Window replacement cost in Boston, MA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (10 windows)
- $5,350 – $17,100
- Per window
- $537 – $1,706
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +15%
- US $9,750
- Rank of 300 metros
- #4
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to replace windows in Boston, plan on $5,350 to $17,100 for 10 windows, all in. Per window, that is $537 to $1,706 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 15% higher than the national one. Glaziers earn a median of $51.74 an hour in the Boston area, 89% above the US median of $27.44.
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Estimated cost for 10 windows in Boston, MA, standard level
$8,900 to $13,600
About $888 to $1,355 per window before permits. Labor is about 37% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,400 | $8,700 |
| Labor | $3,500 | $4,850 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $8,900 | $13,600 |
Cost breakdown for 10 windows in Boston, MA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,900 | $7,050 | $11,200 | 63% |
| Labor | $2,450 | $4,150 | $5,850 | 37% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $5,350 | $11,200 | $17,100 | 100% |
What is behind the Boston number
Labor is 37% of the midpoint bill here, against 27% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is glaziers (50%), carpenters (40%), general maintenance and repair workers (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Boston the blended ratio comes out at 1.56.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Boston metro is 99.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 10 windows comes to $7,050, compared with $7,100 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (108.3) and land at $0 to $0.
Related projects, priced for Boston
Because every project leans on different trades, Boston's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, patio door runs +21% and front door +6%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patio door | 1 door | $680 – $7,300 | +21% |
| Front door | 1 door | $570 – $2,600 | +6% |
| Storm door | 1 door | $390 – $1,050 | +9% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $9,550 – $28,700 | +14% |
| Garage door | 1 door | $770 – $3,950 | +7% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Boston bid
Count
Replacing 10 to 15 windows runs $4,500-$22,500; at 25 windows it is $11,250-$37,500.
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).
Cost by quality level and size in Boston
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Boston wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$5,350 to $10,000
Standard vinyl single-hung, same openings
Standard
$8,900 to $13,600
Mid-grade vinyl or composite, a few larger units
Premium
$12,400 to $17,100
Fiberglass or wood, large or custom sizes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| a few windows (5 windows) | $2,700 – $5,000 | $4,450 – $6,800 | $6,200 – $8,550 |
| small house (10 windows) | $5,350 – $10,000 | $8,900 – $13,600 | $12,400 – $17,100 |
| average house (15 windows) | $8,050 – $15,100 | $13,300 – $20,300 | $18,600 – $25,600 |
| whole house (25 windows) | $13,400 – $25,100 | $22,200 – $33,900 | $31,000 – $42,700 |
Climate in Boston: timing your windows job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Boston Logan Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through November is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Boston (9 of 12 months). January, February and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February 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.
Boston gets about 44 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 49 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, October and December (4.3 inches in December). Inside the workable window, May and August are the driest, at 3.3 and 3.2 inches. The station averages about 14 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37 | 23 | 3.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 39 | 25 | 3.2 | Cold |
| Mar | 46 | 31 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 56 | 41 | 3.6 | Workable |
| May | 67 | 50 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 76 | 60 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 82 | 66 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 80 | 65 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 73 | 58 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Oct | 62 | 48 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 52 | 38 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 42 | 29 | 4.3 | Cold |
Boston labor market for windows
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Boston is 1.56 times the national level.
For glaziers (47-2121, weighted 50%) the local median is $51.74 an hour, which is 89% above the national $27.44. The middle half of them earn between $36.73 and $53.19 an hour. BLS counts 780 of them working in the area, 2.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.8), so the local bench is thinner than average.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 40%) the local median is $36.16 an hour, which is 24% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $29.26 and $47.47 an hour. BLS counts 12,720 of them working in the area, 47.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is about average.
General maintenance and repair workers (49-9071), 10% of the weighting: a median of $28.69 an hour, 20% above the US median of $23.84. The middle half of them earn between $23.00 and $35.10 an hour. About 21,030 work in the metro. That is 77.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 98.4 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the glaziers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($53.19 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $70. At the 25th percentile ($36.73) it shrinks by about $730. The total moves by 0.6% or 6.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 2,703,890 jobs in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton area. That makes it the 10th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 1.74% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glaziers (47-2121) | 50% | $36.73 | $51.74 | $53.19 | $27.44 | 1.89 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $29.26 | $36.16 | $47.47 | $29.12 | 1.24 | metro |
| General maintenance and repair workers (49-9071) | 10% | $23.00 | $28.69 | $35.10 | $23.84 | 1.20 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.56 | |||||
How Boston compares
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Boston. Portland is the lowest at about $9,400 (midpoint, 10 windows), 85 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, MAthis page | $5,350 – $17,100 | $11,200 | |
| Manchester, NH45 miles | $4,500 – $14,800 | $9,650 | −14% |
| Worcester, MA50 miles | $4,850 – $15,700 | $10,300 | −8% |
| Providence, RI60 miles | $4,500 – $14,900 | $9,700 | −14% |
| Barnstable, MA70 miles | $5,150 – $16,400 | $10,800 | −4% |
| Portland, ME85 miles | $4,350 – $14,500 | $9,400 | −16% |
| Massachusetts (statewide) | $5,250 – $16,700 | $11,000 | −2% |
| United States | $4,500 – $15,000 | $9,750 | −13% |
Across 300 US metros, Boston comes in at #4 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $11,800; the cheapest is Laredo, TX at $8,350 (midpoints, 10 windows). Statewide, Boston is 2% above the Massachusetts figure.
Other Massachusetts metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | 349,880 jobs | $4,850 – $15,700 | $10,300 | −8% |
| Springfield, MA | 201,240 jobs | $4,950 – $15,900 | $10,400 | −7% |
| Barnstable, MA | 94,110 jobs | $5,150 – $16,400 | $10,800 | −4% |
| Amherst, MA | 65,670 jobs | $5,100 – $16,300 | $10,700 | −5% |
| Pittsfield, MA | 56,810 jobs | $4,600 – $15,200 | $9,900 | −12% |
Cities with a workforce like Boston's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Boston against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | 2,819,940 jobs | $4,300 – $14,700 | $9,550 | −15% |
| Phoenix, AZ | 2,375,760 jobs | $4,350 – $14,400 | $9,400 | −16% |
| Atlanta, GA | 2,889,670 jobs | $4,200 – $14,400 | $9,300 | −17% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $5,350 – $17,300 | $11,300 | +1% |
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Detailed window replacement report for Boston, MA, $9
Multi-page report for Boston, MA: 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 Boston: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace windows in Boston?
For 10 windows, expect $5,350 to $17,100 in the Boston area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,900 to $13,600. Small jobs usually cost more per window and large ones less.
+What is the price per window for windows in Boston?
About $537 to $1,706 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 Boston or Manchester?
Manchester is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 10 windows there is $9,650, which is 14% less than Boston ($11,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Boston?
About 37% at the midpoint, or $4,150 out of $11,200. Materials are 63% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 27%.
+What would average house (15 windows) cost in Boston?
$8,050 to $25,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does windows need a permit in Boston?
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 Boston area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Boston expensive for windows compared with the rest of Massachusetts?
Boston is 2% above the Massachusetts statewide estimate ($11,000 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Massachusetts; see the state page to compare them.
+What do glaziers earn in Boston?
The BLS median is $51.74 an hour in the Boston area, compared with $27.44 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $36.73 to $53.19.
+What do basic and premium windows work cost in Boston?
For 10 windows, basic work runs $5,350 to $10,000 and premium work $12,400 to $17,100. 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 Boston?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. May 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 Boston
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 Window Replacement Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (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 = 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.