Exterior House Painting cost: Lowell vs Quincy (2026)
Exterior house painting costs about the same in Lowell and Quincy in 2026 — roughly $3,750 in each.
Lowell MA
Typically around $3,750
Quincy MA
Typically around $3,750
Lowell vs Quincy: full breakdown
| Factor | Lowell | Quincy |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,750 | $3,750 |
| Estimated range | $2,150–$5,350 | $2,150–$5,350 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×1.16 | ×1.16 |
| Climate zone | Cold | Cold |
| Climate factor | ×1.02 | ×1.02 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,650 | $2,650 |
| Materials/equipment | $1,100 | $1,100 |
These are 2026 planning figures for exterior house painting, localized to each city — not formal quotes.
Basically a tie — focus on the contractor
Neither metro has a cost edge on exterior house painting — spend your decision-making energy on the contractor, not the location.
Exterior house painting by type: Lowell vs Quincy
Every exterior house painting type gets its own localized price for each metro, using the same labor, climate and permit adjustments — a true apples-to-apples comparison.
| Type | Lowell | Quincy |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $2,000–$4,750 | $2,000–$4,750 |
| Wood siding | $2,250–$5,350 | $2,250–$5,350 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,600–$6,050 | $2,600–$6,050 |
| Stucco | $2,600–$5,950 | $2,600–$5,950 |
| Brick | $2,950–$6,500 | $2,950–$6,500 |
Treat these as 2026 localized estimates for exterior house painting, not quotes from a contractor.
Exterior house painting by home size: Lowell vs Quincy
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 | Lowell | Quincy |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,800–$4,150 | $1,800–$4,150 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $2,150–$5,350 | $2,150–$5,350 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,600–$6,500 | $2,600–$6,500 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $3,550–$8,300 | $3,550–$8,300 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $4,500–$10,100 | $4,500–$10,100 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $5,350–$11,850 | $5,350–$11,850 |
Localized 2026 planning estimates — not quotes. Each city adjusts the national exterior house painting range for local labor, climate and permits.
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.
Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro · about 23% above the US average installer wage.
Boston-Cambridge-Newton 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
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?
Most of a paint quote is labor and prep, not paint. Our editors on where the money should go.
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
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.
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.
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.
Lowell vs Quincy
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Lowell or Quincy?
exterior house painting costs about the same in both — roughly $3,750 in each city.
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Quincy than Lowell?
The main driver is local labor rates: Quincy's labor index is 1.16 versus 1.16 in Lowell. Climate zone (cold vs cold) also shift the total.
How much is exterior house painting in Lowell, MA?
Expect to pay $2,150 to $5,350 for exterior house painting in Lowell in 2026, averaging around $3,750.
Do painting pros really charge more in one city?
Real wage data backs this up — skilled installers earn roughly $38.4/hr in Boston-Cambridge-Newton compared with $38.4/hr in Boston-Cambridge-Newton (BLS OEWS). Labor is about 70% of a exterior house painting job, so that wage gap is what mostly drives the price difference.
When is the cheapest time to buy exterior house painting — and does it differ by city?
The best window is the same in both Lowell and Quincy: 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?
There's no cost argument here between Lowell and Quincy — they're a wash. Focus on contractor reputation, project scope, equipment tier and timing.
Compare exterior house painting in other cities
Updated June 2026 · By Serhat Özçelik