Exterior House Painting cost: Davenport vs Des Moines (2026)
Davenport runs 2% lower than Des Moines for exterior house painting — expect around $3,000 in Davenport against $3,050 in Des Moines, a difference of about $50.
Davenport IA
Lower costTypically around $3,000
Des Moines IA
Typically around $3,050
Davenport vs Des Moines: full breakdown
| Factor | Davenport | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,000 | $3,050 |
| Estimated range | $1,700–$4,250 | $1,750–$4,350 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×0.92 | ×0.94 |
| Climate zone | Cold | Cold |
| Climate factor | ×1.02 | ×1.02 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,100 | $2,150 |
| 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.
Is the price difference a dealbreaker?
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: Davenport vs Des Moines
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 | Davenport | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $1,600–$3,750 | $1,650–$3,850 |
| Wood siding | $1,800–$4,250 | $1,850–$4,350 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,050–$4,800 | $2,100–$4,900 |
| Stucco | $2,050–$4,700 | $2,100–$4,800 |
| Brick | $2,350–$5,200 | $2,400–$5,300 |
Localized 2026 planning estimates — not quotes. Each city adjusts the national exterior house painting range for local labor, climate and permits.
Exterior house painting by home size: Davenport vs Des Moines
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 | Davenport | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,400–$3,300 | $1,450–$3,350 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $1,700–$4,250 | $1,750–$4,350 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,050–$5,200 | $2,100–$5,300 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $2,800–$6,600 | $2,900–$6,750 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $3,600–$8,000 | $3,650–$8,200 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $4,250–$9,400 | $4,350–$9,650 |
Exterior house painting numbers here are 2026 planning ranges, adjusted per city — useful for budgeting, not a substitute for an actual quote.
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 prep-first case
The finish that lasts is built before the first coat goes on — washing, sanding glossy spots, patching nail holes, caulking gaps. Skip that and the paint releases from the wall within a season, no matter whose can it came from. A bid comes in low mostly by cutting the prep hours, so read that line before you read the brand line.
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 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.
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.
Davenport vs Des Moines
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Davenport or Des Moines?
Davenport wins on price: exterior house painting runs about $3,000 there versus $3,050 in Des Moines, a gap of roughly $50 (2%) as of 2026.
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Des Moines than Davenport?
It comes down to labor: Des Moines indexes at 0.94 against Davenport's 0.92. The cold-vs-cold climate difference adds to the gap.
How much is exterior house painting in Davenport, IA?
In Davenport, exterior house painting typically runs $1,700–$4,250 in 2026, with most homeowners paying around $3,000.
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 Davenport and Des Moines (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?
Rarely. The $50 difference is real but one-time, and you can often close most of it in Des Moines by buying in the off-season and getting tighter, apples-to-apples bids. Ongoing factors — energy prices, climate and home condition — matter more over the life of the system.
Compare exterior house painting in other cities
Updated June 2026 · By Serhat Özçelik