Roof replacement cost in Milwaukee, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $6,450 – $12,900
- Per sq ft of roof
- $3.20 – $6.20
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +4%
- US $9,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #83
- 1 = most expensive
A new roof in Milwaukee, WI usually costs $6,450 to $12,900 for 2,000 sq ft of roof. That works out to about $3.20 to $6.20 per sq ft of roof before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $380 more. Roofers earn a median of $28.91 an hour in the Milwaukee area, 8% above the US median of $26.65.
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Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Milwaukee, WI, standard level
$8,400 to $11,000
About $4.10 to $5.30 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 65% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,450 | $3,750 |
| Labor | $5,700 | $6,850 |
| Permits and fees | $210 | $370 |
| Total | $8,400 | $11,000 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Milwaukee, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,500 | $3,100 | $4,700 | 32% |
| Labor | $4,850 | $6,300 | $7,750 | 65% |
| Permits and fees | $95 | $290 | $480 | 3% |
| Total | $6,450 | $9,700 | $12,900 | 100% |
Where the Milwaukee price comes from
Labor is 65% 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 Milwaukee the blended ratio comes out at 1.10.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Milwaukee is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,300 nationally becomes $3,100 here (midpoint, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Permits follow the all-items index of 96.9: $95 to $480.
Milwaukee 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, Mt Mary College (5 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 Milwaukee are April through November: 8 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February, March and December 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.
Milwaukee gets about 34 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 40 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and June (4.8 inches in June). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 2.7 and 2.0 inches. The station averages about 16 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 | 30 | 14 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 34 | 17 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 44 | 26 | 1.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 56 | 36 | 3.7 | Workable |
| May | 68 | 48 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 78 | 58 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 83 | 63 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 81 | 62 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Sep | 74 | 53 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 61 | 42 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 47 | 30 | 2.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 35 | 21 | 1.7 | Cold |
What local crews earn in Milwaukee
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 Milwaukee the blend is 1.10.
Roofers (47-2181), 85% of the weighting: a median of $28.91 an hour, 8% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $23.24 and $34.00 an hour. About 980 work in the metro. That is 11.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 15%) the local median is $27.61 an hour, which is 22% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.17 and $37.52 an hour. BLS counts 4,740 of them working in the area, 57.7 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 $930 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,050. That is a swing of roughly 10.6% to 9.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Milwaukee-Waukesha has 820,780 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 38th 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% | $23.24 | $28.91 | $34.00 | $26.65 | 1.08 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $22.17 | $27.61 | $37.52 | $22.66 | 1.22 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.10 | |||||
Milwaukee: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Milwaukee. 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
$10,300 to $12,900
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $3,900 – $5,500 | $5,100 – $6,750 | $6,350 – $7,950 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $6,450 – $9,050 | $8,400 – $11,000 | $10,300 – $12,900 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $9,000 – $12,600 | $11,700 – $15,200 | $14,300 – $17,900 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $11,500 – $16,100 | $14,900 – $19,500 | $18,300 – $22,800 |
How Milwaukee compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 2,000 sq ft of roof range from $9,500 to $10,100 across Milwaukee and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WIthis page | $6,450 – $12,900 | $9,700 | |
| Racine, WI10 miles | $6,450 – $12,900 | $9,650 | level |
| Kenosha, WI20 miles | $6,500 – $13,300 | $9,900 | +2% |
| Sheboygan, WI55 miles | $6,300 – $12,700 | $9,500 | −2% |
| Janesville, WI65 miles | $6,650 – $13,200 | $9,900 | +2% |
| Rockford, IL70 miles | $6,800 – $13,400 | $10,100 | +4% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $6,400 – $12,800 | $9,600 | −1% |
| United States | $6,100 – $12,500 | $9,300 | −4% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Milwaukee ranks #83 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Milwaukee is 1% above the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $6,500 – $13,000 | $9,750 | +1% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $6,350 – $12,700 | $9,550 | −1% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $6,600 – $13,100 | $9,850 | +2% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $6,300 – $12,600 | $9,450 | −2% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $5,900 – $12,000 | $8,900 | −8% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $6,400 – $12,800 | $9,650 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Milwaukee against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City, UT | 826,210 jobs | $5,550 – $11,600 | $8,550 | −12% |
| Jacksonville, FL | 765,930 jobs | $5,450 – $11,400 | $8,400 | −13% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $6,150 – $12,400 | $9,300 | −4% |
| Virginia Beach, VA | 763,060 jobs | $5,300 – $11,200 | $8,250 | −15% |
Planning more than one job in Milwaukee?
Jobs that often go together with roof are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Milwaukee wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, metal roof comes out highest (+5%) and attic insulation lowest (−2%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $11,100 – $33,700 | +5% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,350 – $4,300 | +4% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $8,650 – $26,000 | +3% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,000 – $3,900 | −2% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Milwaukee bid
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.
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Multi-page report for Milwaukee, WI: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Roof replacement in Milwaukee: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in Milwaukee?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $6,450 to $12,900 in the Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee?
About $3.20 to $6.20 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $95 to $480 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $3 to $6.
+Is roof cheaper in Milwaukee or Racine?
Racine is 10 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $9,650, which is 0% less than Milwaukee ($9,700). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Milwaukee?
About 65% at the midpoint, or $6,300 out of $9,700. Materials are 32% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would large (2,800 sq ft of roof) cost in Milwaukee?
$9,000 to $17,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does roof need a permit in Milwaukee?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $95 to $480 for fees in the Milwaukee area (our national range of $100 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Milwaukee expensive for roof compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Milwaukee is 1% above the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($9,600 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Milwaukee?
The BLS median is $28.91 an hour in the Milwaukee area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.24 to $34.00.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in Milwaukee?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $6,450 to $9,050 and premium work $10,300 to $12,900. 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 Milwaukee?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. October 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 Milwaukee
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.