Exterior House Painting cost: Ankeny vs Davenport (2026)
Budget-wise, exterior house painting in Ankeny ($3,050) runs 2% more than in Davenport ($3,000), a roughly $50 spread.
Ankeny IA
Typically around $3,050
Davenport IA
Lower costTypically around $3,000
Ankeny vs Davenport: full breakdown
| Factor | Ankeny | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,050 | $3,000 |
| Estimated range | $1,750–$4,350 | $1,700–$4,250 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×0.94 | ×0.92 |
| Climate zone | Cold | Cold |
| Climate factor | ×1.02 | ×1.02 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,150 | $2,100 |
| Materials/equipment | $900 | $900 |
Localized 2026 planning estimates — not quotes. Each city adjusts the national exterior house painting range for local labor, climate and permits.
How much should this gap actually matter?
2% is within noise for exterior house painting — contractor selection and timing move the price more than which of these two metros you're in.
Exterior house painting by type: Ankeny vs Davenport
Each exterior house painting option, priced separately for both metros — the same local labor, climate and permit adjustments applied per city, so you can compare like for like.
| Type | Ankeny | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $1,650–$3,850 | $1,600–$3,750 |
| Wood siding | $1,850–$4,350 | $1,800–$4,250 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,100–$4,900 | $2,050–$4,800 |
| Stucco | $2,100–$4,800 | $2,050–$4,700 |
| Brick | $2,400–$5,300 | $2,350–$5,200 |
These are 2026 planning figures for exterior house painting, localized to each city — not formal quotes.
Exterior house painting by home size: Ankeny vs Davenport
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 | Ankeny | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,450–$3,350 | $1,400–$3,300 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $1,750–$4,350 | $1,700–$4,250 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,100–$5,300 | $2,050–$5,200 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $2,900–$6,750 | $2,800–$6,600 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $3,650–$8,200 | $3,600–$8,000 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $4,350–$9,650 | $4,250–$9,400 |
Localized 2026 planning estimates — not quotes. Each city adjusts the national exterior house painting range for local labor, climate and permits.
Cheapest time for exterior house painting in either city
Summer's exterior-painting rush is really a weather requirement, not a preference, and prices reflect it. Interior work has no such requirement, making the trade's quiet winter months the cheapest time to book it.
What are you really paying for in a paint job?
The paint can is almost beside the point. Our editors on what actually drives a painting budget — and where corners get cut.
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.
The prep-first case
Most of a durable coat is what happens to the surface first: filling holes, scuffing old sheen so the paint grips, sealing seams. Premium paint over an unwashed, unsanded wall fails just as fast as the bargain stuff. Spend on the hours a crew puts into the wall, not the label on the bucket.
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 headline price on a painting bid tells you almost nothing — ask about prep and coat count instead. Two coats over primer, done in the right season, consistently outperforms the cheapest quote.
Ankeny vs Davenport
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Ankeny or Davenport?
Davenport wins on price: exterior house painting runs about $3,000 there versus $3,050 in Ankeny, a gap of roughly $50 (2%) as of 2026.
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Ankeny than Davenport?
Labor rates explain most of it — 0.94 in Ankeny vs 0.92 in Davenport. A cold climate versus cold accounts for the rest.
How much is exterior house painting in Ankeny, IA?
Expect to pay $1,750 to $4,350 for exterior house painting in Ankeny in 2026, averaging around $3,050.
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 Ankeny and Davenport, 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?
That would be a stretch. $50 is a one-time difference, not an ongoing one, and off-season buying plus apples-to-apples bids in Ankeny can close a good chunk of it. What matters more long-term is energy costs, climate and the condition of the home.
Compare exterior house painting in other cities
Updated June 2026 · By Serhat Özçelik