2026 Edition
CostFigure 2026 Cost Index
This page turns CostFigure's live home-improvement calculator logic into one annual benchmark view. It is meant to be cited, compared, and audited, so every ranking and table points back to a visible scenario or a published state benchmark page.
Citation-ready summary
Based on CostFigure's 2026-03-07 benchmark scenarios across 11 live home-improvement calculators, kitchen remodel, new roof, and bathroom remodel carry the highest modeled midpoints. In the published state series, California sits 35% above the national guest-bath benchmark, while California and New York top the current roof comparison set. These figures are calculator-based modeled benchmarks, not observed transaction counts.
Benchmarks Included
11
Published State Pages Compared
21
Edition Updated
2026-03-07
Measurement Endpoint
JSON summaryHighest midpoint benchmark
Kitchen Remodel$37,620
150 sq ft mid-range remodel with semi-custom cabinets, quartz counters, tile flooring, and mid-range appliances.
Highest midpoint benchmark
New Roof$18,214
2,000 sq ft one-story home, architectural asphalt, standard pitch, single-layer tear-off.
Highest midpoint benchmark
Bathroom Remodel$11,625
50 sq ft guest bath remodel, partial scope, mid-range finish, keep-existing layout.
What This Page Measures
- • National benchmark scenarios drawn from 11 live home-improvement calculators.
- • Published state comparison series for bathroom remodel and roof replacement only.
- • Modeled low, midpoint, and high ranges built from CostFigure calculator logic as of March 7, 2026.
Indexation decision: Indexable. The asset has a named dataset, visible methodology, source links, calculator deep links, first-party measurement output, and enough unique scenario depth to justify indexation.
National Benchmark Table
Each row below uses one fixed homeowner scenario. These are comparison benchmarks, not a single blended national average.
| Benchmark | Low | Midpoint | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Remodel 150 sq ft mid-range remodel with semi-custom cabinets, quartz counters, tile flooring, and mid-range appliances. | $17,820 | $37,620 | $57,420 |
| New Roof 2,000 sq ft one-story home, architectural asphalt, standard pitch, single-layer tear-off. | $12,670 | $18,214 | $23,758 |
| Bathroom Remodel 50 sq ft guest bath remodel, partial scope, mid-range finish, keep-existing layout. | $8,250 | $11,625 | $15,000 |
| Interior Painting Whole-interior repaint with 2,000 sq ft of wall area, ceilings, trim, standard prep, and two coats. | $7,052 | $11,364 | $15,675 |
| Deck 240 sq ft ground-level pressure-treated deck with wood railing and permit allowance. | $7,615 | $10,150 | $12,684 |
| Fence 180 linear feet of 6 ft wood privacy fencing with one gate, removal, and permit allowance. | $5,017 | $8,557 | $12,096 |
| Window Replacement Ten standard vinyl double-hung windows with retrofit install and Low-E double-pane glass. | $2,980 | $6,165 | $9,350 |
| Tile Floor Installation 150 sq ft porcelain bathroom floor with mid-range tile and minor subfloor repair. | $2,700 | $4,175 | $5,650 |
| Drywall Installation 1,000 sq ft new drywall install across two rooms with Level 4 finish. | $1,961 | $2,596 | $3,231 |
| Tree Removal One large healthy tree with moderate access and stump removal included. | $1,232 | $2,266 | $3,300 |
| Carpet Installation 300 sq ft nylon carpet install with upgraded padding and old-carpet removal. | $1,290 | $2,183 | $3,075 |
Bathroom Remodel Cost by State
Published state pages compare the same guest-bath scenario used in the national benchmark table.
| State | Multiplier | Midpoint | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 1.35x | $15,694 | 35% above national benchmark |
| New York | 1.25x | $14,532 | 25% above national benchmark |
| New Jersey | 1.20x | $13,950 | 20% above national benchmark |
| Washington | 1.18x | $13,718 | 18% above national benchmark |
| Illinois | 1.05x | $12,207 | 5% above national benchmark |
| Colorado | 1.05x | $12,207 | 5% above national benchmark |
| Pennsylvania | 0.98x | $11,393 | 2% below national benchmark |
| Texas | 0.95x | $11,044 | 5% below national benchmark |
| Florida | 0.95x | $11,044 | 5% below national benchmark |
| Georgia | 0.92x | $10,695 | 8% below national benchmark |
| North Carolina | 0.92x | $10,695 | 8% below national benchmark |
New Roof Cost by State
Published state pages compare the same architectural-asphalt reroof scenario used in the national benchmark table.
