Cost guide
How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost? What Homeowners Spent
Homeowners who remodeled a kitchen spent a median of $8,000 per project, and $16,960 on average, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 American Housing Survey. Owners reported about 4,965,000 kitchen remodeling projects for the two years before their 2023 interview, both jobs done by a contractor and do-it-yourself work; the median and the average are taken over the projects that had a cost above $0. Half of the projects cost less than the median and half cost more; the average is higher because a smaller number of projects cost far more than the rest, which pulls it up. This is the latest official survey the Census Bureau has published, so these are what owners actually paid in 2021 to 2023, not 2026 quotes.
What a kitchen remodel cost homeowners
Spending per kitchen remodeling project, owner-occupied homes, United States, projects in the two years before the 2023 survey. Contractor and do-it-yourself projects together. The median and average cover projects with a cost above $0; the project count covers every project.
| Measure | Kitchen remodeling | Margin of error (90%) |
|---|---|---|
| Median spending per project | $8,000 | ±$1,019 |
| Average (mean) spending per project | $16,960 | ±$1,311 |
| Projects in two years (all, including any at no cost) | 4,965,000 | ±242,000 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Housing Survey, Table C-16-OO, released September 25, 2024.
Editorial scope and methodology
Scope: What owner-occupants in the United States reported spending on kitchen remodeling projects in the two years before their 2023 American Housing Survey interview. Not a price list, and not a quote for any one kitchen.
Method: Median and mean spending per project (projects that cost more than $0) and the number of projects (all projects) are copied from the Census Bureau's 2023 American Housing Survey, Table C-16-OO (Home Improvement Costs, owner-occupied units, United States), "Remodeling: Kitchen" row, with the margins of error the Census Bureau publishes at the 90% confidence level. The values were read from the Table Creator estimate column of the Census Bureau's 2023 table specification workbook on November 10, 2026. Nothing is adjusted for inflation, region, size or finish level, because the survey does not publish those splits.
Sources checked
- U.S. Census Bureau: AHS Table Creator, 2023 Home Improvement Costs (Table C-16-OO)American Housing Survey 2023, released September 25, 2024 (revised January 22, 2025). Remodeling, kitchen: median and mean spending per project and number of projects.
- U.S. Census Bureau: AHS 2023 Table Specifications and PUF Estimates for User Verification (Excel)The workbook the figures were read from, sheet "Home Improvement Costs", column "Table Creator estimate". Last modified January 22, 2025.
- U.S. Census Bureau and HUD: AHS Subject Definitions and Table Index, 2015 to 2023 (PDF)Definition of "Remodeling" quoted on this page. Last updated June 2025.
Kitchen remodel cost compared with other home projects
The same survey and table, so the three rows are measured the same way.
| Project | Median per project | Average per project |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodeling | $8,000 | $16,960 |
| Bathroom remodeling | $5,000 | $9,322 |
| All home improvement projects | $2,000 | $6,181 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Housing Survey, Table C-16-OO, released September 25, 2024.
What these numbers include, and what they leave out
The American Housing Survey asks homeowners which improvement projects they did in the last two years and what each one cost. The Census Bureau and HUD define remodeling as "Home improvement work that is not routine maintenance and results in substantial changes to a room. Excludes decorating work such as adding or changing wall treatments or furnishings." (AHS Subject Definitions and Table Index: 2015 to 2023, last updated June 2025). Owners were asked about kitchen and bathroom remodeling only.
The figures mix projects done by a professional with do-it-yourself projects, and they cover owner-occupied homes only. The survey does not publish kitchen costs by size, finish level, region or ZIP code, so this guide does not either. Prices may have changed since 2021 to 2023, and the figures are not adjusted for inflation.
Adding a new kitchen as part of a room addition is a different row in the same table. It is not used here because it counts far fewer projects, so its estimate is much less precise.
Using the figures to plan a kitchen budget
Use the median as a reference point, not a target
Half of the kitchen projects owners reported cost less than $8,000 and half cost more. Where your kitchen falls depends on its scope, so a written quote for your own scope is the number to plan around.
Price the job you are planning
Get two or three written quotes for the same scope, and list cabinets, countertops, appliances, flooring, electrical and plumbing as separate lines so you can compare them.
Keep a contingency
Opening walls and floors in an older kitchen can turn up wiring, plumbing or subfloor work nobody quoted. Decide in advance how much you would set aside for it.
Check permits
Moving plumbing, gas or electrical circuits usually needs a permit and inspection. Ask your local building department before work starts.
Planning a bathroom too?
The same Census survey reports what owners spent on bathroom remodels, measured the same way.
See bathroom remodel costsPlan this project
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