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Window replacement cost in Portland, ME

Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.

Typical range (10 windows)
$4,350 – $14,500
Per window
$434 – $1,449
before permit
Versus US midpoint
−3%
US $9,750
Rank of 300 metros
#126
1 = most expensive

Replacement windows in Portland, ME usually costs $4,350 to $14,500 for 10 windows. That works out to about $434 to $1,449 per window before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $340 less. Building materials run about 3% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 97.2).

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Quality level

Mid-grade vinyl or composite, a few larger units

Estimated cost for 10 windows in Portland, ME, standard level

$7,400 to $11,400

About $738 to $1,144 per window before permits. Labor is about 27% of the bill.

Cost breakdown
PartLowHigh
Materials$5,250$8,500
Labor$2,100$2,950
Permits and fees$0$0
Total$7,400$11,400
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Cost breakdown for 10 windows in Portland, ME

Part of the jobLowMidpointHighShare
Materials$2,850$6,900$10,90073%
Labor$1,500$2,550$3,55027%
Permits and fees$0$0$00%
Total$4,350$9,400$14,500100%

Why Portland prices look the way they do

We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: glaziers at 50%, carpenters at 40%, general maintenance and repair workers at 10%. Weighted together, Portland wages are 0.95 times the national level. Labor makes up about 27% of the midpoint estimate (27% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Maine statewide median.

Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Portland is at 97.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $7,100 nationally becomes $6,900 here (midpoint, 10 windows). Permits follow the all-items index of 101.9: $0 to $0.

Data note: 50% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Portland. The wage table below marks each row.

Specs and site conditions that change a Portland bid

  • Permit

    Window permits are $50-$200 each, or $400-$600 total for a multi-window job, and are often only needed when you change the opening (HomeGuide). No permit fee is included here because many cities do not ask for one on same-size replacements.

  • Frame material

    Vinyl windows run $350-$1,500 each installed, fiberglass $400-$2,000, composite $400-$2,300, and wood $800-$3,800 (HomeGuide).

  • Window type

    Single-hung and picture windows are cheapest; bay and bow windows can reach $3,000-$8,000+.

Related projects, priced for Portland

Jobs that often go together with windows are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Portland wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, vinyl siding comes out highest (+1%) and patio door lowest (−2%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.

Related projects with local prices
ProjectSizeRangevs. US
Patio door1 door$590 – $5,900−2%
Front door1 door$510 – $2,450level
Storm door1 door$360 – $950+1%
Vinyl siding2,100 sq ft of wall$8,500 – $25,500+1%
Garage door1 door$710 – $3,700level

What local crews earn in Portland

The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 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 Portland the blend is 0.95.

Glaziers (47-2121) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Portland metro, so we used the Maine statewide median: $22.97 an hour against $27.44 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $22.16 and $26.79 an hour.

Carpenters (47-2031), 40% of the weighting: a median of $30.91 an hour, 6% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $28.45 and $35.95 an hour. About 2,230 work in the metro. That is 77.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.

For general maintenance and repair workers (49-9071, weighted 10%) the local median is $25.28 an hour, which is 6% above the national $23.84. The middle half of them earn between $22.51 and $29.77 an hour. BLS counts 2,550 of them working in the area, 88.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 98.4), so the local bench is about average.

A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (glaziers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $190 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $40. That is a swing of roughly 0.4% to 2.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.

Portland-South Portland has 288,480 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 89th by size among the 300 metros on this site.

Median hourly wages behind the labor line (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
TradeWeight25th pctMedian75th pctUS medianRatioLevel used
Glaziers (47-2121)50%$22.16$22.97$26.79$27.440.84state
Carpenters (47-2031)40%$28.45$30.91$35.95$29.121.06metro
General maintenance and repair workers (49-9071)10%$22.51$25.28$29.77$23.841.06metro
Blended100%0.95

Portland: what basic, standard and premium work costs

The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Portland. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from a few windows (5 windows) to whole house (25 windows).

