Bathroom remodel cost by state in 2026
What a mid-range bathroom remodel costs in every state, from most to least expensive, and why the same job can cost so much more in one state than another.
A mid-range bathroom remodel costs $13,500 nationally in 2026, with most jobs between $10,500 – $17,600. But "national" hides a wide spread: the same bathroom, with the same tile and the same fixtures, costs noticeably more in high-wage states than in low-wage ones. The table below ranks every state for an identical job.
The job we priced
To compare states fairly, every figure is for the same project: a full gut remodel of a bathroom of about 54 sq ft, with the old tub replaced by a walk-in shower. The mid-range job includes:
- demolition down to the subfloor and debris hauled away
- new supply and drain lines inside the bathroom, with shut-off valves
- a waterproofing membrane on the floor and the shower walls
- 12 x 24 in porcelain tile on the floor and on the walls to about 7 ft
- a new toilet, a countertop or semi-recessed sink, a concealed shower valve and a vanity with mirror
- new lights, outlets and a shower door or enclosure
- paint on the ceiling and the wall above the tile
A basic refresh with builder-grade tile and fixtures runs about $10,100 nationally; full-height tile, a stone floor and a rain shower push the premium version to about $18,500. Figures are before sales tax and permit fees.
Mid-range bathroom remodel cost by state
| Region | Mid-range |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $16,600 |
| Illinois | $16,100 |
| Massachusetts | $15,800 |
| Minnesota | $15,800 |
| Alaska | $15,300 |
| New Jersey | $15,200 |
| Oregon | $15,200 |
| Washington | $15,200 |
| District of Columbia | $15,000 |
| New York | $15,000 |
| Connecticut | $14,800 |
| California | $14,700 |
| Wisconsin | $14,700 |
| Missouri | $14,400 |
| Rhode Island | $14,400 |
| Montana | $14,300 |
| Michigan | $14,200 |
| Pennsylvania | $14,100 |
| Indiana | $14,000 |
| New Hampshire | $13,900 |
| Ohio | $13,900 |
| Maine | $13,800 |
| Nevada | $13,700 |
| Iowa | $13,600 |
| Vermont | $13,600 |
| Colorado | $13,500 |
| Delaware | $13,500 |
| Maryland | $13,500 |
| North Dakota | $13,500 |
| Wyoming | $13,500 |
| Kansas | $13,400 |
| Nebraska | $13,400 |
| Arizona | $13,300 |
| Kentucky | $13,300 |
| Utah | $13,300 |
| Virginia | $13,100 |
| Idaho | $13,000 |
| Tennessee | $13,000 |
| West Virginia | $13,000 |
| North Carolina | $12,900 |
| South Dakota | $12,900 |
| Florida | $12,800 |
| Louisiana | $12,800 |
| Texas | $12,800 |
| Georgia | $12,700 |
| New Mexico | $12,700 |
| South Carolina | $12,700 |
| Alabama | $12,600 |
| Oklahoma | $12,600 |
| Mississippi | $12,500 |
| Arkansas | $12,100 |
Click any state to see its own breakdown, including the basic and premium tiers and the cost in its main metro areas.
Why the same bathroom costs more in some states
Labor is most of the difference
A bathroom remodel is one of the most labor-heavy jobs in a house. In a small room you pay for a demolition crew, a plumber, an electrician, a tile setter and often a carpenter or drywall finisher, each for a day or more. Tile setting alone, with the wall leveling, waterproofing and grouting that go with it, takes several days in a typical shower conversion.
That is why we build our estimates from the bottom up: the hours each task takes, multiplied by what each trade charges locally, plus materials. The hours are the same in every state; a shower pan takes as long to set in Mississippi as in Massachusetts. What changes is the hourly rate. We start from national rates for each trade and adjust them state by state with official wage data for construction trades, so a state where plumbers and tile setters earn more gets a higher labor cost for exactly the same work.
Materials move much less
Tile, fixtures, valves and vanities are sold through national supply chains, and their prices vary far less between states than wages do. That is also why the gap between states is larger in proportion on a labor-heavy bathroom than on, say, a solar array, where equipment makes up a bigger share of the bill.
Demand and cost of living
States with expensive housing and busy construction markets tend to have higher trade wages, and contractors there also carry higher overheads: insurance, vehicles, shop space. Where remodelers are booked months ahead, prices rarely come down to the national average.
What the table does not include
A few costs vary by state and city but sit outside our figures, so add them on top:
- Sales tax. Sales tax on materials varies by state; labor is often not taxed, but the rules vary.
- Permits. Plumbing, electrical and structural changes usually need a local permit, and fees are set locally.
- Surprises behind the walls. Rotten subfloor, old galvanized pipes or a drain that needs rerouting add cost anywhere.
Differences within a state
State averages are not the whole story. Within the same state, a remodel in a big metro area usually costs more than in a small town, because trades in the metro charge more and spend more time in traffic between jobs. The state pages break the figure down by area, so check the one closest to you rather than relying on the state line in the table.
How to use these numbers
- Start with your state, then your tier. The table shows the mid-range job. If you are planning builder-grade fixtures or a high-end finish, look at the basic and premium figures on your state's page.
- Adjust for size. Our job is about 54 sq ft. A larger primary bathroom needs more tile, more waterproofing and more hours; use the calculator on Bathroom remodel to change the floor area.
- Keep the scope the same when you compare. A quote that keeps the tub, or only retiles the shower, is a different job from a full gut remodel.
Once you have a quote, run it through our "Is my quote fair?" tool. It compares your price with what homeowners in your area typically pay for the same job, so you can see whether it sits at the low, typical or high end for your state.
Planning a bigger project? See Kitchen remodel for the same kind of breakdown.