The average billboard cost in the US is $73,887 for a four-week campaign and varies based on ad format, circulation, demographics, and impressions. Plan to spend from $750 to $2,000 a month for physical billboard campaigns in rural areas, $1,500–$5,000 in small to midsize cities, and $14,000 and up in larger markets. Digital billboards can cost from $10 per seven-second spot to over $10,000, depending on the billboard’s location, ad duration, and frequency.
How Much Billboards Cost in the US
In the United States, how much a billboard costs is determined by the geographic market, out-of-home (OOH) rating, and whether it’s a physical or digital board. Physical billboards cost from $750 to $14,000 a month (or more, depending on the market). Digital billboards cost as low as $10 a day per 10-second “blip” with Blip Billboards, or for dedicated digital billboards, from $1,200 to over $15,000 per month.
Average Billboard Cost by State
Knowing how much billboard advertising costs will depend on the area you want to advertise in. States with larger markets, such as New York or California, will have much higher billboard prices than areas with smaller and more scattered populations, like Alaska or Kentucky. Click on the interactive map below to find out the average monthly billboard cost by state in 2024.
Note: The prices above are for May 2024; however, they can vary with time.
Billboard Advertising Costs in Representative US Cities at a Glance
Davenport, Iowa | Indianapolis, Indiana | Orlando, Florida | Phoenix, Arizona | Boston, Massachusetts | Los Angeles, California | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Physical Billboard Cost per Month | $250–$10,500 | $572–$118,867 | $350–$154,560 | $450–$247,658 | $910–$204,960 | $280–$322,000 |
Digital Billboard Cost per Month | $350–$10,500 | $572–$118,867 | $350–$154,560 | $450–$247,658 | $910–$204,960 | $280–$322,000 |
Population (May 2024) | 101,724 | 887,642 | 307,573 | 1,608,139 | 675,647 | 3,898,747 |
Data Sources: Billboardsin.com, Data.census.gov
Additional Billboard Expenses
Billboard rental costs aren’t the only expense that goes into how much a billboard costs. Before setting up your billboard, you’ll first need to design and print it. This means you’ll likely need to hire a graphic designer, partner with a billboard printing service, and purchase the materials you need—all of which will require additional costs. That’s why you’ll also need to factor in these expenses to know how much a billboard ad costs.
Here are the other expenses that factor into the overall cost of billboard advertising:
- Design costs: Billboard design costs typically range from a $70 one-time fee with a Fiverr freelancer, or between $150 and $500 per hour, depending on if you choose a freelancer or a professional billboard design agency.
- Materials costs: Vinyl is the standard material used for physical billboard ads, which costs around $1 to $1.50 per square foot.
- Installation cost: This may be included in your monthly rental rate, but check with your provider to confirm.
Factors That Affect Billboard Advertising Costs
As with any other small business advertising strategy, billboard advertising rates are referenced in cost per mille (CPM), or cost per thousand impressions. These are affected by the billboard’s circulation, demographics, and impressions. Together, these factors inform its out-of-home (OOH) rating as determined by Geopath, an audience location measurement tool for outdoor advertising.
Here are the four factors that determine a billboard’s OOH rating:
- Circulation: Circulation is the total volume of traffic that passes the billboard as derived from transportation authorities. The circulation does not take into account whether passersby see your ad.
- Demographics: These are a breakdown by age, gender, and income level of people who typically pass a billboard. Expect to pay more to advertise in locations that reach people with higher income levels.
- Visibility Research: This determines the likelihood that your billboard will be visible to people in the area. This is determined by eye-tracking analysis and the speed at which people pass by your billboard.
- Reach and Frequency: Reach is the likely number of people who actually see your ad, based on the size and location of the billboard. Frequency is the number of times your ad is likely to be seen.
Pros & Cons of Billboard Ads
Billboards can get your brand lots of exposure and communicate a simple, clear message. But on the flip side, they can also be expensive, difficult to read, and inflexible. Along with knowing how much billboards cost, below are some of the biggest pros and cons of billboard advertising to keep in mind before deciding if it’s the best option for your business.
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