Average Romex® Wire Price

180-day market: price lists from 2 yards. As of 3/19/2026.
$2.48/ lb -$0.45 (10.8%)
GT = Gross Ton (2240 lbs)
Avg: $2.48
Lowest price $2.20
Highest price$2.75Who pays the most? ⟶
How to read a yard's offer
  • Low (up to $2.20): Floor price, typically for small loads.
  • Mid ($2.48): A fair deal for standard quantities.
  • High ($2.75+): Top-dollar rate. Offered for large commercial loads or by the most competitive buyers.
52-week price range
Over the past year, prices ranged from $1.55 to $3.05.
Mar '25Jun '25Sep '25Dec '25Today
Market response to COMEX pricing
Spread vs. exchange (180-day avg): ~53.3% (-$2.83/lb). Typical spread for this grade: 40%–59%
✓ Scrap yards are offering fair market rates
Market snapshot
Downward trend. Prices have been falling over the past week.
Pricing verified from 2 live board rates today.

Top Scrap Yards Buying Romex® Wire in Texas

Don't just dump your heavy electrical wire at the first yard you see. Compare the facilities below to see who offers the best rates for Romex® Wire in Texas. Make sure to call ahead to confirm their current scale prices and grading rules, as national averages fluctuate with the COMEX spot market.

💼 Scrap yard owners: Post your buy prices and get more customers
By price
By date
Updated 2 days ago

Astro City Scrap Metal

Listed as: #1 Insulated (Romex)
4530 N Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77018 Get Directions
$2.75 / lb
Updated 32 days ago

Cleveland Recycling Inc.

Listed as: INS# 1 ROMEX WIRE
25068 TX-321 Get Directions
$2.20 / lb

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Romex® Wire vs. Other Insulated Copper Grades

The #1 rule at scrap yards: if you mix grades, they’ll weigh everything at the lowest rate. See the price gap below — if you have higher-value metal, always sort and weigh each grade separately to avoid leaving money on the table.

Sort separately
#1 Insulated Wire Based on 4 scrap yards
Avg price:$2.53 / lb How to sort?
Mix it with Romex® Wire?They’ll pay $2.48 for all of it
Loss if not sorted:-$0.05 per lb
Trend (30d): -5.0%
Price analytics
MCM & Industrial Cable Based on 1 scrap yards
Avg price:$3.70 / lb
Trend (30d): -8.0%
Price analytics
THHN Wire Based on 1 scrap yards
Avg price:$3.50 / lb
Trend (30d): -4.3%
Price analytics
Coax & Heliax Cable Based on 1 scrap yards
Avg price:$2.25 / lb
Trend (30d): -3.1%
Price analytics
Telecom & Data Wire Based on 1 scrap yards
Avg price:$2.00 / lb
Trend (30d): -3.5%
Price analytics
Wire Harnesses Estimated U.S. prices
Avg price:$1.67 / lb
Trend (90d): +4.8%
Price analytics
#2 Insulated Wire Based on 4 scrap yards
Avg price:$1.34 / lb
Trend (30d): +9.0%
Price analytics
Jelly Wire Estimated U.S. prices
Avg price:$1.03 / lb
Trend (6m): +4.9%
Price analytics
Armored Cable (BX) Based on 1 scrap yards
Avg price:$0.95 / lb
Trend (30d): +2.6%
Price analytics
#3 Insulated Wire (Low Grade) Based on 2 scrap yards
Avg price:$0.60 / lb
Trend (30d): 0.0%
Price analytics
Christmas Lights Based on 1 scrap yards
Avg price:$0.50 / lb
Trend (30d): 0.0%
Price analytics
Computer Wire Estimated U.S. prices
Avg price:$0.43 / lb
Trend (30d): 0.0%
Price analytics

Romex® Wire Price Trends & History

This chart shows where the market is headed. If the line is climbing, prices are rising — you might get a better deal in a few days. If it’s dropping, don’t wait: sell today before yards lower their buy prices further.

