TL;DR: The closest Massachusetts figure is Angi's Boston page: an average of $1,191 to paint a room, with most projects between $433 and $1,733 (updated July 8, 2026). National guides run lower, about $364 to $965, with most people paying around $593 (Thumbtack, updated March 31, 2026). For the walls of a 12x12 room, Homewyse's May 2026 rate of $1.29 to $2.78 per square foot works out to roughly $495 to $1,068. These are market figures, not a quote. Ceilings, trim, repairs and older-home prep move the number, so the real price comes from a walk-through of your room.
Want a real number for your room? Call or text Dave at (774) 217-9567. We look at the walls, ask what you want painted, and write down exactly what the price covers.
"What should one bedroom cost?" is a fair question, and a common one. The trouble is that two painters can both say "one room" and mean very different jobs: walls only in one color, or walls, ceiling, baseboards, door and window casings, with plaster cracks patched first. Below are the market ranges by room size and type, what each surface adds, what changes the price, and how to compare quotes.
What is the average cost to paint a room in Massachusetts?
The closest Massachusetts figure is Angi's Boston page: an average of $1,191, with most projects between $433 and $1,733. National guides put one room lower, at roughly $364 to $965 with a typical price near $593. Angi attributes the higher Boston prices to the area's high cost of living. All of these are market ranges, not a quote.
- Per room, Boston area. Angi's Boston room-painting cost page, updated July 8, 2026, gives an average of $1,191 and a typical range of $433 to $1,733. Its table puts a 12x12 room at $505 to $1,010 and a 10x10 room at $350 to $700, and it lists Boston-area painters at $85 to $100 per hour.
- Per room, national. Thumbtack's cost guide, last updated March 31, 2026, says the national average cost to paint a room ranges from about $364 to $965, and most people pay around $593. Its low end is $177 and its high end $1,952. Angi's national room page, also updated July 8, 2026, puts the average at $1,100, with prices from $200 to $2,000.
- Per square foot of wall. Homewyse's wall painting calculator puts the May 2026 national average at $1.29 to $2.78 per square foot. Its basic scope is light prep (scrape, sand and patch up to 4 defects per 100 square feet), two rolled coats, and cutting in at the trim.
- Per square foot of paintable area. HomeAdvisor's painting cost guide, updated June 17, 2026, says most professional painters charge $2 to $6 per square foot of paintable area.
- Per hour. Thumbtack lists a national average of $60 per hour for interior painters, with a range of $30 to $150. HomeAdvisor gives $20 to $50 per hour and notes some locations pay $75 per hour or more.
The spread is wide because each guide measures a different scope, so the scope matters more than the headline number. Angi says its city pages start from national averages and apply local price index data, so the Boston figures are adjusted national numbers, not a survey of Massachusetts painters.
How much does it cost to paint a room by size?
Angi's room pages, both updated July 8, 2026, price rooms by floor size. The Boston column runs higher at every size.
| Room size (feet) | Floor area | National (Angi) | Boston area (Angi) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x10 | 100 sq ft | $200 to $600 | $350 to $700 |
| 10x12 | 120 sq ft | $240 to $720 | $420 to $840 |
| 12x12 | 144 sq ft | $290 to $870 | $505 to $1,010 |
| 14x16 | 224 sq ft | $450 to $1,350 | $785 to $1,570 |
| 16x16 | 256 sq ft | $515 to $1,540 | $900 to $1,800 |
Small rooms have a price floor: Angi's ceiling cost page (September 18, 2026) says many contractors charge a minimum project fee of around $150 to $300.
Which rooms cost the most to paint?
Room type changes the price as much as size. Here is how the published figures compare:
| Room | National (Angi) | Boston area (Angi) | HomeAdvisor (typical size) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom | $200 to $400 | $650 to $1,500 | $140 to $420 (70 sq ft) |
| Bedroom | $300 to $750 | $350 to $1,400 | $240 to $720 (120 sq ft) |
| Kitchen | $300 to $750 | $300 to $1,600 | $300 to $960 (160 sq ft) |
| Stairway or hallway | $350 to $450 | $600 to $2,500 | not listed |
| Living room | $900 to $2,000 | $600 to $2,000 | $700 to $2,000 (330 sq ft) |
Sources: Angi's room pages (July 8, 2026) and HomeAdvisor's interior guide (June 17, 2026), which also lists a 300 sq ft dining room at $600 to $1,200.
