Exterior House Painting cost: Cherry Hill vs Paterson (2026)
Budget-wise, exterior house painting in Cherry Hill ($3,350) runs 10% less than in Paterson ($3,700), a roughly $350 spread.
Cherry Hill NJ
Lower costTypically around $3,350
Paterson NJ
Typically around $3,700
Cherry Hill vs Paterson: full breakdown
| Factor | Cherry Hill | Paterson |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,350 | $3,700 |
| Estimated range | $1,900–$4,750 | $2,100–$5,250 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×1.05 | ×1.16 |
| Climate zone | Mixed | Mixed |
| Climate factor | ×1 | ×1 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,350 | $2,600 |
| Materials/equipment | $1,000 | $1,100 |
These are 2026 planning figures for exterior house painting, localized to each city — not formal quotes.
Is the gap worth worrying about?
That's a real $350 difference (10%) on exterior house painting — worth factoring in, though off-season timing and a tighter quote in Paterson can narrow it.
Exterior house painting by type: Cherry Hill vs Paterson
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 | Cherry Hill | Paterson |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $1,800–$4,200 | $1,950–$4,650 |
| Wood siding | $2,000–$4,750 | $2,200–$5,250 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,300–$5,350 | $2,550–$5,900 |
| Stucco | $2,300–$5,250 | $2,550–$5,800 |
| Brick | $2,650–$5,800 | $2,900–$6,400 |
Exterior house painting numbers here are 2026 planning ranges, adjusted per city — useful for budgeting, not a substitute for an actual quote.
Exterior house painting by home size: Cherry Hill vs Paterson
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 | Cherry Hill | Paterson |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,600–$3,700 | $1,750–$4,050 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $1,900–$4,750 | $2,100–$5,250 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,300–$5,800 | $2,550–$6,400 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $3,150–$7,350 | $3,500–$8,150 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $4,000–$8,950 | $4,400–$9,850 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $4,750–$10,500 | $5,250–$11,600 |
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.
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro · about 7% above the US average installer wage.
New York-Newark-Jersey City metro · about 23% 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
There's a hard weather floor for exterior work (50-85°F), which crowds all that demand into summer. Interior jobs dodge that limit, so winter — when painters are otherwise slow — is when they cost the least.
What are you really paying for in a paint job?
Most of a paint quote is labor and prep, not paint. Our editors on where the money should go.
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.
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
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.
Judge a paint quote by prep and coats, not the headline number. Good prep, two coats over primer and the right season beat a cheap bid every time.
Cherry Hill vs Paterson
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Cherry Hill or Paterson?
Cherry Hill comes out ahead here, at roughly $3,350 for exterior house painting compared with $3,700 in Paterson — a 10% ($350) gap as of 2026.
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Paterson than Cherry Hill?
It comes down to labor: Paterson indexes at 1.16 against Cherry Hill's 1.05. The mixed-vs-mixed climate difference adds to the gap.
How much is exterior house painting in Cherry Hill, NJ?
Cherry Hill homeowners can expect $1,900 to $4,750 for exterior house painting in 2026, with $3,350 the typical number.
Do painting pros really charge more in one city?
Yes — and the wage data shows it. A skilled installer earns about $33.4/hr in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington area versus $38.3/hr around New York-Newark-Jersey City (BLS metro wage data). Since labor is roughly 70% of a exterior house painting job, that wage gap is the biggest reason the installed prices differ.
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 Cherry Hill and Paterson (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?
That would be a stretch. $350 is a one-time difference, not an ongoing one, and off-season buying plus apples-to-apples bids in Paterson 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