Roof replacement cost in Hickory, NC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $5,400 – $11,300
- Per sq ft of roof
- $2.65 – $5.40
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $9,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #210
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a new roof in the Hickory area: $5,400 to $11,300 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 10% lower than the US figure. Roofers earn a median of $22.51 an hour in the Hickory area, 16% below the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Hickory, NC, standard level
$7,200 to $9,550
About $3.50 to $4.60 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 59% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,550 | $3,850 |
| Labor | $4,450 | $5,350 |
| Permits and fees | $190 | $340 |
| Total | $7,200 | $9,550 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Hickory, NC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,550 | $3,200 | $4,850 | 38% |
| Labor | $3,800 | $4,900 | $6,000 | 59% |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $270 | $440 | 3% |
| Total | $5,400 | $8,350 | $11,300 | 100% |
Where the Hickory price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: roofers at 85%, construction laborers at 15%. Weighted together, Hickory wages are 0.86 times the national level. Labor makes up about 59% of the midpoint estimate (61% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Hickory is at 96.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,300 nationally becomes $3,200 here (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Permits follow the all-items index of 88.5: $90 to $440.
Who does the work: Hickory trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 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 Hickory the blend is 0.86.
Roofers (47-2181), 85% of the weighting: a median of $22.51 an hour, 16% below the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $18.30 and $26.51 an hour. About 80 work in the metro. That is 5.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 15%) the local median is $21.42 an hour, which is 5% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.03 and $24.58 an hour. BLS counts 800 of them working in the area, 51.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (roofers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $730 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $770. That is a swing of roughly 9.2% to 8.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has 154,090 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 152nd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 85% | $18.30 | $22.51 | $26.51 | $26.65 | 0.84 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $17.03 | $21.42 | $24.58 | $22.66 | 0.95 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.86 | |||||
How Hickory compares
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Hickory. Spartanburg is the lowest at about $8,000 (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof), 70 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory, NCthis page | $5,400 – $11,300 | $8,350 | |
| Johnson City, TN60 miles | $5,300 – $11,100 | $8,200 | −2% |
| Charlotte, NC60 miles | $5,550 – $11,500 | $8,550 | +2% |
| Asheville, NC65 miles | $5,650 – $11,700 | $8,700 | +4% |
| Winston, NC65 miles | $5,550 – $11,500 | $8,550 | +2% |
| Spartanburg, SC70 miles | $5,150 – $10,800 | $8,000 | −4% |
| North Carolina (statewide) | $5,550 – $11,600 | $8,550 | +3% |
| United States | $6,100 – $12,500 | $9,300 | +11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Hickory ranks #210 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Hickory is 2% below the North Carolina figure.
Elsewhere in North Carolina
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 1,358,370 jobs | $5,550 – $11,500 | $8,550 | +2% |
| Raleigh, NC | 743,120 jobs | $5,700 – $11,800 | $8,750 | +5% |
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $5,500 – $11,500 | $8,500 | +2% |
| Durham, NC | 344,020 jobs | $5,600 – $11,600 | $8,600 | +3% |
| Winston, NC | 271,980 jobs | $5,550 – $11,500 | $8,550 | +2% |
| Wilmington, NC | 191,280 jobs | $5,600 – $11,600 | $8,550 | +3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Hickory against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville, TX | 157,450 jobs | $5,200 – $10,800 | $8,000 | −4% |
| Roanoke, VA | 153,980 jobs | $5,300 – $11,100 | $8,200 | −2% |
| Eugene, OR | 157,710 jobs | $5,700 – $12,000 | $8,800 | +6% |
| Gainesville, FL | 152,670 jobs | $5,350 – $11,200 | $8,300 | −1% |
Related projects, priced for Hickory
Jobs that often go together with roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Hickory wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, attic insulation comes out highest (−6%) and metal roof lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $8,750 – $29,300 | −11% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,150 – $3,850 | −8% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,550 – $22,700 | −10% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $930 – $3,750 | −6% |
Roof replacement: what moves the price in Hickory
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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: roof replacement pricing in Hickory
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Hickory. 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 very large (3,600 sq ft of roof).
Basic
$5,400 to $7,750
3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof
Standard
$7,200 to $9,550
Architectural shingles, standard pitch and tear-off
Premium
$8,950 to $11,300
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $3,300 – $4,750 | $4,400 – $5,850 | $5,500 – $6,950 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $5,400 – $7,750 | $7,200 – $9,550 | $8,950 – $11,300 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $7,550 – $10,800 | $9,950 – $13,200 | $12,400 – $15,600 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $9,700 – $13,800 | $12,800 – $16,900 | $15,900 – $20,000 |
The best months for roof in Hickory
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Hickory Faa Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
Weather is not a serious constraint for exterior installation in Hickory: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average daytime high under 45°F) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Hickory gets about 47 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (4.6 inches in August). The station averages about 33 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 | 49 | 30 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Feb | 53 | 33 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Mar | 61 | 40 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Apr | 70 | 48 | 4.1 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 56 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 64 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 68 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 67 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 80 | 61 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Oct | 70 | 49 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 60 | 39 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Dec | 52 | 33 | 3.9 | Workable |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $7,200 to $9,550 for Hickory, NC is attached.
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Roof replacement in Hickory: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in Hickory?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $5,400 to $11,300 in the Hickory area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,200 to $9,550. 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 Hickory?
About $2.65 to $5.40 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $90 to $440 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $3 to $6.
+Is roof cheaper in Hickory or Johnson City?
Johnson City is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $8,200, which is 2% less than Hickory ($8,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Hickory?
About 59% at the midpoint, or $4,900 out of $8,350. Materials are 38% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would large (2,800 sq ft of roof) cost in Hickory?
$7,550 to $15,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does roof need a permit in Hickory?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $90 to $440 for fees in the Hickory area (our national range of $100 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Hickory expensive for roof compared with the rest of North Carolina?
Hickory is 2% below the North Carolina statewide estimate ($8,550 at the midpoint). We cover 11 metros in North Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Hickory?
The BLS median is $22.51 an hour in the Hickory area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.30 to $26.51.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in Hickory?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $5,400 to $7,750 and premium work $8,950 to $11,300. Basic means: 3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof. Premium means: heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs.
+Is there a bad season to replace a roof in Hickory?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
Roof replacement near Hickory
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.