Roof replacement cost in Philadelphia, PA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $6,450 – $13,000
- Per sq ft of roof
- $3.20 – $6.25
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +5%
- US $9,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #78
- 1 = most expensive
A new roof in Philadelphia, PA usually costs $6,450 to $13,000 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. That works out to about $3.20 to $6.25 per sq ft of roof before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $420 more. Roofers earn a median of $28.72 an hour in the Philadelphia area, 8% above the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Philadelphia, PA, standard level
$8,400 to $11,000
About $4.10 to $5.30 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 64% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,550 | $3,850 |
| Labor | $5,650 | $6,800 |
| Permits and fees | $230 | $390 |
| Total | $8,400 | $11,000 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Philadelphia, PA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,550 | $3,200 | $4,850 | 33% |
| Labor | $4,800 | $6,200 | $7,650 | 64% |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $310 | $510 | 3% |
| Total | $6,450 | $9,700 | $13,000 | 100% |
Where the Philadelphia price comes from
Labor is 64% of the midpoint bill here, against 61% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is roofers (85%), construction laborers (15%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Philadelphia the blended ratio comes out at 1.09.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Philadelphia is at 96.8 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 102.6: $100 to $510.
Is Philadelphia cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Philadelphia. Reading is the lowest at about $8,850 (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof), 50 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PAthis page | $6,450 – $13,000 | $9,700 | |
| Vineland, NJ40 miles | $8,050 – $15,600 | $11,800 | +21% |
| Trenton, NJ40 miles | $8,250 – $15,900 | $12,100 | +24% |
| Reading, PA50 miles | $5,750 – $12,000 | $8,850 | −9% |
| Lancaster, PA50 miles | $5,950 – $12,300 | $9,100 | −6% |
| Atlantic City, NJ50 miles | $7,750 – $15,100 | $11,400 | +17% |
| Pennsylvania (statewide) | $6,150 – $12,500 | $9,350 | −4% |
| United States | $6,100 – $12,500 | $9,300 | −4% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Philadelphia ranks #78 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Philadelphia is 4% above the Pennsylvania figure.
Elsewhere in Pennsylvania
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,114,490 jobs | $5,950 – $12,300 | $9,100 | −6% |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $6,300 – $12,900 | $9,600 | −1% |
| Harrisburg, PA | 335,010 jobs | $5,850 – $12,100 | $8,950 | −8% |
| Scranton, PA | 255,620 jobs | $5,750 – $11,900 | $8,800 | −9% |
| Lancaster, PA | 252,230 jobs | $5,950 – $12,300 | $9,100 | −6% |
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $6,000 – $12,400 | $9,200 | −6% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Philadelphia against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | 3,136,190 jobs | $6,400 – $13,100 | $9,750 | level |
| Atlanta, GA | 2,889,670 jobs | $5,600 – $11,700 | $8,650 | −11% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $5,350 – $11,300 | $8,350 | −14% |
| Miami, FL | 2,819,940 jobs | $5,650 – $11,900 | $8,800 | −10% |
What local crews earn in Philadelphia
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 Philadelphia the blend is 1.09.
Roofers (47-2181), 85% of the weighting: a median of $28.72 an hour, 8% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $23.83 and $34.93 an hour. About 1,530 work in the metro. That is 5.3 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 $26.50 an hour, which is 17% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.43 and $34.37 an hour. BLS counts 14,580 of them working in the area, 50.3 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 $1,150 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $890. That is a swing of roughly 9.1% to 11.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has 2,897,830 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 7th 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% | $23.83 | $28.72 | $34.93 | $26.65 | 1.08 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $22.43 | $26.50 | $34.37 | $22.66 | 1.17 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.09 | |||||
Roof replacement: what moves the price in Philadelphia
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.
Philadelphia weather and the roof replacement calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Philadelphia Ne Ap (10 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 Philadelphia are February through December: 11 of 12. Outside them, January has an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January 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.
Philadelphia gets about 45 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are July, August and September (4.5 inches in September). Inside the workable window, February and November are the driest, at 2.6 and 3.2 inches. The station averages about 29 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 | 42 | 27 | 3.3 | Cold |
| Feb | 45 | 28 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Mar | 53 | 35 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 65 | 44 | 3.8 | Workable |
| May | 75 | 54 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 64 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 69 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 68 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 60 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 68 | 48 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 57 | 38 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 47 | 31 | 4.0 | Workable |
Philadelphia: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Philadelphia. 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
$6,450 to $9,050
3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof
Standard
$8,400 to $11,000
Architectural shingles, standard pitch and tear-off
Premium
$10,400 to $13,000
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $3,900 – $5,550 | $5,150 – $6,800 | $6,350 – $8,000 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $6,450 – $9,050 | $8,400 – $11,000 | $10,400 – $13,000 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $9,000 – $12,600 | $11,700 – $15,300 | $14,400 – $18,000 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $11,500 – $16,100 | $15,000 – $19,500 | $18,400 – $23,000 |
Related projects, priced for Philadelphia
Jobs that often go together with roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Philadelphia wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, metal roof comes out highest (+6%) and attic insulation lowest (level); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $11,100 – $33,900 | +6% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,350 – $4,350 | +5% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $8,650 – $25,900 | +3% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,000 – $4,000 | level |
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Roof replacement in Philadelphia: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in Philadelphia?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $6,450 to $13,000 in the Philadelphia area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,400 to $11,000. 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 Philadelphia?
About $3.20 to $6.25 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $100 to $510 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $3 to $6.
+Is roof cheaper in Philadelphia or Vineland?
Vineland is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $11,800, which is 21% more than Philadelphia ($9,700). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Philadelphia?
About 64% at the midpoint, or $6,200 out of $9,700. Materials are 33% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would large (2,800 sq ft of roof) cost in Philadelphia?
$9,000 to $18,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does roof need a permit in Philadelphia?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $100 to $510 for fees in the Philadelphia area (our national range of $100 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Philadelphia expensive for roof compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
Philadelphia is 4% above the Pennsylvania statewide estimate ($9,350 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Pennsylvania; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Philadelphia?
The BLS median is $28.72 an hour in the Philadelphia area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.83 to $34.93.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in Philadelphia?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $6,450 to $9,050 and premium work $10,400 to $13,000. 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 Philadelphia?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through December. February 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 Philadelphia
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.