Cost comparisons per square foot in select metro markets
By Daryl Delano, Reed Business Information Economist
August 1, 2002
Building Design and Construction
Cost comparisons per square foot in select metro markets
Elementary school
Jr. high school
High school
Vocational school
'02
'01
% chg.
'02
'01
% chg.
'02
'01
% chg.
'02
'01
% chg.
Atlanta
80.28
77.25
3.9
89.20
86.83
2.7
84.63
82.06
3.1
86.06
83.22
3.4
Baltimore
81.98
79.16
3.6
91.09
88.97
2.4
86.42
84.09
2.8
87.89
85.27
3.1
Boston
103.04
99.71
3.3
114.48
112.07
2.2
108.62
105.92
2.6
110.46
107.41
2.8
Chicago
100.35
96.32
4.2
111.50
108.27
3.0
105.78
102.32
3.4
107.58
103.77
3.7
Cleveland
92.02
89.21
3.1
102.24
100.28
2.0
97.00
94.77
2.4
98.64
96.11
2.6
Dallas
76.34
73.61
3.7
84.82
82.74
2.5
80.47
78.19
2.9
81.83
79.30
3.2
Denver
85.39
82.54
3.5
94.87
92.77
2.3
90.01
87.68
2.7
91.54
88.92
2.9
Detroit
95.42
91.73
4.0
106.02
103.10
2.8
100.59
97.44
3.2
102.29
98.82
3.5
Houston
79.12
76.04
4.1
87.90
85.46
2.9
83.40
80.77
3.3
84.81
81.91
3.5
Kansas City
90.23
86.35
4.5
100.25
97.06
3.3
95.11
91.73
3.7
96.72
93.03
4.0
Los Angeles
97.04
93.90
3.3
107.81
105.54
2.2
102.29
99.74
2.6
104.02
101.15
2.8
Miami
76.25
74.22
2.7
84.72
83.42
1.6
80.38
78.84
2.0
81.74
79.95
2.2
Minneapolis
98.65
96.58
2.1
109.60
108.56
1.0
103.99
102.60
1.4
105.75
104.05
1.6
New Orleans
76.61
74.13
3.3
85.12
83.32
2.2
80.75
78.75
2.6
82.12
79.86
2.8
New York City
120.60
116.61
3.4
133.99
131.07
2.2
127.13
123.87
2.6
129.28
125.62
2.9
Philadelphia
99.64
96.58
3.2
110.70
108.56
2.0
105.03
102.60
2.4
106.81
104.05
2.7
Phoenix
80.10
77.34
3.6
89.00
86.93
2.4
84.44
82.15
2.8
85.87
83.31
3.1
Pittsburgh
91.12
87.91
3.7
101.24
98.81
2.5
96.06
93.39
2.9
97.68
94.71
3.1
Portland
94.80
92.51
2.5
105.32
103.98
1.3
99.93
98.27
1.7
101.62
99.66
2.0
St. Louis
92.29
88.95
3.7
102.54
99.98
2.6
97.28
94.49
3.0
98.93
95.83
3.2
San Diego
94.80
91.99
3.1
105.32
103.39
1.9
99.93
97.72
2.3
101.62
99.10
2.5
San Francisco
111.46
106.29
4.9
123.84
119.47
3.7
117.50
112.91
4.1
119.49
114.51
4.3
Seattle
94.44
90.51
4.3
104.93
101.74
3.1
99.55
96.15
3.5
101.24
97.51
3.8
Washington, D.C.
84.67
82.19
3.0
94.07
92.38
1.8
89.26
87.31
2.2
90.77
88.54
2.5
Winston/Salem
67.56
65.46
3.2
75.06
73.57
2.0
71.22
69.54
2.4
72.42
70.52
2.7
NOTE: Costs are for the basic building and do not include sitework, land, development, specialty finishes or equipment. Square foot costs vary significantly from project to project because of quality, complexity and economic climate. For a detailed list of building components included in these figures, see Means Square Foot Costs. For more data, visit R.S. Means on the Web at
www.rsmeans.com, or contact
R.S. Means Co., P.O. Box 800, Kingston, MA 02364, (781) 585-7880, (800) 448-8182.
