📐 Price Per Square Foot Calculator
Enter price and square footage to calculate price per square foot, and optionally compare two properties.
One division, two answers that can disagree
Price per square foot is the asking price divided by the finished living area, worked out separately for each property and then compared:
price per sq ft = price / square feet
A: 400,000 / 2,000 = $200.00
B: 380,000 / 1,700 = $223.53Those are the defaults, and they show the trap. Property B is $20,000 cheaper on the sticker but $23.53 dearer per square foot. Whichever number you quote, the other one is also true - they answer different questions.
Why the square footage is the argument
- Finished area only. The ANSI standard counts heated, finished space measured to the exterior wall. Garages, unfinished basements and open porches are out.
- Sources disagree. County assessor records, the MLS sheet and an appraiser's measurement routinely differ by 3-5% on the same house. Use one source for both properties or the comparison is noise.
- Small homes always cost more per foot. A kitchen, a furnace and two bathrooms cost the same whether they sit in 1,200 sq ft or 2,400, so the fixed cost is spread over fewer feet.
Frequently asked questions
Does a finished basement count in square footage?
Not in the headline figure - the ANSI standard treats it as below-grade finished area, listed separately, and appraisers value it at a discount, often half the above-grade rate.
Is a lower price per square foot always the better buy?
No. It usually just means a bigger, older or more remote house. A 3,000 sq ft home at $150 needs heating, roofing and taxing across all 3,000 feet.
What is a good price per square foot?
There is no national number - it runs from under $100 in parts of the Midwest to well over $700 in coastal cities. Compare against recent sales within a mile of the property, not a state average.