Exterior House Painting cost: Davenport vs Dubuque (2026)
Davenport runs 3% higher than Dubuque for exterior house painting — expect around $3,000 in Davenport against $2,900 in Dubuque, a difference of about $100.
Davenport IA
Typically around $3,000
Dubuque IA
Lower costTypically around $2,900
Davenport vs Dubuque: full breakdown
| Factor | Davenport | Dubuque |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,000 | $2,900 |
| Estimated range | $1,700–$4,250 | $1,650–$4,150 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×0.92 | ×0.9 |
| Climate zone | Cold | Cold |
| Climate factor | ×1.02 | ×1.02 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,100 | $2,050 |
| Materials/equipment | $900 | $850 |
Exterior house painting numbers here are 2026 planning ranges, adjusted per city — useful for budgeting, not a substitute for an actual quote.
Is the gap worth worrying about?
That 3% gap is small — for exterior house painting it's usually less than the spread between two local contractors' quotes, so the metro matters far less than who you hire and when you buy.
Exterior house painting by type: Davenport vs Dubuque
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 | Davenport | Dubuque |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $1,600–$3,750 | $1,550–$3,700 |
| Wood siding | $1,800–$4,250 | $1,750–$4,150 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,050–$4,800 | $2,000–$4,700 |
| Stucco | $2,050–$4,700 | $2,000–$4,600 |
| Brick | $2,350–$5,200 | $2,300–$5,050 |
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 Dubuque
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 | Dubuque |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,400–$3,300 | $1,400–$3,200 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $1,700–$4,250 | $1,650–$4,150 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,050–$5,200 | $2,000–$5,050 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $2,800–$6,600 | $2,750–$6,450 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $3,600–$8,000 | $3,500–$7,800 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $4,250–$9,400 | $4,150–$9,200 |
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
Because exterior paint needs warm, dry conditions, summer bookings are unavoidable and pricier. Interior painting sidesteps that constraint entirely — schedule it in winter, when crews have far less competing work.
What are you really paying for in a paint job?
Strip a paint quote down and most of it is the crew's time and the surface work — the paint in the can is nearly a rounding error. What follows is where that money should actually land.
The timing case
Book interior rooms during the slow winter stretch and you get first-string crews without the summer premium. Outside work can't be pushed against the weather: wait until the siding is dry and temperatures hold, or the coat fails to bond and the whole wall comes back around.
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 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.
A low bid usually buys you less prep and one thin coat, which reads as savings right up until the wall starts showing wear. Ask what surface work is included and how many coats you're getting before you line the totals up against each other.
Davenport vs Dubuque
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Davenport or Dubuque?
Yes — Davenport costs more. Expect around $3,000 for exterior house painting there against $2,900 in Dubuque, about $100 (3%) apart in 2026.
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Davenport than Dubuque?
The main driver is local labor rates: Davenport's labor index is 0.92 versus 0.9 in Dubuque. Climate zone (cold vs cold) also shift the total.
How much is exterior house painting in Davenport, IA?
Davenport homeowners can expect $1,700 to $4,250 for exterior house painting in 2026, with $3,000 the typical number.
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 Davenport and Dubuque, 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?
Probably not. Yes, $100 is a real gap, but it's a one-time cost you can partly offset in Davenport 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