Roof replacement cost in Iowa
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $5,550 – $11,400
- Per sq ft of roof
- $2.75 – $5.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $9,300
- Metros covered
- 7
Across Iowa, a new roof costs about $5,550 to $11,400 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. Statewide, that midpoint is 9% below the US figure of $9,300. Roofers earn a median $23.39 an hour in Iowa (US: $26.65).
Inside Iowa, the metros we cover range from $8,350 (Sioux City) to $8,600 (Des Moines) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Iowa (statewide), standard level
$7,300 to $9,650
About $3.55 to $4.65 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 60% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,450 | $3,750 |
| Labor | $4,650 | $5,600 |
| Permits and fees | $190 | $330 |
| Total | $7,300 | $9,650 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Iowa
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,500 | $3,100 | $4,700 | 36% |
| Labor | $3,950 | $5,150 | $6,300 | 60% |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $260 | $440 | 3% |
| Total | $5,550 | $8,500 | $11,400 | 100% |
How Iowa compares with nearby states
Iowa ranks 35 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for roof, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is New Jersey at $11,700 and the cheapest Oklahoma at $7,900, both for 2,000 sq ft of roof at the midpoint. Iowa sits at $8,500. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 190 miles away | $5,400 – $11,200 | $8,300 | −2% |
| Missouri | 220 miles away | $5,700 – $11,700 | $8,700 | +3% |
| Wisconsin | 230 miles away | $6,400 – $12,800 | $9,600 | +13% |
| Minnesota | 240 miles away | $7,600 – $14,900 | $11,200 | +32% |
| Illinois | 240 miles away | $7,850 – $15,400 | $11,600 | +37% |
What roofers and the other trades earn in Iowa
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 0.90 for Iowa.
For roofers (47-2181, weighted 85%) the local median is $23.39 an hour, which is 12% below the national $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $22.31 and $29.50 an hour. BLS counts 930 of them working in the state, 6.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 8.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 15% of the weighting: a median of $23.31 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.90 and $28.11 an hour. About 13,780 work in the state. That is 88.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for roofers ($29.50 an hour) would add about $1,100 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($22.31) would take off about $200. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 1,559,240 jobs across Iowa (May 2025), which is 1.0% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 85% | $22.31 | $23.39 | $29.50 | $26.65 | 0.88 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $21.90 | $23.31 | $28.11 | $22.66 | 1.03 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.90 | |||||
Roof replacement: what moves the price in Iowa
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.
Tear-off and layers
Removing a second layer or rotted decking adds cost, and the contractor can only see decking damage after tear-off.
Tear-off
Removing the old roof is $1-$5 per sq ft depending on the material and number of layers (HomeGuide). Check that your quote includes it.
Permit
Roof replacement permits run $100-$500 depending on the location.
Related projects, priced for Iowa
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Iowa wages and prices. Against national midpoints, attic insulation comes out highest (level) and metal roof lowest (−7%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $9,450 – $30,400 | −7% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,250 – $4,000 | −4% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $8,100 – $24,300 | −4% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,050 – $4,000 | level |
Roof replacement cost by metro in Iowa
2 of the 7 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $8,500, and the top-to-bottom gap is 3%. 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 (2,000 sq ft of roof) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | $5,650 – $11,600 | $8,600 | +1% |
| Davenport, IA | $5,600 – $11,500 | $8,600 | +1% |
| Waterloo, IA | $5,550 – $11,500 | $8,500 | level |
| Dubuque, IA | $5,550 – $11,400 | $8,500 | level |
| Iowa City, IA | $5,550 – $11,400 | $8,500 | level |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $5,500 – $11,400 | $8,400 | −1% |
| Sioux City, IA | $5,450 – $11,300 | $8,350 | −2% |
When Iowa weather lets you replace
Season matters for roof. For each Iowa metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for exterior installation.
Des Moines has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Iowa at 9 months (March through November); Dubuque has the shortest at 8 (April through November). Rainfall runs from 29 inches a year in Sioux City to 38 inches in Dubuque.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | 14 | 86 | 37 | 9: March through November |
| Davenport | 14 | 84 | 36 | 9: March through November |
| Cedar Rapids | 11 | 83 | 36 | 9: March through November |
| Iowa City | 15 | 86 | 36 | 9: March through November |
| Waterloo | 11 | 85 | 36 | 9: March through November |
| Sioux City | 10 | 85 | 29 | 9: March through November |
| Dubuque | 11 | 82 | 38 | 8: April through November |
Quality levels and sizes in Iowa
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Iowa wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$5,550 to $7,900
3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof
Standard
$7,300 to $9,650
Architectural shingles, standard pitch and tear-off
Premium
$9,100 to $11,400
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $3,350 – $4,850 | $4,450 – $5,950 | $5,550 – $7,050 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $5,550 – $7,900 | $7,300 – $9,650 | $9,100 – $11,400 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $7,750 – $11,000 | $10,200 – $13,400 | $12,600 – $15,800 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $9,900 – $14,000 | $13,000 – $17,100 | $16,100 – $20,200 |
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Roof replacement in Iowa: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in Iowa?
$5,550 to $11,400 for 2,000 sq ft of roof, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Iowa can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Iowa is cheapest for roof?
Sioux City at about $8,350 (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). The priciest is Des Moines at $8,600.
+Is roof cheaper in Iowa than the US average?
It is 9% cheaper: $8,500 against $9,300 for 2,000 sq ft of roof at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Iowa?
About 60% ($5,150). Materials are 36%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.90x the national wage level.
+What do roofers earn in Iowa?
The BLS statewide median is $23.39 an hour, against $26.65 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.31 to $29.50.
+Where does Iowa rank for roof costs?
35th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $8,500 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in Iowa?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $5,550 to $7,900 and premium work $9,100 to $11,400. Basic means: 3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof. Premium means: heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs.
+Does the season matter for roof in Iowa?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Iowa metros we cover, Des Moines has the most comfortable months (9 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
Roof replacement by city in Iowa
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.