Exterior House Painting cost: Hillsboro vs Medford (2026)
Budget-wise, exterior house painting in Hillsboro ($3,450) runs 5% more than in Medford ($3,300), a roughly $150 spread.
Hillsboro OR
Typically around $3,450
Medford OR
Lower costTypically around $3,300
Hillsboro vs Medford: full breakdown
| Factor | Hillsboro | Medford |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,450 | $3,300 |
| Estimated range | $1,950–$4,900 | $1,900–$4,700 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×1.09 | ×1.04 |
| Climate zone | Mixed | Mixed |
| Climate factor | ×1 | ×1 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,400 | $2,300 |
| Materials/equipment | $1,050 | $1,000 |
Treat these as 2026 localized estimates for exterior house painting, not quotes from a contractor.
How much should this gap actually matter?
A 5% difference on exterior house painting is minor — you'll typically see a wider spread just from getting multiple quotes in the same city, so don't let location drive the decision.
Exterior house painting by type: Hillsboro vs Medford
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 | Hillsboro | Medford |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $1,850–$4,350 | $1,750–$4,150 |
| Wood siding | $2,050–$4,900 | $2,000–$4,700 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,400–$5,550 | $2,300–$5,300 |
| Stucco | $2,400–$5,450 | $2,300–$5,200 |
| Brick | $2,700–$5,950 | $2,600–$5,750 |
Treat these as 2026 localized estimates for exterior house painting, not quotes from a contractor.
Exterior house painting by home size: Hillsboro vs Medford
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 | Hillsboro | Medford |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,650–$3,800 | $1,550–$3,650 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $1,950–$4,900 | $1,900–$4,700 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,400–$5,950 | $2,300–$5,750 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $3,250–$7,600 | $3,150–$7,300 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $4,100–$9,250 | $3,950–$8,850 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $4,900–$10,850 | $4,700–$10,400 |
Treat these as 2026 localized estimates for exterior house painting, not quotes from a contractor.
What painting pros earn in each metro
Roughly 70% of what you pay for exterior house painting is labor, which is why local wages explain most of the price gap. The numbers below are actual metro wages for skilled installers, sourced from BLS OEWS — not guesses.
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metro · about 12% above the US average installer wage.
No BLS metro wage series for Medford; we use Oregon 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
Summer's exterior-painting rush is really a weather requirement, not a preference, and prices reflect it. Interior work has no such requirement, making the trade's quiet winter months the cheapest time to book it.
What are you really paying for in a paint job?
A painting bid can look cheap and still deliver a bad result, because the number rarely reflects the prep behind it. Here's how our editors think about it.
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 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 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.
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.
Hillsboro vs Medford
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Hillsboro or Medford?
Yes — Hillsboro costs more. Expect around $3,450 for exterior house painting there against $3,300 in Medford, about $150 (5%) apart in 2026.
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Hillsboro than Medford?
It comes down to labor: Hillsboro indexes at 1.09 against Medford's 1.04. The mixed-vs-mixed climate difference adds to the gap.
How much is exterior house painting in Hillsboro, OR?
exterior house painting in Hillsboro runs $1,950–$4,900 as of 2026 — most jobs land near $3,450.
When is the cheapest time to buy exterior house painting — and does it differ by city?
The best window is the same in both Hillsboro and Medford: Winter for interior; dry spring/fall for exterior, when demand drops and installers discount to keep crews busy — typically 10–20% (interior, off-season) off peak pricing. The most expensive time anywhere is an emergency replacement during mid-summer (exterior peak).
Should I choose where to live based on exterior house painting cost?
Not really — the $150 gap is one-time, and smart timing and tighter quotes in Hillsboro 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