Romex® Wire: Scrap Yard Price vs. World Market (COMEX)

Avg scrap yard price

$2.48
Scrap metal dealers
Spread: -$2.83/lb
vs. exchange

World market price (COMEX)

$5.3003
✓ For 99.9% pure refined metal
💡 Why is the scrap yard price lower than the exchange? The COMEX price is the global benchmark for 99.99% pure refined metal traded in large institutional contracts. The gap between COMEX and what you pocket is the yard’s margin — it covers sorting, cleaning, transport to the mill, and protects them against sudden price drops.

Romex® Wire: Spread vs. Exchange — Monthly History

Analyst take: This month’s average spread between scrap yard prices and the world market for Romex® Wire is 53.3%. That’s in line with the typical range for this grade (50%–56%). Local yards are offering fair market rates. Check offers in your area ↑
PeriodWorld price (per lb)Scrap yard price (per lb)Spread vs. exchange
March 2026 (current)$5.764324$2.89-$2.87 (49.9%)
February 2026$5.880136$3.04-$2.84 (48.2%)
January 2026$5.894887$3.00-$2.90 (49.1%)
December 2025$5.497742$2.76-$2.74 (49.8%)
November 2025$5.064033$2.62-$2.45 (48.3%)
October 2025$5.050242$2.47-$2.58 (51%)
September 2025$4.662367$2.38-$2.28 (48.9%)
August 2025$4.477984$2.32-$2.16 (48.1%)
July 2025$5.482645$2.25-$3.23 (59%)
June 2025$4.883233$2.38-$2.50 (51.2%)
May 2025$4.686194$2.55-$2.13 (45.5%)
April 2025$4.654267$2.42-$2.24 (48.1%)
March 2025$4.919484$2.78-$2.14 (43.5%)
February 2025$4.558107$2.74-$1.82 (40%)
January 2025$4.269774$2.47-$1.80 (42.2%)
December 2024$4.157855$2.50-$1.66 (40%)
November 2024$4.199383$2.52-$1.68 (40%)
October 2024$4.431839$2.61-$1.83 (41.2%)
September 2024$4.292683$2.52-$1.77 (41.2%)
August 2024$4.121839$2.37-$1.75 (42.5%)
July 2024$4.375242$2.46-$1.92 (43.8%)
June 2024$4.491083$2.44-$2.05 (45.7%)
May 2024$4.75471$2.72-$2.04 (42.9%)
April 2024$4.363717$2.54-$1.82 (41.8%)
March 2024$3.983645$2.39-$1.59 (40%)
February 2024$3.801776$2.28-$1.52 (40%)
January 2024$3.811306$2.29-$1.52 (40%)
December 2023$3.871226$2.32-$1.55 (40%)
November 2023$3.720817$2.23-$1.49 (40%)
October 2023$3.609306$2.16-$1.45 (40.3%)
September 2023$3.759833$2.19-$1.57 (41.6%)
August 2023$3.776097$2.27-$1.51 (40%)
July 2023$3.8455$2.31-$1.54 (40%)
June 2023$3.804983$2.28-$1.52 (40%)
May 2023$3.751484$2.25-$1.50 (40%)
April 2023$4.007367$2.40-$1.60 (40%)
March 2023$4.02821$2.33-$1.70 (42.1%)
February 2023$4.06475$2.44-$1.63 (40%)
January 2023$4.115113$2.47-$1.65 (40%)
December 2022$3.820726$2.28-$1.54 (40.3%)
November 2022$3.674017$2.14-$1.54 (41.8%)
October 2022$3.430419$2.06-$1.37 (40%)
September 2022$3.455283$2.07-$1.38 (40%)
August 2022$3.616468$2.17-$1.45 (40%)
July 2022$3.4195$2.05-$1.37 (40%)
June 2022$4.118667$2.47-$1.65 (40%)
May 2022$4.257274$2.55-$1.70 (40%)
April 2022$4.649533$2.79-$1.86 (40%)
March 2022$4.707694$2.83-$1.88 (40%)
February 2022$4.502304$2.70-$1.80 (40%)
January 2022$4.4345$2.66-$1.77 (40%)
December 2021$4.332226$2.55-$1.78 (41.2%)
November 2021$4.367567$2.60-$1.77 (40.4%)
October 2021$4.432371$2.66-$1.77 (40%)
September 2021$4.2864$2.49-$1.80 (42%)
August 2021$4.302984$2.58-$1.72 (40%)
July 2021$4.492625$2.61-$1.88 (41.9%)

Romex® Wire Scrap Price History — Daily Data

A day-by-day market snapshot in exact numbers. Every day we aggregate buy prices from local scrap yards, recording the average, low, and high. Use this table to track real price movement over recent days.

