Why Drywall Pricing Varies by State
National-average pricing is a useful trend anchor but a poor budget number. The same sheet of drywall can run 30%+ in metropolitan California or New York vs. 10% below the national midpoint in rural Southeast markets. Three drivers do most of the work: regional labor and energy cost, state and local code requirements (deeper footings, hurricane wind specs, seismic provisions), and proximity to producer plants or quarries.
Each state page uses our indicative national-average pricing dataset (refreshed quarterly) adjusted by the state-level multiplier from our regional adjustment table, then broken down to metro level using population-weighted price tiers.
State-by-State Quick Reference
The table below lists each covered state's midpoint per sheetof drywall, its metro range, and the state-level adjustment vs. the national midpoint. Click through to any state for the per-metro breakdown, code factors, supplier directories, and FAQs:
| State | Midpoint | Metro Range | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $15.60 | $14.82 – $17.94 | 30% |
| Texas | $12.60 | $12.60 – $13.86 | 5% |
| Florida | $13.20 | $13.20 – $15.18 | 10% |
| New York | $15.00 | $13.50 – $19.50 | 25% |
| New Jersey | $14.40 | $13.68 – $15.84 | 20% |
How Code Requirements Reshape Drywall Pricing
Code is the single biggest non-labor cost driver on drywallpricing. Florida's hurricane code mandates concrete-block construction and epoxy-coated rebar within a mile of the coast — driving Florida material demand 2-3x a comparable mid-Atlantic build. California's Title 24, CalGreen, and seismic provisions stack 5-15% on every project. New Jersey's mandatory 36-inch footing depth statewide drives 25-40% more concrete on perimeter footings vs. the IRC default. New York's Local Law 97 is starting to push embodied-carbon premiums on commercial concrete. Each state page captures the code factors that shape pricing in that jurisdiction.
How AceCalc Builds Per-State Pricing
National-average pricing comes from our published methodology — a curated dataset combining USGS, FRED, NRMCA, ASTM-spec retail baselines, and industry directory pricing surveys. State adjustments come from a regional multiplier table that incorporates Bureau of Labor Statistics regional labor cost indices, state-level energy (diesel) prices, code overlay incidence (HVHZ, seismic design category, frost depth, energy code stringency), and producer-density factors. Metro-level multipliers within each state are population-weighted and benchmarked against the state's largest metro to capture within-state spread (which can run 30%+ in big states like New York and California).
More States Coming
We're publishing programmatic state pricing pages in waves. v1 (live now) covers the 5 highest-population states. Phase 2 (planned Q3 2026) adds the next 10 states by population. If you'd like your state prioritized, email us.
Calculate Drywall for Your Project
Once you have your state-level pricing, use our Drywall Calculator to estimate quantity and apply the relevant state adjustment.
Related Pages
- Concrete prices by state
- Gravel prices by state
- Asphalt prices by state
- Pavers prices by state
- Pricing methodology & sources
Written by Daniel McCarney — AceCalc