Bathrooms are small but slow: a painter works around a vanity, toilet, tub and mirror, and Angi's guide on what painters charge (September 11, 2026) notes that pros may bill tight spaces like bathrooms hourly. A straight hall and a two-story stairwell are very different jobs, which explains the wide stairway range; see painting hallways and stairs.
How much does it cost to paint a 12x12 room?
Using Homewyse's May 2026 national rate, the walls of a 12x12 room with 8-foot ceilings come to roughly $495 to $1,068. That is our arithmetic on a published national rate, before subtracting doors and windows, and it covers walls only. For comparison, Angi's Boston table puts a 12x12 room at $505 to $1,010.
To redo it for your room, multiply the perimeter by the ceiling height, then by the rate:
- 12x12 room, 8-foot ceilings: 48 feet of wall times 8 feet is 384 square feet of wall. At $1.29 to $2.78, that is about $495 to $1,068.
- 10x10 room, 8-foot ceilings: 40 feet of wall times 8 feet is 320 square feet. At the same rate, about $413 to $890.
- Taller ceilings: a 12x12 room with 9-foot ceilings has 432 square feet of wall, so the same rate gives about $557 to $1,201.
What is the labor cost to paint a 12x12 or 10x10 room?
Labor is most of the price. HomeAdvisor's June 2026 guide breaks a professional's total cost into 85 percent labor and 15 percent paint and supplies. Applied to the wall ranges above, labor is roughly $421 to $907 for a 12x12 room and $351 to $756 for a 10x10.
A note on hourly rates: Angi's Boston $85 to $100 per hour is well above national ranges, yet its Boston average room is only about 8 percent above its national average ($1,191 against $1,100, our arithmetic), so compare quotes by scope, not by an hourly number. For pay context, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data for May 2025 show Massachusetts painters earn a mean $30.81 an hour, against $26.64 nationally (BLS). That is a wage, not a billed rate, which also covers overhead, insurance, materials handling and profit.
What drives the labor hours in a room:
- Prep. Filling nail holes, sanding patches, caulking gaps at the trim and spot-priming repairs. Homewyse's basic scope allows up to one hour of prep per 200 square feet. A wall with more damage than that takes longer.
- Coats. Two coats is the standard most guides assume. A big color change, especially light over dark, can need a primer and more. Our post on the one-coat paint myth explains why, and painting over dark colors covers the hard cases.
- Cutting in. Every edge where a wall meets the ceiling, trim or a different color is brushed by hand. Rooms with many windows and doors take longer than open walls.
Walls only, or walls, ceiling and trim?
Adding the ceiling and trim raises the price noticeably. HomeAdvisor lists ceiling painting at $150 to $350 and trim at $1 to $3 per linear foot, so a 12x12 room's 48 feet of baseboard adds roughly $48 to $144 before door and window casings. Angi's Boston page runs higher: $1.25 to $3 per square foot for a ceiling and $3 to $5.35 per linear foot for baseboard and trim.
Stacking those national figures on the Homewyse wall range, a 12x12 room with walls, ceiling and baseboards lands somewhere around $693 to $1,562. That combines two guides, but it shows how "paint the room" can mean twice the work of "paint the walls."
The same 12x12 room surface by surface, with 8-foot ceilings and one door. The last column is our arithmetic on Angi's published rates.
| Surface | Quantity | National rate | Boston-area rate | 12x12 at those rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walls | 384 sq ft of wall | $1 to $2 per sq ft | $2 to $3.50 per sq ft | $384 to $768 national; $768 to $1,344 Boston |
| Smooth ceiling | 144 sq ft | $1 to $3 per sq ft | $1 to $3 per sq ft | $144 to $432 |
| Baseboard | 48 linear ft | $1 to $3 per linear ft | $3 to $5.35 per linear ft | $48 to $144 national; $144 to $257 Boston |
| Door and frame | 1 | $75 to $150 each | no Boston figure | $75 to $150 |
Sources: Angi's national interior guide (October 14, 2026) and Boston interior page (August 4, 2026) for walls and ceiling; Angi's room pages (July 8, 2026) for baseboard; Angi's door page (October 7, 2026) for the door. Line items and room averages come from different tables and won't add up to the room-size figures; use them to see which surfaces carry the cost. A ceiling alone averages $250 nationally ($200 to $500) on Angi's ceiling page.
- Walls only. Fine when the ceiling and trim are still in good shape.
- Walls and ceiling. Worth it when the ceiling has yellowed or has old water stains, which need a stain-blocking primer first. If you are thinking about color overhead, see the painted ceiling trend.