DateAvg price (per lb)ChangeRange (Low/High)
3/19/2026$2.75 / lb-$0.20$2.75 - $2.75
3/15/2026$2.95 / lb-$0.05$2.95 - $2.95
3/12/2026$3.00 / lb+$0.05$3.00 - $3.00
3/4/2026$2.95 / lb-$0.10$2.95 - $2.95
3/1/2026$3.05 / lb+$0.05$3.05 - $3.05
2/25/2026$3.00 / lb+$0.05$3.00 - $3.00
2/17/2026$2.95 / lb-$0.05$2.95 - $2.95
2/6/2026$3.00 / lb+$0.05$3.00 - $3.00
2/3/2026$2.95 / lb-$0.05$2.95 - $2.95
1/31/2026$3.00 / lb-$0.10$3.00 - $3.00
1/30/2026$3.10 / lb+$0.15$3.10 - $3.10
1/24/2026$2.95 / lb+$0.05$2.95 - $2.95
1/23/2026$2.90 / lb-$0.05$2.90 - $2.90
1/13/2026$2.95 / lb+$0.05$2.95 - $2.95
1/8/2026$2.90 / lb-$0.05$2.90 - $2.90
1/6/2026$2.95 / lb+$0.25$2.95 - $2.95
1/1/2026$2.70 / lb-$0.05$2.70 - $2.70
12/31/2025$2.75 / lb+$0.05$2.75 - $2.75
12/24/2025$2.70 / lb+$0.05$2.70 - $2.70
12/20/2025$2.65 / lb+$0.10$2.65 - $2.65
12/16/2025$2.55 / lb+$0.05$2.55 - $2.55
12/2/2025$2.50 / lb+$0.10$2.50 - $2.50
11/21/2025$2.40 / lb-$0.05$2.40 - $2.40
11/20/2025$2.45 / lb+$0.05$2.45 - $2.45
11/6/2025$2.40 / lb-$0.05$2.40 - $2.40
10/30/2025$2.45 / lb-$0.05$2.45 - $2.45
10/27/2025$2.50 / lb+$0.05$2.50 - $2.50
10/24/2025$2.45 / lb+$0.05$2.45 - $2.45
10/14/2025$2.40 / lb-$0.05$2.40 - $2.40
10/8/2025$2.45 / lb+$0.05$2.45 - $2.45
10/3/2025$2.40 / lb+$0.10$2.40 - $2.40
9/25/2025$2.30 / lb+$0.70$2.30 - $2.30
9/5/2025$1.60 / lb+$0.10$1.60 - $1.60
9/2/2025$1.50 / lb-$0.70$1.50 - $1.50
8/15/2025$2.20 / lb+$0.05$2.20 - $2.20
7/31/2025$2.15 / lb+$0.15$2.15 - $2.15
7/30/2025$2.00 / lb-$0.20$2.00 - $2.00
7/28/2025$2.20 / lb-$0.05$2.20 - $2.20
7/23/2025$2.25 / lb+$0.05$2.25 - $2.25
7/14/2025$2.20 / lb-$0.05$2.20 - $2.20
7/7/2025$2.25 / lb-$0.05$2.25 - $2.25
7/1/2025$2.30 / lb+$0.05$2.30 - $2.30
6/26/2025$2.25 / lb+$0.10$2.25 - $2.25
6/11/2025$2.15 / lb-$0.05$2.15 - $2.15
6/6/2025$2.20 / lb-$0.05$2.20 - $2.20
6/5/2025$2.25 / lb+$0.10$2.25 - $2.25
6/2/2025$2.15 / lb+$0.05$2.15 - $2.15
5/28/2025$2.10 / lb+$0.10$2.10 - $2.10
4/21/2025$2.00 / lb+$0.05$2.00 - $2.00
4/14/2025$1.95 / lb-$0.45$1.95 - $1.95
3/25/2025$2.40 / lb+$0.15$2.40 - $2.40
1/18/2025$2.25 / lb-$0.10$2.25 - $2.25
10/4/2024$2.35 / lb+$0.25$2.35 - $2.35
8/10/2024$2.10 / lb+$0.05$2.10 - $2.10
8/6/2024$2.05 / lb-$0.10$2.05 - $2.05
8/3/2024$2.15 / lb-$0.05$2.15 - $2.15
7/20/2024$2.20 / lb-$0.05$2.20 - $2.20
6/18/2024$2.25 / lb-$0.05$2.25 - $2.25
6/12/2024$2.30 / lb-$0.05$2.30 - $2.30
6/5/2024$2.35 / lb-$0.05$2.35 - $2.35
5/31/2024$2.40 / lb-$0.15$2.40 - $2.40
5/29/2024$2.55 / lb+$0.05$2.55 - $2.55
5/28/2024$2.50 / lb+$0.15$2.50 - $2.50
4/21/2024$2.35 / lb+$0.40$2.35 - $2.35
10/1/2023$1.95 / lb-$0.15$1.95 - $1.95
3/27/2023$2.10 / lb+$0.20$2.10 - $2.10
12/1/2022$1.90 / lb-$0.40$1.90 - $1.90
12/6/2021$2.30 / lb+$0.08$2.30 - $2.30
9/26/2021$2.22 / lb-$0.13$2.22 - $2.22

