Water heater replacement cost = installed price of the heater (by type and size) + venting, gas line or circuit changes + permit and haul-away; a 50 gallon gas tank comes to about $1,850 installed at US-average prices, with a range of $1,400 to $2,400. Of that, roughly $1,350 is the heater and parts and $500 is the plumber's labor. A 40 gallon electric tank is about $1,400, a tankless gas heater with new venting about $3,500 and a heat pump water heater about $3,200.
How the water heater replacement cost is calculated
HomeAdvisor (updated June 2026) and Fixr (January 2026) each publish an installed price range by tank size, by type and by fuel. The calculator takes the 50 gallon range as the base, scales it to your tank size with a factor built from the midpoints of both size tables, and adds the extras as separate lines. Your state's goods prices (BEA) and plumber wages (BLS) then scale the materials and labor parts.
Cost = installed heater price (50 gal base × size factor) + venting + gas line or circuit + expansion tank + permit + haul-away
| Tank size | Installed price range | Size factor |
|---|---|---|
| 30 gallon | $550 to $2,100 | 0.84 |
| 40 gallon | $550 to $2,300 | 0.92 |
| 50 gallon | $700 to $2,500 | 1.00 |
| 75 gallon | $1,100 to $4,000 | 1.48 |
The ranges are the widest of the two surveys, shown for reference; the factors use the midpoint of the average of both. These are survey ranges, not quotes.
Worked example: 50 gallon gas tank
The base price for a 50 gallon gas tank is $1,675 (Fixr's 50 gallon page gives $900 to $2,500, HomeAdvisor's 50 gallon row $800 to $2,500). The permit adds about $85 (HomeAdvisor: $25 to $300) and hauling the old tank away about $100 (Fixr: $50 to $150). Together with the rounding the calculator applies, that is $1,850. The same job in California is about $2,050 and in Texas about $1,750, because plumbers' wages and goods prices differ by state.
50 gallon or 40 gallon: which cost applies
A 40 gallon tank costs about 8% less than a 50 gallon of the same fuel: 40 gallon electric with permit and haul-away is $1,400, and 40 gallon gas about $1,750. Fixr sizes households roughly as 1 to 4 people for a 40 gallon tank and 3 to 5 for a 50 gallon; a 75 gallon (about $2,650 gas) is for 4 to 6 people. Use the tankless water heater size calculator or your fixture count before you pay for capacity you will not use.
Tankless, heat pump and gas vs electric
Tankless costs more up front: about $2,750 with the existing vent and $3,500 with a new power vent or direct vent, because labor is 45% of a tankless job (HomeAdvisor: $600 to $1,900). A heat pump water heater is about $3,200 but uses far less energy; Fixr's 50 gallon page puts yearly energy at $600 to $750 for electric, $325 to $475 for gas and $225 to $350 for hybrid. Electric tanks are cheaper to buy, gas tanks cheaper to run in many homes.
Average cost of a water heater with labor
HomeAdvisor's average replacement is $1,347 and Fixr's $1,400. Labor alone runs $150 to $450 for a tank swap (HomeAdvisor) and $300 to $1,500 across job types (Fixr, 18% to 50% of the total). Switch the calculator to Labor only if you bought the heater: the 50 gallon gas job drops to about $690 (labor plus permit and haul-away), and I install it drops labor to $0 for about $1,350.
What raises the price
Changing fuel or moving the heater needs a new gas line or 240 V circuit: $400 to $1,800 (Fixr). A power vent adds $300 to $1,100 (HomeAdvisor and Fixr). An expansion tank adds $90 to $400. A tight closet, an attic install and a code upgrade all push a job toward the high end.
DIY or a pro
Swapping like for like is possible for a handy person, but gas leaks, carbon monoxide from bad venting and scalding from a wrong temperature setting are real risks, and many jurisdictions require a licensed plumber and a permit for gas appliances. A permit brings an inspection of exactly the parts that hurt people. Ask your building department.
Next questions
Size the heater first with the tankless water heater size calculator, and check the softener you may add with the water softener size calculator. A gas heater needs the gas pipe size calculator answered; an electric one needs the right breaker from the breaker size calculator. If the panel is full, the electrical panel replacement cost calculator prices the upgrade, and the HVAC replacement cost calculator covers the furnace next to it. All estimates are under project costs.
These figures are dated estimates from published national data, adjusted for your state. They are not quotes.