Roof replacement cost in Tennessee
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $5,350 – $11,200
- Per sq ft of roof
- $2.65 – $5.35
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $9,300
- Metros covered
- 8
Tennessee prices for roof: $5,350 to $11,200 for 2,000 sq ft of roof, or $2.65 to $5.35 per sq ft of roof without the permit. The state midpoint is 11% below the national one. Local wages for roofers are $21.97 an hour.
Inside Tennessee, the metros we cover range from $7,750 (Kingsport) to $8,500 (Nashville) 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 Tennessee (statewide), standard level
$7,100 to $9,450
About $3.45 to $4.55 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 58% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,500 | $3,850 |
| Labor | $4,350 | $5,250 |
| Permits and fees | $200 | $350 |
| Total | $7,100 | $9,450 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Tennessee
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,550 | $3,200 | $4,800 | 38% |
| Labor | $3,700 | $4,800 | $5,900 | 58% |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $280 | $460 | 3% |
| Total | $5,350 | $8,250 | $11,200 | 100% |
Related projects, priced for Tennessee
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Tennessee wages and prices. Against national midpoints, attic insulation comes out highest (−3%) and metal roof lowest (−9%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $9,000 – $29,700 | −9% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,200 – $3,950 | −6% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,750 – $23,300 | −8% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $970 – $3,850 | −3% |
What roofers and the other trades earn in Tennessee
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 0.84 for Tennessee.
For roofers (47-2181, weighted 85%) the local median is $21.97 an hour, which is 18% below the national $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $18.33 and $23.53 an hour. BLS counts 2,110 of them working in the state, 6.4 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 $21.64 an hour, 5% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.11 and $23.78 an hour. About 26,250 work in the state. That is 80.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for roofers ($23.53 an hour) would add about $280 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($18.33) would take off about $660. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 3,278,760 jobs across Tennessee (May 2025), which is 2.1% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 85% | $18.33 | $21.97 | $23.53 | $26.65 | 0.82 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $18.11 | $21.64 | $23.78 | $22.66 | 0.95 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.84 | |||||
Weather windows across Tennessee
Season matters for roof. For each Tennessee metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for exterior installation.
Knoxville has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Tennessee at 12 months; Jackson has the shortest at 10 (September through June). Rainfall runs from 44 inches a year in Johnson City to 57 inches in Jackson.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 30 | 91 | 51 | 10: September through June |
| Memphis | 33 | 92 | 55 | 10: September through June |
| Knoxville | 30 | 88 | 52 | 12: all year |
| Chattanooga | 32 | 91 | 55 | 10: September through June |
| Kingsport | 27 | 87 | 45 | 12: all year |
| Clarksville | 28 | 90 | 54 | 10: September through June |
| Jackson | 27 | 91 | 57 | 10: September through June |
| Johnson City | 26 | 86 | 44 | 12: all year |
Tennessee against its neighbors
Tennessee ranks 44 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. Tennessee sits at $8,250. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 170 miles away | $5,450 – $11,300 | $8,350 | +1% |
| Alabama | 190 miles away | $5,250 – $11,000 | $8,100 | −2% |
| Georgia | 210 miles away | $5,400 – $11,300 | $8,350 | +1% |
| Indiana | 300 miles away | $6,250 – $12,600 | $9,400 | +14% |
| Mississippi | 330 miles away | $5,200 – $10,900 | $8,050 | −3% |
Roof replacement: what moves the price in Tennessee
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.
Quality levels and sizes in Tennessee
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Tennessee wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$5,350 to $7,700
3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof
Standard
$7,100 to $9,450
Architectural shingles, standard pitch and tear-off
Premium
$8,850 to $11,200
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $3,250 – $4,700 | $4,350 – $5,800 | $5,450 – $6,900 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $5,350 – $7,700 | $7,100 – $9,450 | $8,850 – $11,200 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $7,450 – $10,700 | $9,850 – $13,100 | $12,300 – $15,500 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $9,550 – $13,600 | $12,600 – $16,700 | $15,700 – $19,800 |
Which Tennessee city is cheapest for roof?
2 of the 8 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $8,250, and the top-to-bottom gap is 10%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | $5,550 – $11,500 | $8,500 | +3% |
| Memphis, TN | $5,400 – $11,300 | $8,350 | +1% |
| Jackson, TN | $5,350 – $11,100 | $8,250 | level |
| Knoxville, TN | $5,300 – $11,100 | $8,250 | level |
| Chattanooga, TN | $5,300 – $11,100 | $8,200 | −1% |
| Clarksville, TN | $5,300 – $11,100 | $8,200 | −1% |
| Johnson City, TN | $5,300 – $11,100 | $8,200 | −1% |
| Kingsport, TN | $4,950 – $10,500 | $7,750 | −6% |
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Roof replacement in Tennessee: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in Tennessee?
$5,350 to $11,200 for 2,000 sq ft of roof, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Tennessee can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Tennessee is cheapest for roof?
Kingsport at about $7,750 (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). The priciest is Nashville at $8,500.
+Is roof cheaper in Tennessee than the US average?
It is 11% cheaper: $8,250 against $9,300 for 2,000 sq ft of roof at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Tennessee?
About 58% ($4,800). Materials are 38%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.84x the national wage level.
+What do roofers earn in Tennessee?
The BLS statewide median is $21.97 an hour, against $26.65 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.33 to $23.53.
+Where does Tennessee rank for roof costs?
44th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $8,250 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in Tennessee?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $5,350 to $7,700 and premium work $8,850 to $11,200. 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 Tennessee?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Tennessee metros we cover, Knoxville has the most comfortable months (12 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 Tennessee
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.