What Makes One Billboard Cost More Than Another

Location

Location decides who sees your ad and how many people pass it. A billboard in Times Square costs far more than one in rural Indiana. Prices generally rise closer to cities, where more people live and drive, and freeway boards cost more than boards on quieter highways because they see more traffic.

Three measures shape what a location is worth:

• Circulation. The total number of people who pass the board, in cars or on foot. It counts everyone going by, whether or not they look at the ad.
• Impressions. An estimate of how many people actually see the board, based on its size, visibility and how fast traffic is moving.
• Demographics. Who passes the board by age, gender and income. An audience that matches what advertisers want can raise the price.

Size

Larger billboards cost more to rent. They make more impressions and a bigger impact, and they also cost more to print and install than smaller boards.

Visibility

How easily drivers can read a board has a direct effect on its price:

• Right-hand reads cost more. A board on the right side of the road is closer to drivers and easier to read than a left-hand read.
• Setback boards cost less. A board more than 600 feet from the road is harder to read, so it’s priced lower.
• Very tall boards cost less. Boards 80 to 100+ feet above the road sit outside a driver’s natural line of sight.
• Obstructions lower the price. Trees, signs or buildings that block part of the view make a board less valuable than an unobstructed one.