Free calculator
Price per Square Foot Calculator
Free price per square foot calculator for homes, plus what a square footage error does to the price per foot.
Use the same kind of figure for every home you compare, usually above-grade finished area.
What if the size is wrong? Enter the measured or corrected figure.
Result
Price per square foot
$229.73/ sq ft
$425,000 ÷ 1,850 sq ft
At the actual 1,720 sq ft
$247.09/ sq ft
+$17.36 per sq ft (+7.6%)
- Size difference
- −130 sq ft (−7.0%)
- Difference at the stated $/sq ft
- −$29,864.86
Price per square foot is a comparison figure, not a valuation. Compare homes of similar size, age and location, measured the same way.
How it's calculated
Price per square foot = price ÷ square feet. $425,000 ÷ 1,850 sq ft = $229.73 per sq ft. If the home is really 1,720 sq ft, the same price is $247.09 per sq ft, 7.6% more than it looked.
How to use the price per square foot calculator
Enter the price and the square footage. The result is the price per square foot. To see what a wrong size does, enter the actual square footage too: the calculator shows the price per foot at that size, how much higher or lower it is, and what the size difference is worth at the stated price per foot. Clear the third field if you only need the basic figure.
Which square footage should you use?
The answer depends on the square footage, so use the same kind for every home. Appraisals and most comparisons use above-grade finished area, measured to the outside of the walls, with garages, unfinished space and below-grade rooms left out. A listing may use a different figure, and county records may be older still. Before comparing two homes, check that both numbers measure the same thing.
How a size error changes the price per foot
A $425,000 home listed at 1,850 sq ft:
| Actual size | vs. listed | Price per sq ft | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,942.5 sq ft | 5% larger | $218.79 | −4.8% |
| 1,850 sq ft | As listed | $229.73 | – |
| 1,757.5 sq ft | 5% smaller | $241.82 | +5.3% |
| 1,720 sq ft | 7% smaller | $247.09 | +7.6% |
| 1,665 sq ft | 10% smaller | $255.26 | +11.1% |
An overstated size hurts more than an understated one helps: a home 10% smaller than listed costs 11.1% more per foot. At the listed $229.73 per foot, the 130 sq ft gap between 1,850 and 1,720 is about $29,865 of floor area. That's a way to size the gap, not a measure of lost value; see the square footage difference calculator for more.
Comparing two homes
| Home | Price | Square feet | Price per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | $425,000 | 1,850 | $229.73 |
| B | $389,000 | 1,620 | $240.12 |
Home B costs $36,000 less but about $10 more per square foot. That doesn't make it a worse buy (it may have a bigger lot or newer kitchen), but it tells you where to look.
Using price per square foot well
- Compare homes of similar size, age and condition in the same area. Bigger homes usually have a lower price per foot.
- Use recent sale prices for comparisons, not asking prices.
- Keep finished basements, garages and outbuildings out of the square footage, or include them for every home.
- Treat a figure far from the neighborhood's typical range as a question to ask, not an answer.
If you doubt the listed size, check it. FloorFigures measures the floor plan for free, applies ANSI Z765-style rules, and its compare tab puts the measured figure next to the listed or county size with the difference and price per foot. The verification guide explains the other sources to check.
Updated · FloorFigures
Questions
- How do you calculate price per square foot?
- Divide the price by the square footage. A $425,000 home with 1,850 square feet is $425,000 ÷ 1,850 = $229.73 per square foot. Use the same kind of square footage for every home you compare, usually the above-grade finished area.
- Does price per square foot include the basement?
- Usually not. Most home comparisons use above-grade finished area, the figure appraisers call gross living area, and report finished basement space separately. Some listings fold the basement in, which makes the price per foot look lower. Check what each figure includes before comparing.
- What happens to price per square foot if the square footage is wrong?
- If a home is smaller than listed, you're paying more per square foot than it appeared. A $425,000 home listed at 1,850 square feet looks like $229.73 per foot; if it's really 1,720, it's $247.09 per foot, 7.6% more. A 10% overstatement raises the real price per foot by about 11%.
- Why do bigger homes have a lower price per square foot?
- Some of a home's value doesn't grow with size: the lot, the kitchen, bathrooms and systems cost about the same whether the house is large or small. Spread over more square feet, those fixed parts make each foot cost less. That's why price per square foot is most useful between homes of similar size.
- Is price per square foot a good way to value a home?
- It's a quick comparison, not a valuation. Condition, location, lot, layout, age and updates all move value, and appraisers adjust comparable sales for those differences rather than multiplying by an average price per foot. Use it to spot outliers and ask questions.
Skip the typing. Measure the plan.
Open the floor plan in FloorFigures and every room is measured for you, with the same math per room. Try it free on a sample plan; nothing is uploaded.