Roof replacement cost in Montana
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $6,300 – $12,700
- Per sq ft of roof
- $3.10 – $6.10
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +2%
- US $9,300
- Metros covered
- 3
What does it cost to replace a roof in Montana? Plan on $6,300 to $12,700 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. Wages (1.06x the US blend), materials (price index 96.0) and permit costs (94.6) put the state above the national midpoint by 2%.
Inside Montana, the metros we cover range from $8,900 (Billings) to $10,000 (Bozeman) 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 Montana (statewide), standard level
$8,250 to $10,800
About $4 to $5.20 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 64% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,500 | $3,800 |
| Labor | $5,500 | $6,600 |
| Permits and fees | $210 | $360 |
| Total | $8,250 | $10,800 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Montana
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,550 | $3,150 | $4,800 | 33% |
| Labor | $4,700 | $6,050 | $7,450 | 64% |
| Permits and fees | $95 | $280 | $470 | 3% |
| Total | $6,300 | $9,500 | $12,700 | 100% |
Roof replacement: what moves the price in Montana
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.
Other Montana jobs that often go with roof
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Montana wages and prices. Against national midpoints, metal roof comes out highest (+1%) and attic insulation lowest (−3%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $10,500 – $32,600 | +1% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,300 – $4,150 | −1% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $8,250 – $24,700 | −2% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $980 – $3,900 | −3% |
Quality levels and sizes in Montana
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Montana wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$6,300 to $8,850
3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof
Standard
$8,250 to $10,800
Architectural shingles, standard pitch and tear-off
Premium
$10,200 to $12,700
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $3,800 – $5,400 | $5,000 – $6,600 | $6,200 – $7,800 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $6,300 – $8,850 | $8,250 – $10,800 | $10,200 – $12,700 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $8,800 – $12,300 | $11,400 – $15,000 | $14,100 – $17,600 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $11,300 – $15,800 | $14,700 – $19,100 | $18,000 – $22,500 |
Montana labor market for roof
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 1.06 for Montana.
For roofers (47-2181, weighted 85%) the local median is $28.38 an hour, which is 6% above the national $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $23.17 and $31.09 an hour. BLS counts 370 of them working in the state, 7.2 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 $23.96 an hour, 6% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $20.80 and $28.24 an hour. About 4,590 work in the state. That is 89.7 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 ($31.09 an hour) would add about $490 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($23.17) would take off about $950. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 511,580 jobs across Montana (May 2025), which is 0.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 85% | $23.17 | $28.38 | $31.09 | $26.65 | 1.06 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $20.80 | $23.96 | $28.24 | $22.66 | 1.06 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.06 | |||||
Roof replacement cost by metro in Montana
2 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $9,500, and the top-to-bottom gap is 13%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT | $6,700 – $13,400 | $10,000 | +6% |
| Missoula, MT | $6,550 – $13,100 | $9,800 | +3% |
| Billings, MT | $5,850 – $11,900 | $8,900 | −7% |
How Montana compares with nearby states
Montana ranks 20 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. Montana sits at $9,500. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 270 miles away | $6,200 – $12,500 | $9,350 | −2% |
| Utah | 400 miles away | $5,600 – $11,600 | $8,600 | −10% |
| Wyoming | 460 miles away | $5,350 – $11,200 | $8,250 | −13% |
| Washington | 500 miles away | $6,700 – $13,500 | $10,100 | +6% |
| Colorado | 550 miles away | $5,850 – $12,100 | $8,950 | −6% |
When Montana weather lets you replace
Season matters for roof. For each Montana metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for exterior installation.
Billings has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Montana at 9 months (March through November); Missoula has the shortest at 8 (March through October). Rainfall runs from 14 inches a year in Missoula to 20 inches in Bozeman.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings | 18 | 87 | 14 | 9: March through November |
| Bozeman | 15 | 82 | 20 | 8: March through October |
| Missoula | 18 | 85 | 14 | 8: March through October |
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Roof replacement in Montana: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in Montana?
$6,300 to $12,700 for 2,000 sq ft of roof, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Montana can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Montana is cheapest for roof?
Billings at about $8,900 (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). The priciest is Bozeman at $10,000.
+Is roof cheaper in Montana than the US average?
It is 2% more expensive: $9,500 against $9,300 for 2,000 sq ft of roof at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Montana?
About 64% ($6,050). Materials are 33%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.06x the national wage level.
+What do roofers earn in Montana?
The BLS statewide median is $28.38 an hour, against $26.65 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.17 to $31.09.
+Where does Montana rank for roof costs?
20th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $9,500 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in Montana?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $6,300 to $8,850 and premium work $10,200 to $12,700. 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 Montana?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Montana metros we cover, Billings 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 Montana
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.