Exterior House Painting cost: Brentwood vs Memphis (2026)
In 2026, exterior house painting is about 2% more expensive in Brentwood than in Memphis. Most homeowners pay around $3,050 in Brentwood versus $3,000 in Memphis — a gap of roughly $50.
Brentwood TN
Typically around $3,050
Memphis TN
Lower costTypically around $3,000
Brentwood vs Memphis: full breakdown
| Factor | Brentwood | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,050 | $3,000 |
| Estimated range | $1,750–$4,300 | $1,700–$4,300 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×0.96 | ×0.95 |
| Climate zone | Mixed | Mixed |
| Climate factor | ×1 | ×1 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,150 | $2,100 |
| Materials/equipment | $900 | $900 |
These are 2026 planning figures for exterior house painting, localized to each city — not formal quotes.
How much should this gap actually matter?
At 2%, this gap is small enough that it's usually swallowed by normal quote-to-quote variation for exterior house painting — focus on the contractor, not the city.
Exterior house painting by type: Brentwood vs Memphis
We localize each exterior house painting type separately for both metros, applying the same labor, climate and permit adjustments each time, so you're comparing like for like.
| Type | Brentwood | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $1,650–$3,850 | $1,600–$3,800 |
| Wood siding | $1,850–$4,300 | $1,800–$4,300 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,100–$4,900 | $2,100–$4,850 |
| Stucco | $2,100–$4,800 | $2,100–$4,750 |
| Brick | $2,400–$5,300 | $2,400–$5,250 |
Treat these as 2026 localized estimates for exterior house painting, not quotes from a contractor.
Exterior house painting by home size: Brentwood vs Memphis
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 | Brentwood | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,450–$3,350 | $1,450–$3,350 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $1,750–$4,300 | $1,700–$4,300 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,100–$5,300 | $2,100–$5,250 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $2,900–$6,750 | $2,850–$6,650 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $3,650–$8,150 | $3,600–$8,100 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $4,300–$9,600 | $4,300–$9,500 |
Exterior house painting numbers here are 2026 planning ranges, adjusted per city — useful for budgeting, not a substitute for an actual quote.
What painting pros earn in each metro
Since labor accounts for around 70% of what a exterior house painting job costs, it's the biggest lever behind any price gap between cities. What you're seeing below is actual BLS metro wage data for skilled installers — not a guess.
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin metro · about 6% below the US average installer wage.
Memphis metro · about 7% below 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 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
A quote that promises 'one coat, done' is usually promising a thin film that telegraphs whatever was underneath. Primer and two finish coats is what holds the color and buries the old wall. Put both in writing; otherwise the cheaper bid is just less product spread further.
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.
Brentwood vs Memphis
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Brentwood or Memphis?
Yes — Brentwood costs more. Expect around $3,050 for exterior house painting there against $3,000 in Memphis, about $50 (2%) apart in 2026.
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Brentwood than Memphis?
Labor rates explain most of it — 0.96 in Brentwood vs 0.95 in Memphis. A mixed climate versus mixed accounts for the rest.
How much is exterior house painting in Brentwood, TN?
Expect to pay $1,750 to $4,300 for exterior house painting in Brentwood in 2026, averaging around $3,050.
Do painting pros really charge more in one city?
It's not a myth — BLS data puts installer wages at about $29.4/hr in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin area and $29/hr in Memphis. Given labor is around 70% of a exterior house painting job's cost, that gap explains most of the price spread.
When is the cheapest time to buy exterior house painting — and does it differ by city?
It doesn't vary by location — Winter for interior; dry spring/fall for exterior is the discount window in both Brentwood and Memphis (roughly 10–20% (interior, off-season) off), while mid-summer (exterior peak) tends to be the most expensive in either city.
Should I choose where to live based on exterior house painting cost?
Probably not. Yes, $50 is a real gap, but it's a one-time cost you can partly offset in Brentwood with off-season timing and tighter bids. Long-term factors like energy prices and home condition matter more than this one number.
Compare exterior house painting in other cities
Updated June 2026 · By Serhat Özçelik