Cost guides / Water heater replacement
Water Heater Replacement Cost (2026)
Most homeowners pay $1,430 to $5,160 to replace a 50-gallon gas water heater, installed. The typical price is $2,700. Use the calculator for your state and heater type.
Estimate your cost
Most quotes for this job fall between Low and High.
| Heater and parts | $1,280 |
|---|---|
| Labor (plumber wages, local) | $190 |
| Overhead, profit, haul-away | $1,155 |
| Permit | $75 |
Total price in dollars, for example 2400.
Water heater replacement cost by state
50-gallon gas tank, installed. Labor uses each state's plumber wages (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| State | Low | Typical | High | Plumber wage/hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $1,350 | $2,550 | $4,870 | $28.21 |
| Alaska | $1,590 | $2,990 | $5,740 | $45.15 |
| Arizona | $1,390 | $2,620 | $5,030 | $29.84 |
| Arkansas | $1,290 | $2,430 | $4,650 | $23.39 |
| California | $1,550 | $2,930 | $5,600 | $35.01 |
| Colorado | $1,410 | $2,670 | $5,110 | $30.40 |
| Connecticut | $1,450 | $2,730 | $5,230 | $37.16 |
| Delaware | $1,390 | $2,630 | $5,040 | $31.11 |
| District of Columbia | $1,620 | $3,040 | $5,830 | $48.57 |
| Florida | $1,390 | $2,620 | $5,020 | $25.44 |
| Georgia | $1,380 | $2,610 | $4,990 | $27.50 |
| Hawaii | $1,620 | $3,060 | $5,870 | $37.53 |
| Idaho | $1,360 | $2,560 | $4,900 | $25.18 |
| Illinois | $1,570 | $2,950 | $5,660 | $48.05 |
| Indiana | $1,410 | $2,650 | $5,080 | $36.69 |
| Iowa | $1,320 | $2,490 | $4,770 | $30.72 |
| Kansas | $1,330 | $2,510 | $4,790 | $31.36 |
| Kentucky | $1,370 | $2,590 | $4,950 | $30.84 |
| Louisiana | $1,330 | $2,510 | $4,800 | $30.62 |
| Maine | $1,420 | $2,680 | $5,140 | $30.77 |
| Maryland | $1,490 | $2,810 | $5,370 | $31.44 |
| Massachusetts | $1,500 | $2,820 | $5,420 | $45.14 |
| Michigan | $1,430 | $2,690 | $5,150 | $38.56 |
| Minnesota | $1,500 | $2,830 | $5,430 | $45.39 |
| Mississippi | $1,330 | $2,520 | $4,810 | $26.67 |
| Missouri | $1,380 | $2,600 | $4,970 | $32.11 |
| Montana | $1,420 | $2,660 | $5,110 | $38.44 |
| Nebraska | $1,320 | $2,490 | $4,750 | $29.31 |
| Nevada | $1,390 | $2,610 | $4,990 | $29.62 |
| New Hampshire | $1,440 | $2,720 | $5,210 | $32.12 |
| New Jersey | $1,580 | $2,990 | $5,720 | $37.61 |
| New Mexico | $1,370 | $2,580 | $4,940 | $29.54 |
| New York | $1,580 | $2,980 | $5,720 | $37.26 |
| North Carolina | $1,360 | $2,560 | $4,900 | $27.44 |
| North Dakota | $1,330 | $2,500 | $4,780 | $30.56 |
| Ohio | $1,360 | $2,550 | $4,890 | $30.45 |
| Oklahoma | $1,320 | $2,490 | $4,750 | $27.87 |
| Oregon | $1,590 | $2,990 | $5,740 | $46.66 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,440 | $2,720 | $5,210 | $32.73 |
| Rhode Island | $1,460 | $2,750 | $5,260 | $36.77 |
| South Carolina | $1,350 | $2,550 | $4,880 | $25.93 |
| South Dakota | $1,300 | $2,460 | $4,700 | $24.82 |
| Tennessee | $1,340 | $2,540 | $4,850 | $28.17 |
| Texas | $1,380 | $2,600 | $4,980 | $28.77 |
| Utah | $1,380 | $2,600 | $4,980 | $29.76 |
| Vermont | $1,420 | $2,670 | $5,110 | $29.89 |
| Virginia | $1,420 | $2,690 | $5,150 | $29.07 |
| Washington | $1,560 | $2,930 | $5,620 | $38.96 |
| West Virginia | $1,370 | $2,590 | $4,950 | $27.39 |
| Wisconsin | $1,410 | $2,650 | $5,090 | $39.04 |
| Wyoming | $1,370 | $2,590 | $4,950 | $30.01 |
What homeowners actually paid
We checked this calculator against 173 water heater replacement quotes and invoices that homeowners shared publicly from 2023 to 2026, in 24 states. Older prices were adjusted to 2026 with official construction cost indexes. Their median was $3,000 for a mix of tank, tankless and heat pump water heaters, and 82% of them fell between our Low and High estimates for the same type and state.
Published cost guides we checked put a similar job at about $2,200 (median of 7 guides from 2023-2026), 20% below our typical price. Guides are estimates too, often older or for a smaller scope of work; we follow the quotes homeowners actually shared, and 82% of them fell within our range.
What affects the cost
- Heater type: tankless and heat pump units cost more and take longer to install.
- Code upgrades: an expansion tank, seismic straps or a new T&P valve can add a few hundred dollars.
- Location: attics and tight closets add labor.
- Venting and gas lines: switching to tankless often needs new venting and a larger gas line.
- Your state: plumber wages are $30.67/hr nationally and higher in some states.
Common questions
How long does a water heater replacement take?
A like-for-like tank swap usually takes a plumber a few hours. Tankless conversions can take a full day or more.
Do I need a permit?
Many cities require a plumbing permit for water heater replacement. Your plumber usually pulls it; a typical fee is included in our estimate.
How we calculated this
Heater prices from manufacturer and retailer list prices (checked October 2026), labor hours times plumber wages for your state from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025), contractor overhead and profit from industry financial data, and regional price levels from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. We check the result against verified homeowner quotes. Full methodology · Sources.
Estimates, not quotes. Actual prices depend on your contractor, home and project details.
Changelog
- : Published.
- : Cost model built from 173 verified homeowner quotes (2023-2026), local trade wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025) and material prices checked in October 2026.
Related
HVAC replacement cost · Heat pump installation cost · All cost guides · How we estimate costs