Cost to replace roof in Philadelphia: 2023 spending
Philadelphia owners paid a median $8,000 for roofing work: $2,000 below the U.S. median, tied for the lowest of 15 big metros (Census Bureau, 2023).
What Philadelphia owners paid
$8,000
This is historical spending: work done in about 2021 to 2023 on owner-occupied homes, reported in the 2023 survey.
Margin of error ±$1,852: at 90% confidence the Philadelphia median lies between $6,148 and $9,852.
How Philadelphia compares
- U.S. median, same work
- $10,000
- Rank, highest first
- Tied at 13 of 15
Philadelphia: $8,000. The lowest of the big metros.
What it covers
Every roofing job owners reported, all roof sizes and materials together: a small roof costs less, a large or steep one more.
The Census category is “Roofing” within “Exterior Additions and Replacements”: what Philadelphia-area homeowners told the Census Bureau they paid, every size of job together.
Before you compare quotes
If your quote is well above $8,000, ask what is in it that the typical job is not. Are tear-off, decking repairs, flashing and disposal included?
Check the roofer’s licence
Pennsylvania requires contractors doing $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year to register with the Attorney General; the number must be on the contract. Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General: home improvement contractor registration (checked 2026-10-07).
Measure your job with the material calculator. Then put the quotes in the matching quote worksheet to see each one's scope beside its price.