Real building costs, from the owners who paid them.
See what people actually paid for pole barns, barndominiums, and metal buildings across the United States — size, location, year, and total price. Every entry is reviewed before it's published.
101
25
$38.13
100%
The database
Browse real project costs.
Filter by state and building type. Cost per square foot is computed from the owner's reported size and total.
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Data insights
What the database says.
Computed from all 101 verified projects across 25 states — no estimates, no editorializing. Refreshed automatically as new projects are approved.
Cost per square foot, distributed
All 101 verified projects bucketed by $/sqft — most builds cluster near the median; the long right tail is finished interiors.
Reading the spread
- Bare shells anchor the left edge.
- Median $38.13/sqft — typical finished workshop territory.
- The right tail is barndominium-grade interior finish.
Most affordable projects
The ten lowest verified costs per square foot — typically bare shells, owner-managed builds, or low-cost-of-labor states.
| Location | Type | Size | Total cost | $ / sq ft | Built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Searcy, AR | Pole Barn | 30×48 (1,440 sq ft) | $19,000 | $13.19 | 2026 |
| Weatherford, TX | Pole Barn | 50×80 (4,000 sq ft) | $54,500 | $13.63 | 2024 |
| Riverton, WY | Metal Building | 40×60 (2,400 sq ft) | $36,000 | $15.00 | 2025 |
| Caldwell, ID | Pole Barn | 40×60 (2,400 sq ft) | $37,000 | $15.42 | 2023 |
| Lancaster, PA | Post Frame Building | 32×48 (1,536 sq ft) | $24,300 | $15.82 | 2026 |
| Chambersburg, PA | Pole Barn | 40×60 (2,400 sq ft) | $38,000 | $15.83 | 2025 |
| Alma, MI | Pole Barn | 40×60 (2,400 sq ft) | $41,500 | $17.29 | 2025 |
| Mountain Home, AR | Metal Building | 30×40 (1,200 sq ft) | $20,800 | $17.33 | 2025 |
| Cookeville, TN | Pole Barn | 30×40 (1,200 sq ft) | $21,500 | $17.92 | 2022 |
| Sanford, NC | Pole Barn | 40×64 (2,560 sq ft) | $46,200 | $18.05 | 2024 |
Most expensive projects
The ten highest costs per square foot — usually fully finished interiors, barndominiums, or high-cost regions.
| Location | Type | Size | Total cost | $ / sq ft | Built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berthoud, CO | Barndominium | 40×60 (2,400 sq ft) | $468,500 | $195.21 | 2023 |
| Mattoon, IL | Barndominium | 40×50 (2,000 sq ft) | $339,000 | $169.50 | 2026 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | Barndominium | 50×80 (4,000 sq ft) | $657,300 | $164.33 | 2025 |
| Greeley, CO | Barndominium | 40×60 (2,400 sq ft) | $390,100 | $162.54 | 2025 |
| Defiance, OH | Barndominium | 40×60 (2,400 sq ft) | $368,000 | $153.33 | 2025 |
| Lewisburg, PA | Barndominium | 50×80 (4,000 sq ft) | $611,500 | $152.88 | 2024 |
| Sebring, FL | Barndominium | 50×80 (4,000 sq ft) | $609,400 | $152.35 | 2024 |
| Platteville, WI | Barndominium | 30×40 (1,200 sq ft) | $176,000 | $146.67 | 2025 |
| Ionia, MI | Barndominium | 30×40 (1,200 sq ft) | $173,500 | $144.58 | 2024 |
| Bedford, IN | Barndominium | 30×40 (1,200 sq ft) | $169,750 | $141.46 | 2024 |
Largest buildings
The ten biggest footprints in the database. Larger buildings tend to cost less per square foot.
| Location | Type | Size | Total cost | $ / sq ft | Built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cullman, AL | Metal Building | 80×120 (9,600 sq ft) | $214,000 | $22.29 | 2023 |
| Salina, KS | Metal Building | 80×120 (9,600 sq ft) | $227,000 | $23.65 | 2025 |
| Warsaw, IN | Barndominium | 60×70 (4,200 sq ft) | $561,500 | $133.69 | 2024 |
| Weatherford, TX | Pole Barn | 50×80 (4,000 sq ft) | $54,500 | $13.63 | 2024 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | Barndominium | 50×80 (4,000 sq ft) | $657,300 | $164.33 | 2025 |
| Sebring, FL | Barndominium | 50×80 (4,000 sq ft) | $609,400 | $152.35 | 2024 |
| Greensburg, IN | Pole Barn | 50×80 (4,000 sq ft) | $88,500 | $22.13 | 2023 |
| Lewisburg, PA | Barndominium | 50×80 (4,000 sq ft) | $611,500 | $152.88 | 2024 |
| Cleveland, TN | Metal Building | 50×80 (4,000 sq ft) | $133,000 | $33.25 | 2025 |
| Joplin, MO | Metal Building | 50×80 (4,000 sq ft) | $97,000 | $24.25 | 2024 |
Latest submissions
The newest approved projects, fresh from moderation.
