Cost per square foot calculator
Enter a price and a floor area for up to four homes. The calculator divides one by the other, in dollars per square foot and per square metre, charts the homes side by side with the lowest picked out, and can add the latest US median for new homes as a reference.
Cost per square foot
- $ft²
- $ft²
- $ft²
The median is the U.S. Census Bureau's for new single-family houses sold in 2025, and it leaves out the value of the lot, so it is not directly comparable with a price that includes the land. Compare homes whose areas were measured the same way.
Home A, price per ft²
$229.73
- 1. Home A
- $230/ft²
- 2. Home B
- $243/ft²
- 3. Home C
- $213/ft²
Price per ft²
- Home A$230
- Home B$243
- Home C$213
- US median$155
US median: new single-family houses sold in 2025, lot excluded (U.S. Census Bureau).
Floor areas to scale
The formula
- Price per square foot = price ÷ floor area in ft².
- Per square metre: price ÷ floor area in m², or the price per ft² × 10.7639 (1 m² = 10.7639 ft²).
- Compare like with like: the lowest price per ft² is the most floor for the money, not necessarily the better buy. Location, lot, age and condition all sit inside the same number.
Worked example
Home A is listed at $425,000 for 1,850 ft²: 425,000 ÷ 1,850 = $229.73 per ft², or $2,472.79 per m². Home B is $389,000 for 1,600 ft², $243.13 per ft². Home C is $510,000 for 2,400 ft², $212.50 per ft²: the dearest house is the cheapest per square foot, 7.5% less than Home A, because it is the biggest. Whether those extra 550 ft² are worth $85,000 to you is the real question the number helps you ask.
| Floor area | Per ft² | Per m² |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 ft² (92.9 m²) | $400.00 | $4,305.56 |
| 1,500 ft² (139.4 m²) | $266.67 | $2,870.38 |
| 2,000 ft² (185.8 m²) | $200.00 | $2,152.78 |
| 2,500 ft² (232.3 m²) | $160.00 | $1,722.23 |
| 3,000 ft² (278.7 m²) | $133.33 | $1,435.19 |
Getting a fair comparison
- Check what the area counts. Listings may include or leave out a finished basement, a bonus room or an enclosed porch. Compare homes measured the same way; the ANSI Z765 method reports finished above-grade area and lists any finished basement apart. See how to calculate square footage.
- Small homes tend to cost more per ft². A kitchen, bathrooms and the heating plant are needed whatever the size, so the same price spread over more floor gives a lower rate, as the table shows.
- Land is in the price. Two identical houses on different lots can differ by a lot per ft². The Census median leaves the lot out for that reason.
- Use it for a project too: a renovation quote divided by the floor area it covers gives a rate to compare between contractors, as long as they quote the same scope.
Measure it yourself
A floor plan settles what the area really is. Draw the house in FloorGen and every room's inside area is on the plan; the total is the figure to divide by. How big is 1,000 sq ft shows what a given area holds.
Questions
How do I calculate cost per square foot?
Divide the price by the floor area in square feet. A $350,000 home of 1,750 ft² is $200 per ft².
What is the average price per square foot of a new house?
For new single-family houses sold in the US in 2025, the Census Bureau's median was $154.79 per ft², not counting the lot. It ranged from $144.89 in the South to $229.55 in the Northeast.
Is a lower price per square foot always better?
No. Bigger homes usually cost less per ft², and a low figure can mean an older house, a worse location or work to do. Use it to compare similar homes in the same area.
How do I convert price per square foot to price per square metre?
Multiply by 10.7639. $200 per ft² is $2,152.78 per m². To go the other way, divide by 10.7639.
Should I include the garage?
Not in the living area. A garage is usually listed apart from the living space, and counting it makes a home look cheaper per ft² than it is. Whatever you choose, do the same for every home you compare.