The Bread and Butter of Residential Scrap: Romex® Wire

Romex® wire is the absolute king of residential electrical scrap. If you are tearing out old home wiring or cleaning up a new construction site, this non-metallic sheathed cable is going to pile up fast. Right now, our data shows yards are paying between $2.30 and $3.20 per pound nationally. But simply throwing a tangled mess of wire on the scale isn't going to get you the top end of that average. You need to know how buyers grade it and what kills your ticket price.

Prepping Your Wire for the Scale

Romex® typically contains two or three solid copper wires individually insulated, plus a bare solid copper ground wire, all wrapped in a tough outer plastic jacket. Because of that bare ground wire and the high copper recovery rate (usually around 60-65%), it commands a premium over standard #2 Insulated Wire.

Yard Pro Tip: Do not waste hours stripping standard 12-gauge or 14-gauge Romex® by hand unless you have an electric wire stripper built specifically for flat cable. The outer jacket is tough and the inner wires are thin. However, ALWAYS cut off the brass plugs, steel wall boxes, or heavy switches before hitting the scale. A yard will instantly downgrade your pristine Romex® to a low-recovery grade if they see steel boxes attached to the ends!

Don't Downgrade Your High-Yield Wire

The fastest way to lose money at the yard is poor sorting. If you have a pile of highly valuable #1 Insulated Wire (like thick, single-strand THHN) and you toss your Romex® Wire in the same bin, the scale master will downgrade the entire load to the lower Romex® price. That lazy sorting mistake will cost you about $0.38 per pound. Keep your Romex® completely separate from both your #1 wire and your #3 Insulated Wire (Low Grade), which pays significantly less ($0.60 to $1.20/lb). Mixing grades never works in your favor Texas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth stripping Romex® wire for bare bright copper?

It depends on your volume and tools. Stripping Romex® yields Bare Bright copper, which trades much closer to the COMEX spot price (typically unstripped Romex sits about 53.3% below spot). If you have a motorized flat-wire stripper, it is highly profitable. If you are using a razor knife by hand, the time spent usually isn't worth the bump from the $2.60 average price.

Why does Romex® pay better than regular extension cords?

Romex® wire has a much higher copper recovery percentage. Standard extension cords or #3 Insulated Wire (Low Grade) have thicker insulation and multi-stranded, thinner wire, yielding only 30-40% copper. Yards pay based on the expected copper yield after the wire is chopped and processed.

Can I leave the bare ground wire inside the Romex® jacket?

Yes, absolutely. Scrap yards price Romex® factoring in that bare ground wire. You do not need to pull it out. Just make sure there are no steel connectors, staples, or electrical boxes left on the lengths before you sell it in Texas.