Regional cost data · 51 markets

Carpet cost by state

What carpet costs per square foot installed, across all 50 states and DC. The US baseline is $4.50, but the spread from the cheapest market to the priciest is about 61% — so where you live changes the budget more than almost any other single factor.

Reviewed by The CostToUpgrade Estimating Desk Last reviewed June 2026 How we estimate

US national average

$4.50

per square foot installed

Most expensive: $6.08HI
Least expensive: $3.78MS
Top-to-bottom spread: 61%

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Planning estimates, not quotes. Confirm locally.

Cost by region

Regional averages smooth out single-state noise and show the broad pattern.

Northeast

$5.03

+12% vs national · 9 states

Midwest

$4.25

-5% vs national · 12 states

South

$4.19

-7% vs national · 17 states

West

$4.81

+7% vs national · 13 states

What that means for a real project

National-average pricing applied to common project sizes:

Project size	US average range
Compact 120 ft²	$475 – $605
Typical 300 ft²	$1,188 – $1,512
Large 600 ft²	$2,376 – $3,024

Every state, ranked

All 50 states plus DC. The typical-project column applies each state's unit price to a 300 ft² job.

Carpet cost per square foot installed by US state
State	Region	Unit price	vs US avg	300 ft² project
Alabama	South	$3.87	-14%	$1,023–$1,299
Alaska	West	$5.76	+28%	$1,521–$1,935
Arizona	West	$4.37	-3%	$1,155–$1,467
Arkansas	South	$3.83	-15%	$1,011–$1,287
California	West	$5.85	+30%	$1,545–$1,965
Colorado	West	$4.68	+4%	$1,236–$1,572
Connecticut	Northeast	$5.22	+16%	$1,377–$1,755
Delaware	South	$4.59	+2%	$1,212–$1,542
District of Columbia	South	$5.49	+22%	$1,449–$1,845
Florida	South	$4.32	-4%	$1,140–$1,452
Georgia	South	$4.05	-10%	$1,068–$1,362
Hawaii	West	$6.08	+35%	$1,605–$2,043
Idaho	West	$4.27	-5%	$1,128–$1,434
Illinois	Midwest	$4.86	+8%	$1,284–$1,632
Indiana	Midwest	$4.19	-7%	$1,107–$1,407
Iowa	Midwest	$4.14	-8%	$1,092–$1,392
Kansas	Midwest	$4.01	-11%	$1,059–$1,347
Kentucky	South	$3.96	-12%	$1,044–$1,332
Louisiana	South	$3.96	-12%	$1,044–$1,332
Maine	Northeast	$4.64	+3%	$1,224–$1,560
Maryland	South	$4.82	+7%	$1,272–$1,620
Massachusetts	Northeast	$5.45	+21%	$1,440–$1,830
Michigan	Midwest	$4.27	-5%	$1,128–$1,434
Minnesota	Midwest	$4.59	+2%	$1,212–$1,542
Mississippi	South	$3.78	-16%	$999–$1,269
Missouri	Midwest	$4.05	-10%	$1,068–$1,362
Montana	West	$4.32	-4%	$1,140–$1,452
Nebraska	Midwest	$4.05	-10%	$1,068–$1,362
Nevada	West	$4.64	+3%	$1,224–$1,560
New Hampshire	Northeast	$4.77	+6%	$1,260–$1,602
New Jersey	Northeast	$5.18	+15%	$1,368–$1,740
New Mexico	West	$4.10	-9%	$1,083–$1,377
New York	Northeast	$5.58	+24%	$1,473–$1,875
North Carolina	South	$4.01	-11%	$1,059–$1,347
North Dakota	Midwest	$4.23	-6%	$1,116–$1,422
Ohio	Midwest	$4.23	-6%	$1,116–$1,422
Oklahoma	South	$3.87	-14%	$1,023–$1,299
Oregon	West	$4.86	+8%	$1,284–$1,632
Pennsylvania	Northeast	$4.59	+2%	$1,212–$1,542
Rhode Island	Northeast	$5.08	+13%	$1,341–$1,707
South Carolina	South	$3.96	-12%	$1,044–$1,332
South Dakota	Midwest	$4.05	-10%	$1,068–$1,362
Tennessee	South	$4.01	-11%	$1,059–$1,347
Texas	South	$4.19	-7%	$1,107–$1,407
Utah	West	$4.41	-2%	$1,164–$1,482
Vermont	Northeast	$4.73	+5%	$1,248–$1,590
Virginia	South	$4.41	-2%	$1,164–$1,482
Washington	West	$5.04	+12%	$1,332–$1,692
West Virginia	South	$4.05	-10%	$1,068–$1,362
Wisconsin	Midwest	$4.37	-3%	$1,155–$1,467
Wyoming	West	$4.19	-7%	$1,107–$1,407

Unit prices are the national baseline scaled by each state's relative construction cost index. Project totals apply a ±12% band to reflect normal quote variation.

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How we build these numbers

We start from a US national baseline of $4.50 per square foot installed and multiply it by each state's relative construction cost index, where 1.00 is the national average. Those indices are directional — they capture broad differences in trade wages, material freight, and permitting overhead, not street-level pricing.

The ±12% band on every figure is deliberate. It reflects the range we would expect between a competitive bid and a premium one for the same scope in the same market. If a quote lands far outside that band in either direction, the scope is probably different from what you think it is — that is worth a conversation before it is worth a signature.

Full detail on sources, review cadence, and what these estimates deliberately exclude is on our methodology page.

Carpet cost by state: FAQ

How much does carpet cost on average in the US?

The national baseline we use is $4.50 per square foot installed. Applied to a typical typical project of 300 ft², that works out to roughly $1,188–$1,512 in materials at the unit shown. Labor, delivery, tax, and site prep sit on top unless the unit label says "installed."

Which states are most and least expensive for carpet?

The five priciest markets in our index are Hawaii, California, Alaska, New York, District of Columbia — Hawaii runs about $6.08 per square foot installed. The five cheapest are Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, South Carolina, with Mississippi near $3.78. Top to bottom that is a spread of roughly 61%, which is why a national average alone is a poor budgeting tool.

Why does the same project cost so much more in some states?

Four things move the number: prevailing wage rates for the trades, freight distance from the nearest supplier or plant, permitting and inspection overhead, and local demand. Labor is usually the biggest lever — in high-wage metros it can be well over half the installed price. Freight matters most for heavy, low-value materials like concrete, gravel, and block, where hauling costs rival the material itself.

Are these numbers quotes?

No. They are directional planning figures built from a national baseline and a relative state cost index, and they are deliberately shown as ranges. Use them to sanity-check a bid or set a budget, not to negotiate a contract. Two contractors in the same ZIP code can legitimately differ by 20–30% based on crew size, backlog, and scope assumptions.

How do I get a number for my specific project?

Run the Carpet Calculator with your own dimensions and your local unit price. The calculator does the quantity math exactly; this page just tells you what unit price is realistic where you live. Together they give you a defensible budget before you call anyone.