{
  "title": "Interior House Painting Cost & Statistics 2026",
  "publisher": "Carolina Renew Painting & Finishes",
  "url": "https://carolinarenew.com/interior-house-painting-cost-statistics-2026/",
  "verifiedOn": "2026-09-09",
  "license": "Cite with attribution and a link to the dataset URL.",
  "rows": [
    {
      "id": "angi-national-average",
      "metric": "National average cost to paint a house interior (total range $350–$5,800; $2–$6 per sq ft by home size)",
      "value": "$2,022",
      "entity": "Interior painting",
      "source": "Angi",
      "sourceDate": "Updated Jul 9, 2026",
      "url": "https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-it-cost-paint-interior-house.htm",
      "confidence": "Med",
      "scope": "National",
      "quote": "The average cost to paint the interior of a house is $2,022, with a total range of $350 to $5,800, depending on your area, type of paint, and square footage."
    },
    {
      "id": "angi-per-sq-ft",
      "metric": "Interior painting cost per square foot — walls only vs. walls + trim + ceilings",
      "value": "$2.75 / $4.70 per sq ft",
      "entity": "Interior painting",
      "source": "Angi",
      "sourceDate": "Updated Jul 9, 2026",
      "url": "https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-it-cost-paint-interior-house.htm",
      "confidence": "Med",
      "scope": "National",
      "quote": "Across the country, the average cost to paint the interior of a house is $2.75 per square foot. If you include walls, trim, and ceilings, the cost per square foot is $4.70."
    },
    {
      "id": "homeguide-rates",
      "metric": "Painter rate per sq ft of surface area · per room $350–$850 · whole-home interior $3,500–$10,000 (national average $7,500)",
      "value": "$1–$3 per sq ft",
      "entity": "Interior painting",
      "source": "HomeGuide",
      "sourceDate": "Page dated 2026 (content Aug 2023)",
      "url": "https://homeguide.com/costs/cost-to-paint-interior-of-house",
      "confidence": "Med",
      "scope": "National",
      "quote": "Painters charge $1 to $3 per square foot to paint a room or interior of a house. The average cost to paint a room is $350 to $850, and the cost to paint a whole home interior is $3,500 to $10,000."
    },
    {
      "id": "homewyse-baseline",
      "metric": "Estimated national average cost to paint a home interior, May 2026 (calculator baseline; walls and trim, latex)",
      "value": "$4.79–$9.04 per sq ft",
      "entity": "Interior painting",
      "source": "Homewyse",
      "sourceDate": "May 2026",
      "url": "https://www.homewyse.com/services/cost_to_paint_home.html",
      "confidence": "Med",
      "scope": "National",
      "quote": "In May 2026 the estimated national average cost to Paint a Home starts at $4.79 - $9.04 per square foot."
    },
    {
      "id": "labor-share",
      "metric": "Labor as a share of the total interior painting bill — Angi 75–95%; HomeGuide 70–85% (room labor $180–$650; $20–$50/hr for small jobs)",
      "value": "70–95%",
      "entity": "Interior painting",
      "source": "Angi / HomeGuide",
      "sourceDate": "Jul 2026 / 2026",
      "url": "https://homeguide.com/costs/cost-to-paint-interior-of-house",
      "confidence": "Med",
      "scope": "National",
      "quote": "Labor costs alone account for 70% to 85% of your total paint job. (HomeGuide) — labor ... often accounts for between 75% and 95% of the total cost. (Angi)"
    },
    {
      "id": "paint-per-gallon",
      "metric": "Interior paint price per gallon (primer ≈ $10/qt covering ≈ 100 sq ft; an average home needs about 6 gallons per coat)",
      "value": "$15–$40 / gal",
      "entity": "Interior painting",
      "source": "Angi",
      "sourceDate": "Updated Jul 9, 2026",
      "url": "https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-it-cost-paint-interior-house.htm",
      "confidence": "Med",
      "scope": "National",
      "quote": "paint costs about $15 to $40 per gallon, depending on the brand and paint finish ... The average home needs about 6 gallons of paint per coat, excluding primer"
    },
    {
      "id": "sw-coverage",
      "metric": "Paint coverage per gallon (enough for a 10 × 10 ft room; textured walls need more)",
      "value": "350–400 sq ft / gal",
      "entity": "Interior painting",
      "source": "Sherwin-Williams",
      "sourceDate": "Paint calculator, 2026",
      "url": "https://www.sherwin-williams.com/en-us/color/color-tools/paint-calculator",
      "confidence": "High",
      "scope": "National",
      "quote": "A gallon of paint typically covers about 350-400 square feet which is enough to cover a 10-foot-by-10-foot (100 square feet) room"
    },
    {
      "id": "nar-joy-score",
      "metric": "Homeowner Joy Score — “Paint 1 Interior Room” (distinct line item; exterior siding paint = 8.8, kitchen upgrade = 10)",
      "value": "9.3 / 10",
      "entity": "Interior painting",
      "source": "NAR 2025 Remodeling Impact Report",
      "sourceDate": "April 2025",
      "url": "https://www.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/2025-04/2025-remodeling-impact-report_04-09-2025.pdf",
      "confidence": "High",
      "scope": "National",
      "quote": "Top Joy Score For Remodeling Projects — Paint 1 Interior Room: 9.3"
    },
    {
      "id": "nar-recommend",
      "metric": "Projects REALTORS® recommend sellers do before listing — “Paint the entire home” #1 (50%), “Paint 1 interior room” #2 (41%), new roofing #3 (37%)",
      "value": "50% / 41%",
      "entity": "Demand Context",
      "source": "NAR 2025 Remodeling Impact Report",
      "sourceDate": "April 2025",
      "url": "https://www.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/2025-04/2025-remodeling-impact-report_04-09-2025.pdf",
      "confidence": "High",
      "scope": "National",
