LOCAL GUIDES
Painting Cost by State in 2026
Interior and exterior painting cost by US state in 2026: national averages, most expensive states and labor variation.
Painting labor varies more by state than almost any other trade: Hawaii runs 50% above the national average and Mississippi 30% below. Here are the real 2026 numbers.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Painting cost by state 2026
Interior painting averages $2,000-$4,000 nationally ($2-$6/sq ft); exterior $3,177. Hawaii runs 50% above average ($6.10/sq ft) and Arkansas/Mississippi/West Virginia 30% below ($3.10).
National average and state spread
Interior painting averages $2,000-$4,000 nationally ($2-$6 per sq ft); exterior averages $3,177 ($1,800-$4,500; $1.50-$4.50 per sq ft). Hawaii is about 50% above average ($6.10/sq ft), California about 40% above ($5.80), New York 35% above ($5.60), and Massachusetts/New Jersey about 20% above. Arkansas, Mississippi and West Virginia run 30% below ($3.10/sq ft), and Alabama, Oklahoma and Iowa about 25% below.
- Interior: $2,000-$4,000 ($2-$6/sq ft)
- Exterior: $3,177 avg ($1,800-$4,500)
- Hawaii: +50% ($6.10/sq ft)
- California: +40% ($5.80); New York: +35% ($5.60)
- AR/MS/WV: -30% ($3.10); AL/OK/IA: -25%
Adjusting your painting budget
Apply the state index to the labor line of your painting estimate. For a $3,000 national interior job with $2,000 of labor, Hawaii labor rises to about $3,000 and Arkansas drops to about $1,400. Paint and materials are national.