Exterior House Painting cost: Aurora vs Peoria (2026)
Aurora runs 25% higher than Peoria for exterior house painting — expect around $3,750 in Aurora against $3,000 in Peoria, a difference of about $750.
Aurora IL
Typically around $3,750
Peoria IL
Lower costTypically around $3,000
Aurora vs Peoria: full breakdown
| Factor | Aurora | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,750 | $3,000 |
| Estimated range | $2,150–$5,300 | $1,700–$4,250 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×1.16 | ×0.93 |
| Climate zone | Cold | Cold |
| Climate factor | ×1.02 | ×1.02 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,650 | $2,100 |
| Materials/equipment | $1,100 | $900 |
Exterior house painting numbers here are 2026 planning ranges, adjusted per city — useful for budgeting, not a substitute for an actual quote.
Is the price difference a dealbreaker?
A 25% gap is meaningful on a project this size — about $750. That's real money, but it's often within reach of off-season timing and a tighter apples-to-apples bid in Aurora.
Exterior house painting by type: Aurora vs Peoria
Below, each exterior house painting option is priced independently for both cities, with identical local labor, climate and permit logic applied — so the comparison holds up.
| Type | Aurora | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $2,000–$4,700 | $1,600–$3,800 |
| Wood siding | $2,250–$5,300 | $1,800–$4,250 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,600–$6,000 | $2,100–$4,850 |
| Stucco | $2,600–$5,900 | $2,100–$4,750 |
| Brick | $2,950–$6,500 | $2,350–$5,200 |
Treat these as 2026 localized estimates for exterior house painting, not quotes from a contractor.
Exterior house painting by home size: Aurora vs Peoria
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 | Aurora | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,750–$4,150 | $1,400–$3,300 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $2,150–$5,300 | $1,700–$4,250 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,600–$6,500 | $2,100–$5,200 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $3,550–$8,250 | $2,850–$6,650 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $4,500–$10,050 | $3,600–$8,050 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $5,300–$11,800 | $4,250–$9,500 |
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.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro · about 23% above the US average installer wage.
No BLS metro wage series for Peoria; we use Illinois regional price parity instead.
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
Exterior paint needs dry weather (50–85°F), so summer is peak and priciest. Interior work has no weather limit, and winter is the trade's slow season — the cheapest time to book.
What are you really paying for in a paint job?
Paint is the smallest line item in a painting budget — prep and labor are where the real cost sits. Our editors on where to actually spend.
The timing case
Winter is dead season for interior painters, and the good crews will take your rooms then at a rate they won't quote in July. Exterior work runs the opposite calendar — it needs dry, mild days, so hold it for spring or fall. Paint rolled onto a cold or damp wall never cures right, and you end up paying for the job twice.
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
Two coats over primer is the honest standard; one-coat bids hide thin coverage. Confirm coats and primer in writing so a "lower" price isn't just less paint on the wall.
Where a crew spends its hours decides how the job ages: sanding, patching and caulking up front, then full coats over primer. Time the interior work for winter and the exterior for dry weather, and the finish holds for years instead of months.
Aurora vs Peoria
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Aurora or Peoria?
In 2026, exterior house painting is cheaper in Peoria at about $3,000, versus $3,750 in Aurora — a difference of about $750 (25%).
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Aurora than Peoria?
Labor rates explain most of it — 1.16 in Aurora vs 0.93 in Peoria. A cold climate versus cold accounts for the rest.
How much is exterior house painting in Aurora, IL?
In Aurora, exterior house painting typically runs $2,150–$5,300 in 2026, with most homeowners paying around $3,750.
When is the cheapest time to buy exterior house painting — and does it differ by city?
No, the seasonal pattern is the same in Aurora and Peoria: book during Winter for interior; dry spring/fall for exterior for about 10–20% (interior, off-season) in savings. Mid-summer (exterior peak) is the priciest stretch in both cities, mostly due to emergency replacements.
Should I choose where to live based on exterior house painting cost?
Not really — the $750 gap is one-time, and smart timing and tighter quotes in Aurora can shrink it. Factors that compound over time, like energy prices and home condition, deserve more weight than a single upfront difference.
Compare exterior house painting in other cities
Updated June 2026 · By Serhat Özçelik