The same job does not cost the same everywhere. A kitchen faucet from a big-box store is priced nationally, but the person who installs it is paid local wages. Most of the difference you see between states comes from labor, with permits, codes, climate and demand adding the rest. This guide explains what changes, and shows the labor difference for seven trades using federal wage data.
What changes from state to state
- Labor. Wages for the same trade differ widely between states and between cities. This is usually the largest regional effect on a project.
- Permits and fees. Permit costs, inspection rules and licensing requirements are set locally. See home project permits.
- Codes and climate. Snow loads, hurricane and wind requirements, frost depth, termite pressure and energy codes shape what must be built and with which materials.
- Demand and timing. After storms or in busy seasons, contractors are booked and prices rise.
- Access and density. Travel distance, parking, haul-away fees and the cost of running a business vary by place.
What materials do
Materials and equipment are mostly sold at national prices, with delivery and regional supply adding some variation. That is why a state with higher wages does not see every price rise by the same amount: only the labor part of the bill moves, and labor is a bigger share of some jobs than others.
How our calculators handle your state
Each calculator takes the national price and scales only its labor part using the Bureau of Labor Statistics median hourly wage for the trade that does the work in your state, compared with the U.S. median for that trade. Materials, equipment, permits and disposal are not adjusted by wage. The state you choose is remembered in your browser and applied to every calculator.
We use the trade that matches the job: plumbers for water heaters and drains, roofers for roofing, electricians for wiring and so on. For a few jobs with no matching occupation, we use the closest one and say so on the calculator's page.
The labor difference by trade
The index compares a state's median hourly wage for the trade with the U.S. median for the same trade. One means the same as the national median, a number above one means local wages are higher, and a number below one means they are lower. The table shows the three lowest and three highest states, including the District of Columbia, from the May 2025 release of the federal Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.
| Trade | Lowest wage states | Highest wage states | Highest vs lowest | Calculators |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbers | Arkansas 0.76×, South Dakota 0.81×, Idaho 0.82× | District of Columbia 1.58×, Illinois 1.57×, Oregon 1.52× | 2.1× | Drain cleaning, Toilet |
| Electricians | Arkansas 0.78×, Alabama 0.88×, North Carolina 0.90× | Oregon 1.60×, Illinois 1.58×, Hawaii 1.53× | 2.1× | Ceiling fan, Recessed lighting |
| HVAC technicians | Arkansas 0.79×, Alabama 0.79×, Mississippi 0.80× | District of Columbia 1.38×, Alaska 1.27×, Illinois 1.27× | 1.8× | New AC unit, Furnace |
| Carpenters | Oklahoma 0.77×, Arkansas 0.79×, South Dakota 0.79× | Hawaii 1.41×, Illinois 1.30×, California 1.25× | 1.8× | Cabinets, Baseboard |
| Roofers | Oklahoma 0.79×, Mississippi 0.81×, New Mexico 0.82× | Illinois 1.41×, New Jersey 1.38×, Minnesota 1.34× | 1.8× | Roof repair, Roof replacement |
| Painters | Arkansas 0.81×, South Carolina 0.83×, Rhode Island 0.84× | Hawaii 1.38×, Illinois 1.24×, Alaska 1.23× | 1.7× | Interior painting |
| Concrete finishers | Mississippi 0.77×, Alabama 0.78×, Oklahoma 0.80× | Hawaii 1.68×, Alaska 1.63×, Illinois 1.37× | 2.2× | Concrete patio, Driveway replacement |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state median hourly wages. Every other state is available in the calculators.
Reading these numbers carefully
- Labor is only part of the price. A wage gap between two states does not translate into the same gap in the total, because materials and equipment do not follow wages.
- A state is not a city. Wages inside a state vary, and big metros are often above the state median.
- Medians are not quotes. They describe what the trade is paid, not what a contractor charges, which also covers overhead, insurance, profit and travel.
- Small groups are noisy. For trades with fewer workers in a state, the median can move from one release to the next.
Getting a local number you can trust
- Open the calculator for your project and choose your state to see the labor-adjusted range.
- Get local quotes and compare them with that range. See how to compare contractor quotes.
- Ask the contractor about local permit fees, disposal charges and any code requirements that apply to your address.