FairangeData report · Nov 3, 2026
Cheapest and priciest metros for a toilet install
Mainland mid estimates from about $386 (Hot Springs) to $614 (San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara) using OEWS plumber wages.
Last updated from data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · PPI construction materials 2026-09
A toilet swap is a classic plumber job: remove the old fixture, set a new one, check the flange and supply. Materials are a real slice of the bill, so wage differences don’t stretch as far as they do on a labor-only drain clearing — but they still show up cleanly once you hold hours and fixture baselines fixed.
We ranked metros on our mid planning estimate for a standard toilet installation using BLS OEWS May 2025 plumber wages (SOC 47-2152). Mainland metros with local wages run from about $386 in Hot Springs ($21.72/hr) to $614 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ($54.94/hr). Mainland spread: about $228.
National mid: $475. Comfort-height one-piece fixtures, rotten flanges, and floor repairs are the usual bid-busters — not the OEWS mean alone.
Priciest metros (mid estimate)
| # | Metro | St | Mid | Band | Plumber wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | CA | $614 | $222–$1,346 | $54.94/hr |
| 2 | Bellingham | WA | $576 | $199–$1,280 | $49.45/hr |
| 3 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | OR | $569 | $210–$1,290 | $48.42/hr |
| 4 | Chicago | IL | $555 | $204–$1,189 | $46.36/hr |
| 5 | Seattle | WA | $554 | $201–$1,316 | $46.27/hr |
| 6 | Kennewick-Richland | WA | $549 | $194–$1,277 | $45.50/hr |
| 7 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton | MA | $543 | $201–$1,266 | $44.62/hr |
| 8 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | CA | $542 | $195–$1,320 | $44.41/hr |
| 9 | Fairbanks-College | AK | $541 | $214–$1,155 | $44.39/hr |
| 10 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | MN | $540 | $199–$1,158 | $44.25/hr |
| 11 | New York-Newark-Jersey City | NY | $536 | $194–$1,271 | $43.66/hr |
| 12 | Vineland | NJ | $535 | $193–$1,211 | $43.49/hr |
Least expensive metros (mid estimate)
| # | Metro | St | Mid | Band | Plumber wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hot Springs | AR | $386 | $157–$824 | $21.72/hr |
| 2 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | TX | $393 | $158–$820 | $22.62/hr |
| 3 | Brownsville-Harlingen | TX | $394 | $161–$829 | $22.88/hr |
| 4 | Jonesboro | AR | $394 | $160–$822 | $22.77/hr |
| 5 | Gadsden | AL | $400 | $155–$842 | $23.70/hr |
| 6 | Laredo | TX | $400 | $161–$859 | $23.77/hr |
| 7 | Fort Smith | AR | $401 | $167–$825 | $23.84/hr |
| 8 | Panama City | FL | $401 | $161–$859 | $23.86/hr |
| 9 | Valdosta | GA | $403 | $169–$823 | $24.16/hr |
| 10 | San Angelo | TX | $405 | $166–$855 | $24.45/hr |
| 11 | Gainesville | FL | $406 | $161–$849 | $24.62/hr |
| 12 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | AR | $406 | $165–$855 | $24.60/hr |
Try San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara or Hot Springs, then your ZIP on the calculator. Related: shower faucet, kitchen faucet, plumber costs by city, plumbing hub.
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By The Fairange team · [email protected]