| State | Multiplier | Midpoint | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 1.30x | $23,678 | 30% above national benchmark |
| New York | 1.30x | $23,678 | 30% above national benchmark |
| New Jersey | 1.22x | $22,221 | 22% above national benchmark |
| Washington | 1.18x | $21,493 | 18% above national benchmark |
| Colorado | 1.10x | $20,036 | 10% above national benchmark |
| Illinois | 1.08x | $19,672 | 8% above national benchmark |
| Florida | 0.98x | $17,850 | 2% below national benchmark |
| Georgia | 0.95x | $17,304 | 5% below national benchmark |
| Texas | 0.93x | $16,939 | 7% below national benchmark |
| North Carolina | 0.93x | $16,939 | 7% below national benchmark |
Methodology
- • Each national benchmark row uses one fixed homeowner scenario rendered through CostFigure's live calculator logic with no state selected, which makes it a national baseline rather than a local quote.
- • The state comparison tables are limited to the two public state clusters CostFigure already publishes: bathroom remodel by state and new roof cost by state.
- • All benchmark rows disclose the scenario behind the number so readers can compare like with like instead of treating unlike projects as one blended average.
- • The page names external sources and the local research artifact, but the published benchmark values themselves come from CostFigure calculator code and programmatic helpers, not from claimed observed transactions.
Research artifact: docs/research/costfigure-2026-cost-index-2026-03-07.md
Caveats
- • This page is a modeled benchmark built from CostFigure calculator assumptions and state multipliers. It is not a census of completed homeowner projects.
- • The current state rankings only cover the published bathroom and roof series. Other calculators may support state-aware logic without yet having public state benchmark pages.
- • Real bids can move outside these ranges when permits, site conditions, damage, access, labor availability, or scope changes differ from the benchmark scenario.
Preferred citation: CostFigure. "CostFigure 2026 Cost Index." https://costfigure.com/research/costfigure-2026-cost-index/
Source Links
Zillow Home Value Index Methodology
Zillow Research
Accessed 2026-03-07
Downloadable Housing Market Data
Redfin
Accessed 2026-03-07
Data Center Metrics Definitions
Redfin
Accessed 2026-03-07
2025 Cost vs. Value Report
Remodeling
2025 edition, accessed 2026-03-07
What the Numbers Mean
Remodeling
2024 edition, accessed 2026-03-07
AI Features and Your Website
Google Search Central
Last updated 2025-10-31 UTC
Dataset Structured Data
Google Search Central
Last updated 2025-02-04 UTC
Learn About Article Schema Markup
Google Search Central
Last updated 2025-02-04 UTC
How To Add Breadcrumb Markup
Google Search Central
Last updated 2025-02-04 UTC
Joint Declaration of Data Citation Principles
FORCE11
Published 2014-09-05, accessed 2026-03-07
The 2025 AI Index Report
Stanford HAI
Published 2025-04-07, accessed 2026-03-07
AI Overview fan-out rankings boost citation odds by 161%: Study
Search Engine Land
Published 2025-12-18
How to Optimize for AI Search Results in 2026
Semrush
Published 2026-02-04
FAQ
What does the CostFigure 2026 Cost Index measure?
The CostFigure 2026 Cost Index compares fixed homeowner benchmark scenarios rendered through CostFigure's live home-improvement calculators. Each row uses a visible scenario definition, and the state tables only cover the two published state benchmark clusters: bathroom remodel and new roof cost by state.
Is this based on observed homeowner transactions?
No. This is a modeled benchmark, not an observed transaction dataset. The numbers come from CostFigure calculator logic, benchmark scenarios, and published state multiplier logic that is already live in the repo. Real bids can land outside these ranges when scope, permits, damage, or labor availability differ from the benchmark setup.
Why are only bathroom and roof state rankings included?
Those are the two home-improvement categories where CostFigure already publishes full state benchmark pages with explicit methodology, indexation logic, dataset schema, and measurement helpers. Other calculators may support state-aware logic, but they are not yet public state benchmark series, so they stay out of the state ranking table for now.
How should this page be cited?
Use the page title, canonical URL, and access date. A simple format is: CostFigure. "CostFigure 2026 Cost Index." https://costfigure.com/research/costfigure-2026-cost-index/ (accessed [date]).
Where can I inspect the underlying benchmark summary data?
CostFigure publishes a first-party measurement endpoint for this asset. It summarizes the included benchmark rows, state-series coverage, discovery surfaces, and schema inventory so the page can be inspected as a real data asset rather than a generic marketing page.
First-Party Measurement
This asset has a dedicated measurement surface so it can be treated as a real benchmark page, not only as a piece of copy. The endpoint below returns the current edition, benchmark coverage, state-series coverage, discovery surfaces, and schema inventory.
Measurement endpoint
https://costfigure.com/api/research/costfigure-2026-cost-index/