| Location | Type | Size | Total cost | $ / sq ft | Built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho City, ID | Metal Building | 40×60 (2,400 sq ft) | $58,520 | $24.38 | 2025 |
| Cadillac, MI | Workshop | 30×40 (1,200 sq ft) | $67,000 | $55.83 | 2025 |
| Conroe, TX | Pole Barn | 30×50 (1,500 sq ft) | $39,500 | $26.33 | 2022 |
| Chillicothe, OH | Workshop | 40×40 (1,600 sq ft) | $70,900 | $44.31 | 2024 |
| Ruston, LA | Pole Barn | 30×48 (1,440 sq ft) | $26,000 | $18.06 | 2024 |
| Weatherford, TX | Pole Barn | 50×80 (4,000 sq ft) | $54,500 | $13.63 | 2024 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | Barndominium | 50×80 (4,000 sq ft) | $657,300 | $164.33 | 2025 |
| Russellville, AR | Horse Barn | 40×60 (2,400 sq ft) | $125,100 | $52.13 | 2021 |
| Kalispell, MT | Workshop | 24×30 (720 sq ft) | $44,000 | $61.11 | 2023 |
| Galesburg, IL | Post Frame Building | 40×60 (2,400 sq ft) | $154,500 | $64.38 | 2021 |
Leaderboards
States and building types, ranked.
Which states report the most projects, and how each building type prices out in practice.
State leaderboard
Every state with verified data — tap a state for its full cost guide.
| # | State | Projects | Median $/sqft | Avg $/sqft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 8 | $27.65 | $39.84 |
| 2 | Florida | 6 | $42.24 | $58.47 |
| 3 | Georgia | 5 | $70.08 | $75.65 |
| 4 | Illinois | 5 | $62.50 | $69.72 |
| 5 | Ohio | 5 | $44.31 | $59.52 |
| 6 | Tennessee | 5 | $27.50 | $32.37 |
| 7 | Colorado | 4 | $107.20 | $108.42 |
| 8 | Iowa | 4 | $42.48 | $54.66 |
| 9 | Idaho | 4 | $32.60 | $36.48 |
| 10 | Indiana | 4 | $88.77 | $85.28 |
| 11 | Kentucky | 4 | $34.61 | $32.96 |
| 12 | Michigan | 4 | $87.58 | $84.26 |
| 13 | Missouri | 4 | $30.85 | $32.77 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 4 | $20.83 | $25.16 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 4 | $25.00 | $54.68 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 4 | $101.12 | $102.77 |
| 17 | Alabama | 3 | $23.33 | $27.36 |
| 18 | Arkansas | 3 | $17.33 | $27.55 |
| 19 | Kansas | 3 | $37.19 | $41.40 |
| 20 | Louisiana | 3 | $18.23 | $19.62 |
| 21 | Minnesota | 3 | $65.97 | $82.58 |
| 22 | Montana | 3 | $42.50 | $43.15 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | 3 | $45.09 | $45.07 |
| 24 | South Carolina | 3 | $25.33 | $30.65 |
| 25 | Wyoming | 3 | $50.74 | $58.14 |
Building type leaderboard
Counts, medians, and typical sizes per building type, from real submissions.
| Type | Projects | Median $/sqft | Avg $/sqft | Median total | Avg size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pole Barn | 31 | $24.58 | $27.26 | $44,700 | 1,937 sq ft |
| Barndominium | 18 | $143.02 | $139.62 | $334,500 | 2,522 sq ft |
| Workshop | 17 | $45.14 | $47.57 | $41,000 | 1,096 sq ft |
| Metal Building | 16 | $24.32 | $30.63 | $75,350 | 3,350 sq ft |
| Post Frame Building | 8 | $34.22 | $37.11 | $42,000 | 1,638 sq ft |
| Horse Barn | 6 | $51.30 | $50.68 | $55,400 | 1,444 sq ft |
| RV Garage | 5 | $41.67 | $38.82 | $31,000 | 880 sq ft |
Wondering how these types stack up for your build? See pole barn vs metal building or pole barn vs barndominium, then model your own project against this data.
How it works
Submitted by owners, checked by us.
The goal is a transparent, spam-free record of what buildings really cost — not a lead-generation funnel.
Someone shares
An owner submits their building type, size, city, total cost, and build year — optionally with a photo and notes.
We review
A moderator checks every submission for plausibility and spam before anything is published. Implausible numbers are rejected.
Everyone benchmarks
Approved entries join the database below — filterable by state and building type, with cost per square foot computed for easy comparison.
Community prices complement our calculator estimates: the calculator models your exact configuration, while this database shows the spread of real-world outcomes — including the site work, change orders, and finish upgrades that estimates can't see. Over time this data also sharpens our state cost guides.
Keep researching
Put these prices in context.
Community entries tell you what people paid. Our state guides and comparisons explain why — labor rates, climate loads, and how building types differ.
Building costs by state
- Alabama $31,680 – $63,360
- Alaska $46,800 – $93,600
- Arizona $35,280 – $70,560
- Arkansas $31,680 – $63,360
- California $44,640 – $89,280
- Colorado $38,160 – $76,320
- Connecticut $41,760 – $83,520
- Delaware $37,440 – $74,880
- District of Columbia $42,480 – $84,960
- Florida $35,280 – $70,560
- Georgia $34,560 – $69,120
- Hawaii $49,680 – $99,360
- All 50 states
FAQ
Common questions.
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Why do similar buildings show very different costs?
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