- Walls, ceiling and trim. The full refresh. Trim usually takes a harder, more durable finish than walls, so it is a separate product and separate labor. More on that in painting trim and crown moulding.
- An accent wall. Angi's interior guide says adding an accent wall increases a room budget by 20 to 30 percent.
What changes the price of painting one room?
Two rooms of the same size can be priced hundreds of dollars apart. These are the drivers we see most in MetroWest rooms, with the published market figure for each.
| What changes | Market figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wall repairs (cracks, water damage, peeling) | Drywall repair $300 to $1,000 (Boston); $300 to $900, about $600 average (national) | Angi room pages, Jul 8, 2026 |
| Sanding and patching | $0.50 to $0.75 per sq ft | Angi interior guide, Oct 14, 2026 |
| Plaster repair | Per sq ft: holes $22, cracks $30, crumbling $70, sagging $80, water damage $100, mold $120; minimum charge $50 to $100 | Angi plaster repair, Jul 9, 2026 |
| Popcorn ceiling removal | $3 to $7 per sq ft (Boston); $1 to $6 per sq ft (national) | Angi popcorn pages, Feb 26 and Sep 29, 2026 |
| Asbestos test before removal | $483 average; most pay $231 to $776 | Angi asbestos testing, Sep 24, 2026 |
| Wallpaper removal | Bedroom (200 sq ft) $120 to $600; about $535 for a 12x12 room at $3 per sq ft | Angi wallpaper and interior pages |
| Extra coat (dark to light) | $50 to $70 per 300 to 400 sq ft of wall, per coat | Angi room page, Jul 8, 2026 |
| Textured walls | Up to 50% more | Angi interior guide, Oct 14, 2026 |
| Ceiling over 10 feet | Adds $100 to $500; vaulted ceilings $2 to $6 per sq ft | Angi ceiling page, Sep 18, 2026 |
| Moving furniture | $25 to $50 an hour extra labor (national); Boston movers $90 to $110 an hour per mover | Angi room pages, Jul 8, 2026 |
Popcorn ceilings and asbestos testing
At Angi's Boston rate of $3 to $7 per square foot, removing the popcorn from a 12x12 room's 144 square feet of ceiling is roughly $432 to $1,008 (our arithmetic). Test before anyone scrapes. Angi's popcorn removal guide says that if your home was built before 1980, your popcorn ceilings may contain asbestos. The EPA lists "textured paint and patching compounds used on walls and ceilings" among home products that may contain asbestos, and EPA banned spray-applied surfacing materials in 1978 for purposes not already banned. EPA also says you generally can't tell by looking, that taking samples yourself is not recommended, and not to sand or scrape suspect materials. A test runs $231 to $776 on Angi's asbestos testing page; if it is positive, Angi's Boston page puts abatement at $5 to $21 per square foot, a separate job from painting. More in our popcorn ceiling removal cost guide.
Wallpaper, glossy paint and season
Wallpaper removal often uncovers wall repair; Angi's wallpaper page (September 29, 2026) puts minor repair after removal at $100 to $500. See painting over wallpaper or removing it. Old glossy or oil-based trim adds prep time: Benjamin Moore's Regal Select data sheet says "glossy areas should be dulled." On timing, the guides disagree: Angi's national guide favors late fall or winter, its Boston page late spring through early fall, and HomeAdvisor says painters may have more off-season availability. None gives a seasonal price difference, so we won't quote one. The same data sheet calls for a surface temperature of 50 to 90°F. See painting interiors in winter.
Why can a room in an older Massachusetts house cost more?
Older houses usually need more prep, and prep is labor. Statewide, 66.2 percent of Massachusetts homes were built before 1980, against 48.1 percent nationally, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates on Census Reporter. In our area, 72.6 percent of Framingham homes and 71.9 percent of Holliston homes were built before 1980, against 35.5 percent in Hopkinton, according to ACS 2020-2024 estimates on Census Reporter.
In a room of that age we often find:
- Plaster walls with hairline cracks and patches from several decades, which need repair before paint. See plaster wall repair before painting.
- Old oil-based trim that needs a bonding primer before a water-based finish will hold. See painting over oil-based paint in older homes.
