Exterior House Painting cost: Aloha vs Gresham (2026)
Aloha and Gresham are a near-perfect match on exterior house painting cost in 2026, both landing around $3,450.
Aloha OR
Typically around $3,450
Gresham OR
Typically around $3,450
Aloha vs Gresham: full breakdown
| Factor | Aloha | Gresham |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,450 | $3,450 |
| Estimated range | $1,950–$4,900 | $1,950–$4,900 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×1.09 | ×1.09 |
| Climate zone | Mixed | Mixed |
| Climate factor | ×1 | ×1 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,400 | $2,400 |
| Materials/equipment | $1,050 | $1,050 |
These are 2026 planning figures for exterior house painting, localized to each city — not formal quotes.
No real cost edge either way
The two metros are effectively a wash for exterior house painting — pick on contractor quality and timing, not location.
Exterior house painting by type: Aloha vs Gresham
Every exterior house painting type gets its own localized price for each metro, using the same labor, climate and permit adjustments — a true apples-to-apples comparison.
| Type | Aloha | Gresham |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $1,850–$4,350 | $1,850–$4,350 |
| Wood siding | $2,050–$4,900 | $2,050–$4,900 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,400–$5,550 | $2,400–$5,550 |
| Stucco | $2,400–$5,450 | $2,400–$5,450 |
| Brick | $2,700–$5,950 | $2,700–$5,950 |
All figures are 2026 localized planning estimates for exterior house painting — get an actual quote before you commit.
Exterior house painting by home size: Aloha vs Gresham
Exterior painting is priced by the siding area, which tracks home size and the number of stories. Expect roughly $1–$4 per square foot of wall area; prep — scraping, sanding, and washing — often costs as much as the paint itself.
| Size | Aloha | Gresham |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,650–$3,800 | $1,650–$3,800 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $1,950–$4,900 | $1,950–$4,900 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,400–$5,950 | $2,400–$5,950 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $3,250–$7,600 | $3,250–$7,600 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $4,100–$9,250 | $4,100–$9,250 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $4,900–$10,850 | $4,900–$10,850 |
Localized 2026 planning estimates — not quotes. Each city adjusts the national exterior house painting range for local labor, climate and permits.
What painting pros earn in each metro
With labor making up about 70% of a exterior house painting job, wage differences between metros do most of the work here. These figures are real BLS OEWS installer wages, not modeled estimates.
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metro · about 12% above the US average installer wage.
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metro · about 12% above the US average installer wage.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metro wages for HVAC installers (used as a trade-labor index).
Cheapest time for exterior house painting in either city
Summer is peak season for exterior painting because the weather demands it, and prices follow demand. Interior painting isn't weather-dependent at all, which makes it the cheapest job to book in a slow winter month.
What are you really paying for in a paint job?
Two bids on the same room can differ by half, and the gap is almost never the paint itself — it's how much prep and how many coats each one includes. Here's what separates a finish that holds from one that doesn't.
The coverage case
One-coat quotes win on price by putting less paint on the wall, and you see the difference within months as the old color ghosts through. The defensible standard is primer plus two finish coats. Get coat count and primer named in the contract so a lower number can't quietly mean thinner coverage.
The prep-first case
Surface prep — patching, sanding, caulking, washing — is most of a lasting finish. A bid that's cheap because it skips prep will peel within a year. Pay for the prep, not the brand name.
The timing case
Interior work in the trade's slow winter season catches the best crews at the best price. Save exterior jobs for dry weather — rushing paint onto a damp or cold wall guarantees a redo.
Two numbers matter more than the total: how many hours go into prep and how many coats land on the wall. Get both right — real surface work, primer under two finish coats, timed to the season — and the result outlasts anything you'd save on the cheapest quote.
Aloha vs Gresham
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Aloha or Gresham?
Practically identical — expect around $3,450 for exterior house painting whichever city you're in.
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Gresham than Aloha?
The main driver is local labor rates: Gresham's labor index is 1.09 versus 1.09 in Aloha. Climate zone (mixed vs mixed) also shift the total.
How much is exterior house painting in Aloha, OR?
Aloha homeowners can expect $1,950 to $4,900 for exterior house painting in 2026, with $3,450 the typical number.
Do painting pros really charge more in one city?
Real wage data backs this up — skilled installers earn roughly $34.9/hr in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compared with $34.9/hr in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro (BLS OEWS). Labor is about 70% of a exterior house painting job, so that wage gap is what mostly drives the price difference.
When is the cheapest time to buy exterior house painting — and does it differ by city?
Timing doesn't change by city here — Winter for interior; dry spring/fall for exterior is the cheapest window in both Aloha and Gresham, saving roughly 10–20% (interior, off-season). Avoid mid-summer (exterior peak) in either location, when emergency replacements push prices up.
Should I choose where to live based on exterior house painting cost?
There's no cost argument here between Aloha and Gresham — they're a wash. Focus on contractor reputation, project scope, equipment tier and timing.
Compare exterior house painting in other cities
Updated June 2026 · By Serhat Özçelik