.6%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 65,430 jobs in the El Centro area. That makes it the 275th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 85% | $28.57 | $30.58 | $36.27 | $26.65 | 1.15 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $21.21 | $25.75 | $32.82 | $22.66 | 1.14 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.15 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in El Centro
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for El Centro 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 4 common sizes.
Basic
$6,800 to $9,600
3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof
Standard
$8,900 to $11,700
Architectural shingles, standard pitch and tear-off
Premium
$11,000 to $13,800
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $4,150 – $5,850 | $5,400 – $7,150 | $6,700 – $8,450 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $6,800 – $9,600 | $8,900 – $11,700 | $11,000 – $13,800 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $9,500 – $13,300 | $12,400 – $16,200 | $15,200 – $19,100 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $12,200 – $17,100 | $15,900 – $20,700 | $19,500 – $24,400 |
Roof replacement: what moves the price in El Centro
Permit
Roof replacement permits run $100-$500 depending on the location.
Shingle type
3-tab asphalt is $3-$5 per sq ft installed; architectural is $4-$6 (HomeGuide). Metal, tile and slate are separate projects with much higher ranges.
Roof area, not floor area
Pitch and complexity mean roof surface is larger than the house's footprint. A 1,500 sq ft ranch can have 1,800-2,200 sq ft of roof.
When to schedule roof in El Centro
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for El Centro 2 Ssw (in the city). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
November through April is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in El Centro (6 of 12 months). May, June, July, August, September and October have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
El Centro gets about 3 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (0.4 inches in February). Inside the workable window, April and November are the driest, at 0.1 and 0.2 inches. The station averages about 180 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71 | 43 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 74 | 47 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Mar | 80 | 52 | 0.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 86 | 57 | 0.1 | Workable |
| May | 94 | 63 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Jun | 103 | 71 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Jul | 107 | 78 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Aug | 107 | 79 | 0.2 | Hot |
| Sep | 102 | 73 | 0.3 | Hot |
| Oct | 92 | 62 | 0.2 | Hot |
| Nov | 79 | 51 | 0.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 70 | 43 | 0.4 | Workable |
Related projects, priced for El Centro
Because every project leans on different trades, El Centro's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, vinyl siding runs +13% and attic insulation +4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $11,600 – $35,900 | +11% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,450 – $4,600 | +10% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $9,450 – $28,400 | +13% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,050 – $4,150 | +4% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed roof replacement report for El Centro, CA, $9
The report lays out the roof replacement numbers for El Centro, CA 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.
Roof replacement in El Centro: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in El Centro?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $6,800 to $13,800 in the El Centro area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,900 to $11,700. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft of roof and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft of roof for roof in El Centro?
About $3.35 to $6.65 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $95 to $480 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $3 to $6.
+Is roof cheaper in El Centro or San Diego?
San Diego is 80 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $10,400, which is 1% more than El Centro ($10,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in El Centro?
About 63% at the midpoint, or $6,550 out of $10,300. Materials are 34% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would large (2,800 sq ft of roof) cost in El Centro?
$9,500 to $19,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does roof need a permit in El Centro?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $95 to $480 for fees in the El Centro area (our national range of $100 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is El Centro expensive for roof compared with the rest of California?
El Centro is 2% below the California statewide estimate ($10,500 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in El Centro?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $30.58 an hour, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.57 to $36.27.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in El Centro?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $6,800 to $9,600 and premium work $11,000 to $13,800. Basic means: 3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof. Premium means: heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs.
+When is the best time to replace a roof in El Centro?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are November through April. April and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Roof replacement near El Centro
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 Roof Replacement Cost? (2026) (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 = HomeGuide's asphalt shingle price of $80-$250 per roofing square (100 sq ft), i.e. $0.80-$2.50 per sq ft. The rest of the installed price covers roofer labor ($1.50-$3.00/sq ft), tear-off, disposal, underlayment and contractor overhead.