Price Per Square Foot Calculator
Turn a property price and size into a per-square-foot figure.
Results update as you type.
How it works
Price per square foot is the single most common yardstick real estate agents, appraisers, and buyers use to compare homes that differ in size. A price per square foot calculator takes a property's asking price and its finished floor area and divides one by the other, producing a rate that strips away the distortion of raw price. A $400,000 home and an $800,000 home tell you little on their own, but knowing one costs $200 per square foot and the other $250 reveals which is priced more richly for what you actually get. The measure matters because square footage is the closest thing real estate has to a universal unit. Reducing every listing to a cost per square foot lets you line up properties across a neighbourhood, judge whether an asking price is ambitious or fair, and spot outliers worth a second look. Appraisers lean on it heavily when selecting comparable sales, and sellers use it to position a home against nearby competition. The calculation works because dividing price by area normalises size out of the equation, the same way price per ounce normalises grocery packaging. It is not a complete valuation, since it ignores lot size, condition, layout, and location within a market, but it is the fastest, most widely understood screen available. Always compare per-square-foot figures within the same area and property type, because the benchmark shifts dramatically between markets.
Price per square foot = property price ÷ square feet
Dividing the total price by the finished floor area distributes the cost evenly across every square foot, converting one large headline number into a rate you can compare directly. Because the rate is independent of a home's overall size, a compact condo and a sprawling house become directly comparable. A higher figure signals a more expensive market, premium finishes, or a desirable location, while a lower figure points to relative value or a property that may need work.
Source:Standard real estate formula
We review all our tools from time to time to ensure accuracy.
Worked example
How to use this calculator
- 1
Enter your values
Enter property price and square feet.
- 2
Adjust the options
Fine-tune any options to match your situation.
- 3
Read your result
Price per square foot updates instantly as you type — no button to press.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good price per square foot?
There is no universal number because the figure depends entirely on the local market. A price that is a bargain in a coastal city might be steep in a rural town. What matters is how a property compares to recent sales of similar homes in the same neighbourhood. Pull several comparable listings, compute their per-square-foot rates, and judge your target against that local range rather than any national average.
Should I include unfinished space in the square footage?
Generally no. Standard practice counts finished, heated living area and excludes unfinished basements, garages, attics, and outdoor spaces. Including them would inflate the size and understate the true price per square foot, making comparisons misleading. To keep figures consistent, use the same finished-area definition across every property you compare, ideally the gross living area reported on listings or appraisals rather than a rough estimate.
Why do two similar homes have different prices per square foot?
Price per square foot captures only size, so everything else it ignores shows up as a difference. A renovated kitchen, a better lot, a garage, a superior view, or simply a smaller home spreading fixed costs like the kitchen and bathrooms over fewer feet can all move the rate. Smaller homes often show a higher per-square-foot figure because their expensive rooms are divided across less total area.
Is price per square foot enough to value a home?
No, it is a screening tool rather than a full appraisal. It ignores lot size, condition, age, layout, location within a neighbourhood, and market timing, all of which materially affect value. Use it to sift listings quickly and flag properties that look overpriced or underpriced, then dig into a proper comparable-sales analysis on the finalists before making an offer or setting a listing price.
How do builders and buyers use this figure differently?
Buyers use price per square foot to compare existing homes and judge whether an asking price is reasonable against nearby sales. Builders and those pricing new construction think in cost per square foot to build, covering materials and labour, then add land and profit. The two figures answer different questions, so a construction cost per square foot should not be compared directly against a resale market price per square foot.