      "quote": "Top Remodeling Projects REALTORS® Recommend Sellers Do Before Selling — Paint The Entire Home 50%; Paint 1 Interior Room 41%; New Roofing 37%"
    },
    {
      "id": "nar-demand",
      "metric": "REALTORS® who saw increased buyer demand for a freshly painted entire interior in the last two years (kitchen upgrade 48%, new roofing 43%)",
      "value": "32%",
      "entity": "Demand Context",
      "source": "NAR 2025 Remodeling Impact Report",
      "sourceDate": "April 2025",
      "url": "https://www.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/2025-04/2025-remodeling-impact-report_04-09-2025.pdf",
      "confidence": "High",
      "scope": "National",
      "quote": "Last Two Years REALTORS® Have Seen Increased Demand For… Paint Entire Interior Home 32%"
    },
    {
      "id": "nar-who-did-work",
      "metric": "Who did the work (all remodeling projects, not paint-isolated) — 29% hired a pro for the whole job, 24% hired labor and bought materials, 24% full DIY; NAR notes painting is “more likely to be done DIY”",
      "value": "29% fully hired",
      "entity": "Consumer Context",
      "source": "NAR 2025 Remodeling Impact Report",
      "sourceDate": "April 2025",
      "url": "https://www.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/2025-04/2025-remodeling-impact-report_04-09-2025.pdf",
      "confidence": "High",
      "scope": "Context-only",
      "quote": "Twenty-nine percent of the owners hired a professional for the whole job, 24 percent hired the labor but purchased the materials, and 24 percent did the entire project themselves. ... Some projects, such as painting, are more likely to be done DIY."
    },
    {
      "id": "epa-voc",
      "metric": "Federal VOC limits for architectural coatings — interior flat 250 g/L · interior nonflat 380 g/L (regulates manufacturers/importers, not contractors)",
      "value": "250 / 380 g/L",
      "entity": "Regulatory",
      "source": "U.S. EPA (40 CFR Part 59, Subpart D)",
      "sourceDate": "Rule of Sept 11, 1998, in force",
      "url": "https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/architectural-coatings-national-volatile-organic-compounds",
      "confidence": "High",
      "scope": "National",
      "quote": "Table 1 — Flat coatings: Interior coatings 250 g/L; Nonflat coatings: Interior coatings 380 g/L"
    },
    {
      "id": "bls-wage",
      "metric": "U.S. painter median wage — all painting trades, SOC 47-2141 (326,900 jobs in 2025; employment projected +3% 2025–2035; ≈ 24,900 openings a year)",
      "value": "$49,400/yr ($23.75/hr)",
      "entity": "Labor Context",
      "source": "U.S. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook",
      "sourceDate": "May 2025 data",
      "url": "https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/painters-construction-and-maintenance.htm",
      "confidence": "High",
      "scope": "Context-only",
      "quote": "The median annual wage for painters, construction and maintenance was $49,400 in May 2025."
    },
    {
      "id": "coty-2026",
      "metric": "2026 Colors of the Year — Benjamin Moore Silhouette AF-655 (espresso with charcoal notes); Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki SW 6150",
      "value": "Silhouette AF-655",
      "entity": "Design Trend",
      "source": "Benjamin Moore",
      "sourceDate": "2026 press release",
      "url": "https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/press/benjamin-moore-announces-color-of-the-year-2026",
      "confidence": "High",
      "scope": "National trend",
      "quote": "Benjamin Moore Names Silhouette AF-655 as its Color of the Year 2026"
    },
    {
      "id": "angi-charlotte",
      "metric": "Charlotte, NC average cost to paint a house interior (most projects $845–$2,744; whole-home $2–$6 per sq ft; wall prep $0.50–$0.75 per sq ft)",
      "value": "$1,788",
      "entity": "Interior painting (regional)",
      "source": "Angi (Charlotte, NC)",
      "sourceDate": "Updated Feb 25, 2026",
      "url": "https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-it-cost-paint-interior-house/nc/charlotte",
      "confidence": "Med",
      "scope": "Regional",
      "quote": "The cost to paint the interior of a house in Charlotte averages $1,788, with most projects ranging from $845 to $2,744."
    }
  ],
  "gaps": [
    {
      "metric": "Interior-paint resale cost recovery (%)",
      "why": "NAR 2025 publishes cost recovery only for its top 11 projects (new steel door 100% down to bathroom renovation 50%); interior painting is not among them and no per-project table exists. Zonda 2025 Cost vs Value has no painting line at all. HomeGuide's “often more than 100% return” is an unsourced marketing line, not association data."
    },
    {
      "metric": "Recommended repaint interval by room (kitchen, bath, bedroom)",
      "why": "No manufacturer page (Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, Behr) publishes room-by-room repaint frequency; the “every 3–5 years” figures circulating online come from contractor blogs."
    },
    {
      "metric": "Typical project duration for a whole-home interior repaint",
      "why": "No named source (NAR, BLS, Houzz, manufacturers) publishes a days-per-home figure; aggregator ranges are not methodologically documented."
    },
    {
      "metric": "Painting-specific DIY vs. hire-a-pro share",
      "why": "NAR's 29% / 24% / 24% split covers all remodeling projects; the report says painting is more likely DIY but gives no paint-only percentage."
    },
    {
      "metric": "U.S. interior-painting market size · NARI median job cost · Houzz painting-specific share",
      "why": "Market-size estimates are not painting-specific; NARI's cost survey behind the NAR report is not published per project; the 2026 Houzz & Home study reports overall renovation participation without a painting line."
    }
  ]
}