2026 Q3 · rank 10 of 51
Roof replacement cost in California
An architectural shingle roof in California costs $552 per square installed on the 2026 Q3 Roof Cost Index, +10.4% against the US typical of $500. Roofers in California earn a mean $32.41/hour (BLS, May 2025), a labor index of 1.160.
How much does a new roof cost in California?
$13,856 to $24,710 for an architectural shingle roof on a 2,000 sq ft single-story home (6/12 pitch, one layer torn off, permit and dumpster included), typical $19,243. That is $4.48 to $6.56 per square foot of roof, installed.
All materials in California
| Material | Low | Typical | High | US typical | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural shingles | $448 | $552 | $656 | $500 | +10.4% |
| 3-tab shingles | $312 | $395 | $478 | $355 | +11.2% |
| Standing seam metal | $980 | $1,354 | $1,728 | $1,250 | +8.3% |
| Metal panel | $564 | $996 | $1,428 | $900 | +10.6% |
| Tile | $780 | $1,976 | $3,171 | $1,800 | +9.8% |
| Slate | $1,064 | $2,144 | $3,223 | $2,000 | +7.2% |
| Flat membrane | $282 | $527 | $772 | $475 | +10.9% |
A typical 2,000 sq ft footprint at a medium pitch is about 24.6 squares, so multiply the per-square figure by roughly 25 for a whole-roof number before tear-off, permit and extras. Use the calculator below for your own footprint.
Metro areas in California
| Metro (BLS MSA) | Typical / square | vs state | Metro rank of 263 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $605 | +9.5% | 6 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $590 | +6.9% | 11 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $566 | +2.5% | 18 |
| Vallejo, CA | $551 | -0.1% | 24 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $549 | -0.5% | 25 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $547 | -0.8% | 30 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $541 | -1.9% | 35 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $540 | -2.2% | 36 |
| Modesto, CA | $535 | -3.1% | 42 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $534 | -3.2% | 44 |
| Salinas, CA | $533 | -3.3% | 45 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $530 | -3.9% | 48 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $529 | -4.1% | 53 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $529 | -4.2% | 54 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $526 | -4.7% | 58 |
| Fresno, CA | $525 | -4.8% | 59 |
| Visalia, CA | $524 | -5.0% | 60 |
| Redding, CA | $518 | -6.0% | 67 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $516 | -6.5% | 70 |
| Chico, CA | $516 | -6.6% | 71 |
| Yuba City, CA | $512 | -7.2% | 76 |
| Merced, CA | $499 | -9.6% | 99 |
Only metros with a BLS roofer wage row appear. Areas outside these metros use the state figure.
How California compares
California ranks 10 of 51 states. Nearby on the Index: Connecticut ($558), Alaska ($558), New Hampshire ($532), Rhode Island ($530). The spread across all states runs from $609 to $428 per square, and the whole gap is labor: material is priced nationally in this edition.
This page is generated from the 2026 Q3 Index. A written guide for California is added when the state is activated with a roofer partner and a county footprint source. Methodology.
California roof cost questions
How much does a new roof cost in California?
On the 2026 Q3 Roof Cost Index, an architectural shingle roof on a 2,000 sq ft single-story home (6/12 pitch, one layer torn off, permit and dumpster included) costs $13,856 to $24,710 in California, typical $19,243. That is about 24.6 squares of roof.
How much is a new roof per square foot in California?
Architectural shingles run $4.48 to $6.56 per square foot of roof surface installed in California (typical $5.52), or $448 to $656 per square of 100 sq ft. Tear-off, permit and dumpster are extra.
How much does a metal roof cost in California?
Standing seam metal on the same 2,000 sq ft home costs $26,939 to $51,073 in California, typical $38,966, because standing seam material alone runs $400 to $800 per square against $100 to $250 for architectural shingles.
Why is roofing more expensive in California than the US average?
Labor. Roofers in California earn a mean $32.41 an hour (BLS, May 2025) against $27.95 nationally, a labor index of 1.160. Material is priced nationally in this edition, so the whole +10.4% gap is labor.
Which California metro has the highest roofing cost?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is the most expensive metro touching California at $605 per square; Merced, CA is the least at $499. Areas outside a metro use the state figure.
Estimate a roof in California
Low / typical / high ranges from cited national cost tables, adjusted by local roofer wages (BLS). No email required.