FairangeData report · Nov 3, 2026
Cheapest and priciest metros for an outlet install
Mainland mid estimates from about $114 (Gadsden) to $216 (San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont) using OEWS electrician wages.
Last updated from data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · PPI construction materials 2026-09
Electrician wages (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-2111) don’t make every job equally “local.” An outlet swap is short hours and cheap materials, so geography shows up as a few dozen dollars — still useful when you’re comparing three bids that vary by hundreds with no scope change.
We ranked metros on our mid planning estimate for a like-for-like outlet / receptacle installation (existing circuit; not a new run). Among mainland metros with a published local electrician wage, mids run from about $114 in Gadsden ($21.25/hr) to $216 in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont ($49.85/hr). Mainland spread: about $102.
National mid on the same baseline: $161. GFCI/AFCI upgrades, cut-in boxes, and permit rules still move real quotes more than the wage line alone.
Priciest metros (mid estimate)
| # | Metro | St | Mid | Band | Electrician wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | CA | $216 | $56–$786 | $49.85/hr |
| 2 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes | WA | $215 | $56–$693 | $49.54/hr |
| 3 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | OR | $215 | $60–$613 | $49.53/hr |
| 4 | Albany | OR | $210 | $60–$572 | $48.16/hr |
| 5 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | CA | $209 | $55–$752 | $47.91/hr |
| 6 | Seattle | WA | $209 | $56–$673 | $47.94/hr |
| 7 | Salem | OR | $201 | $57–$591 | $45.66/hr |
| 8 | Trenton-Princeton | NJ | $201 | $51–$579 | $45.59/hr |
| 9 | Urban Honolulu | HI | $201 | $49–$573 | $45.47/hr |
| 10 | Chicago | IL | $200 | $52–$573 | $45.41/hr |
| 11 | Kahului-Wailuku | HI | $200 | $49–$610 | $45.31/hr |
| 12 | Kennewick-Richland | WA | $200 | $51–$578 | $45.24/hr |
Least expensive metros (mid estimate)
| # | Metro | St | Mid | Band | Electrician wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gadsden | AL | $114 | $36–$321 | $21.25/hr |
| 2 | Laredo | TX | $119 | $35–$344 | $22.71/hr |
| 3 | Brownsville-Harlingen | TX | $121 | $37–$354 | $23.08/hr |
| 4 | Hot Springs | AR | $121 | $36–$335 | $23.09/hr |
| 5 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | TX | $124 | $39–$374 | $23.89/hr |
| 6 | Ocala | FL | $125 | $40–$348 | $24.40/hr |
| 7 | Sebring | FL | $125 | $40–$355 | $24.24/hr |
| 8 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines | NC | $126 | $43–$332 | $24.47/hr |
| 9 | Jonesboro | AR | $127 | $37–$354 | $24.81/hr |
| 10 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | AR | $127 | $39–$370 | $24.86/hr |
| 11 | Lubbock | TX | $127 | $40–$392 | $24.75/hr |
| 12 | Wichita Falls | TX | $127 | $38–$403 | $24.91/hr |
Open San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont or Gadsden, then try your ZIP on the calculator. Related: new branch circuit, ceiling fan, panel upgrades by state, electrician hub.
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By The Fairange team · [email protected]