Buzz
With purchasing an existing home becoming increasingly unaffordable for many, some are exploring alternative options: buying land and building a new house from the ground up. However, when you account for the rising costs of property, labor, and materials—driven by supply chain disruptions and inflation—constructing a new home is unlikely to be more economical, as highlighted in a recent report from Today’s Homeowner.
Naturally, the final cost depends on factors like the size of the home, the quality of materials and finishes, and the location. To provide a clearer picture of potential expenses in your region, here are Today’s Homeowner’s estimates for the average cost of building a new house in each state.
Average construction costs for a new home in every state
To rank the states, Today’s Homeowner calculated the average cost of constructing a new 2,100-square-foot spec home, excluding land and development expenses. Using this approach, the national average cost to build a new home is $332,397, equating to $158 per square foot.
Below are the average construction costs for each state, listed from the least to the most expensive:
MississippiTotal price: $287,670 Price per square foot: $137
ArkansasTotal price: $288,175 Price per square foot: $137
AlabamaTotal price: $291,397Price per square foot: $139
LouisianaTotal price: $296,107Price per square foot: $141
North CarolinaTotal price: $297,062Price per square foot: $141
FloridaTotal price: $297,228Price per square foot: $142
OklahomaTotal price: $300,673Price per square foot: $143
South CarolinaTotal price: $301,079Price per square foot: $143
South DakotaTotal price: $301,739Price per square foot: $144
TennesseeTotal price: $302,204Price per square foot: $144
West VirginiaTotal price: $304,383Price per square foot: $145
GeorgiaTotal price: $305,143Price per square foot: $145
KentuckyTotal price: $308,661Price per square foot: $147
TexasTotal price: $309,334Price per square foot: $147
VirginiaTotal price: $310,815Price per square foot: $148
KansasTotal price: $312,435Price per square foot: $149
New MexicoTotal price: $314,409Price per square foot: $150
ArizonaTotal price: $317,153Price per square foot: $151
VermontTotal price: $322,652Price per square foot: $154
IowaTotal price: $324,620Price per square foot: $155
MichiganTotal price: $325,347Price per square foot: $155
IdahoTotal price: $326,675Price per square foot: $156
NevadaTotal price: $326,753Price per square foot: $156
DelawareTotal price: $329,212Price per square foot: $157
WyomingTotal price: $329,590Price per square foot: $157
IndianaTotal price: $329,607Price per square foot: $157
ColoradoTotal price: $330,238Price per square foot: $157
NebraskaTotal price: $332,676Price per square foot: $158
OhioTotal price: $333,741Price per square foot: $159
MontanaTotal price: $334,808Price per square foot: $159
WisconsinTotal price: $335,299Price per square foot: $160
MarylandTotal price: $337,392Price per square foot: $161
UtahTotal price: $338,173Price per square foot: $161
OregonTotal price: $338,532Price per square foot: $161
PennsylvaniaTotal price: $339,167Price per square foot: $162
North DakotaTotal price: $340,480Price per square foot: $162
MissouriTotal price: $341,452Price per square foot: $163
MaineTotal price: $345,816Price per square foot: $165
AlaskaTotal price: $348,591Price per square foot: $166
MinnesotaTotal price: $352,943Price per square foot: $168
New HampshireTotal price: $361,098Price per square foot: $172
WashingtonTotal price: $363,120Price per square foot: $173
CaliforniaTotal price: $363,314Price per square foot: $173
ConnecticutTotal price: $367,853Price per square foot: $175
New YorkTotal price: $371,875Price per square foot: $177
Rhode IslandTotal price: $372,069Price per square foot: $177
IllinoisTotal price: $380,189Price per square foot: $181
New JerseyTotal price: $387,262Price per square foot: $184
MassachusettsTotal price: $402,709Price per square foot: $192
HawaiiTotal price: $431,364Price per square foot:$205
The full report includes further details on the methodology and a comprehensive breakdown of the various costs involved in building a new home.