- Lead paint rules. Any home built before 1978 falls under lead-safe rules when a paid contractor disturbs painted surfaces, per the EPA's RRP program page, which lists Massachusetts among the states that run their own program. The Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards says paid work in pre-1978 housing that disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface per room inside must be carried out by a lead-safe renovation contractor. Six square feet is a small area, about the size of a 2-by-3-foot patch. Homewyse's estimate excludes lead testing and remediation, so an online calculator will not show that cost. Our Massachusetts lead paint guide explains what applies.
What is a fair price to paint a room?
A fair price is one that matches a written scope you can check. If the number sits inside the published market range and the quote says exactly what is painted, how many coats, what prep and which paint, it is a fair basis for comparison.
Before you compare two quotes, ask each painter the same five questions:
- Which surfaces are included? Walls, ceiling, baseboards, door and window casings, closet interior.
- How many coats, and is primer included? Spot-prime only, or a full primer coat for a color change.
- What prep is included? Hole filling, sanding, caulking, and what happens if they find plaster cracks.
- Which paint, by brand and line? We use Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams, and the product line changes the price as much as the brand.
- Who moves furniture, and what is protected? Floors, fixtures and anything left in the room. What you can do ahead is in how to prepare your home for painters.
A price far below the market range usually means prep or the second coat was dropped. For payment terms, see painting deposits and payment schedules in Massachusetts. For a whole floor or a whole house, the per-room math changes, and our cost to paint a 2,000 square foot house and Massachusetts house painting cost guide cover that.
How does Paint Pro New England price a room?
Dave works with each homeowner on the price. After a free estimate in your home, he builds a price around your room: the surfaces you want painted, the condition of the walls and ceiling, the prep they need, and the paint. Paint Pro is an expert painter, not a bargain shop: thorough prep and premium Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams paints, priced for the work your room actually needs. You get the price in writing, with the scope spelled out, before any work starts.
To get yours, request a free, no-obligation estimate or call or text Dave at (774) 217-9567.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost to paint a room in Massachusetts?
Angi's Boston page, updated July 8, 2026, puts the average cost to paint a room at $1,191, with most projects between $433 and $1,733; national guides such as Thumbtack run lower, at about $364 to $965.
How much does it cost to paint a 12x12 room?
The walls of a 12x12 room with 8-foot ceilings measure about 384 square feet, which at Homewyse's May 2026 national rate of $1.29 to $2.78 per square foot comes to roughly $495 to $1,068.
What is the labor cost to paint a 10x10 room?
HomeAdvisor's June 2026 guide puts labor at 85 percent of a professional painting bill, which on a 10x10 room's 320 square feet of wall works out to roughly $351 to $756 at Homewyse's national rate.
Does the price to paint a room include the ceiling and trim?
Often it does not, so ask: HomeAdvisor lists ceiling painting at $150 to $350 and trim at $1 to $3 per linear foot, and many room prices cover the walls only unless the quote says otherwise.
Which room costs the most to paint?
By Angi's Boston figures from July 2026, stairways and hallways have the widest range at $600 to $2,500, living rooms run $600 to $2,000, and bathrooms $650 to $1,500 despite their small size.
Should a popcorn ceiling be tested before it is removed?
Yes, test before anyone scrapes it: Angi says popcorn ceilings in homes built before 1980 may contain asbestos, and EPA says you generally can't tell by looking. Angi puts an asbestos test at $231 to $776, with a $483 national average.
What is a fair price to paint a room?
A fair price falls within the published market range and comes with a written scope listing the surfaces, number of coats, prep work, paint brand and line, and who moves the furniture, so you can compare quotes line by line.
The bottom line
Angi's Boston figures put one room at about $433 to $1,733, national guides at $364 to $965, and 12x12 walls at roughly $495 to $1,068 on a national per-foot rate. Room type, the ceiling and trim, wall condition, a popcorn ceiling or wallpaper, a color change and the age of your house decide where your room lands, so get the scope in writing before you compare numbers.
Paint Pro New England paints rooms across Holliston, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley and the rest of our 18 MetroWest towns with Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams paints. We are fully insured, including workers' compensation, every job carries our 2-year warranty, and we have more than 60 five-star reviews on Houzz. See what our interior painting in Holliston and interior painting in Framingham include, or find your town on our Holliston area page.
For an actual number on your room, request a free, no-obligation estimate at paintpronewengland.com/contact, or call or text Dave at (774) 217-9567.
Dave Griffiths
Dave Griffiths is the owner of Paint Pro New England, a professional painting company serving MetroWest Boston since 2011. With 15+ years of interior and exterior painting experience across the region, he leads every project with thorough prep, premium Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams paints, and a 2-year warranty.