Basic

$4,350 to $8,400

Standard vinyl single-hung, same openings

Standard

$7,400 to $11,400

Mid-grade vinyl or composite, a few larger units

Premium

$10,400 to $14,500

Fiberglass or wood, large or custom sizes

Cost by size and quality level
SizeBasicStandardPremium
a few windows (5 windows)$2,150 – $4,200$3,700 – $5,700$5,200 – $7,250
small house (10 windows)$4,350 – $8,400$7,400 – $11,400$10,400 – $14,500
average house (15 windows)$6,500 – $12,600$11,100 – $17,200$15,600 – $21,700
whole house (25 windows)$10,800 – $21,000$18,500 – $28,600$26,100 – $36,200

Portland weather and the window replacement calendar

Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Portland Intl Jetport (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 Portland 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.

Portland gets about 48 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 69 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, October and December (5.3 inches in October). Inside the workable window, July and August are the driest, at 3.4 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 5 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.

Monthly normals, Portland Intl Jetport (NOAA, 1991-2020)
MonthAvg high °FAvg low °FPrecip (in)For this job
Jan32163.5Cold
Feb35173.5Cold
Mar42264.1Cold
Apr54354.4Workable
May64463.7Workable
Jun74554.2Workable
Jul80613.4Workable
Aug79603.6Workable
Sep71523.8Workable
Oct60415.3Workable
Nov48324.3Workable
Dec38224.5Cold

Is Portland cheap or dear? The local comparison

Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Portland. Manchester comes closest at about $9,650.

Comparison with nearby areas
AreaRangeMidpointvs. here
Portland, MEthis page$4,350 – $14,500$9,400
Manchester, NH85 miles$4,500 – $14,800$9,650+3%
Boston, MA85 miles$5,350 – $17,100$11,200+19%
Worcester, MA120 miles$4,850 – $15,700$10,300+9%
Barnstable, MA135 miles$5,150 – $16,400$10,800+14%
Providence, RI140 miles$4,500 – $14,900$9,700+3%
Maine (statewide)$4,300 – $14,400$9,350−1%
United States$4,500 – $15,000$9,750+4%

Out of the 300 metros we cover, Portland ranks #126 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Portland is 1% above the Maine figure.

Elsewhere in Maine

Maine metros compared with Portland
MetroSizeRangeMidpointvs. here
Bangor, ME72,270 jobs$4,250 – $14,300$9,250−2%

Metros of a similar size

Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Portland against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.

Metros closest to this one by total employment
MetroSizeRangeMidpointvs. here
Stockton, CA289,660 jobs$4,850 – $16,000$10,400+11%
Lexington, KY286,910 jobs$4,150 – $14,000$9,100−3%
Toledo, OH291,530 jobs$4,400 – $14,500$9,450level
New Haven, CT281,410 jobs$4,600 – $15,100$9,850+4%

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 $7,400 to $11,400 for Portland, ME is attached.

A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9

Multi-page report for Portland, ME: 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.

Window replacement in Portland: your questions

+How much does it cost to replace windows in Portland?

For 10 windows, expect $4,350 to $14,500 in the Portland area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,400 to $11,400. Small jobs usually cost more per window and large ones less.

+What is the price per window for windows in Portland?

About $434 to $1,449 per window for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $450 to $1,500.

+Is windows cheaper in Portland or Manchester?

Manchester is 85 miles away. The midpoint for 10 windows there is $9,650, which is 3% more than Portland ($9,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.

+How much of the bill is labor in Portland?

About 27% at the midpoint, or $2,550 out of $9,400. Materials are 73% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 27%.

+What would average house (15 windows) cost in Portland?

$6,500 to $21,700. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.

+Does windows need a permit in Portland?

Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Portland area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).

+Is Portland expensive for windows compared with the rest of Maine?

Portland is 1% above the Maine statewide estimate ($9,350 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Maine; see the state page to compare them.

+What do glaziers earn in Portland?

BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $22.97 an hour, compared with $27.44 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.16 to $26.79.

+What do basic and premium windows work cost in Portland?

For 10 windows, basic work runs $4,350 to $8,400 and premium work $10,400 to $14,500. Basic means: standard vinyl single-hung, same openings. Premium means: fiberglass or wood, large or custom sizes.

+When is the best time to replace windows in Portland?

Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. July and August are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.

Window replacement near Portland

Window replacement: all pricesWindow replacement in MaineAll projects in PortlandMaine cost hub

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.

Note on derived figures: Materials = 65% of the low installed price and 75% of the high one, from HomeGuide's statement that the window unit is 65-75% of replacement cost.