Across 8 jurisdictions the middle one files a median of $5,000, and 5 of them land within a quarter of that. The gap in the headline is between Chicago and Corona — a difference between cities, not a range to expect inside one.

Within a single city the spread is wider still. New Orleans runs from $1,400 at the tenth percentile to $18,054 at the ninetieth, 12.9× end to end, while Sacramento is the tightest at 3.3×. That is the number worth carrying into a conversation with a contractor: a quote outside your own city's range is worth asking about, and a quote outside another city's tells you nothing.

8 of these 8 jurisdictions cleared 60 permits, which is the bar this site sets before a city may hold either end of a comparison. The rest are shown because their own page is worth reading, not because they are precise enough to headline.

Full numbers

City	10%	Median	90%	Permits
Chicago, IL	$1,500	$5,000	$9,837	624
New Orleans, LA	$1,400	$5,000	$18,054	497
Marin County, CA	$2,000	$5,000	$10,733	254
Everett, WA	$1,763	$5,000	$17,377	74
Sacramento, CA	$2,461	$4,000	$8,000	1,012
Baton Rouge, LA	$1,000	$3,250	$10,000	171
Kansas City, MO	$1,500	$3,000	$7,535	410
Corona, CA	$1,500	$3,000	$5,000	123

Declared permit values, last 24 months. Updated 2026-09-24. Methodology.