Short answer: asphalt wins on upfront cost; metal wins on lifespan and Illinois winters. If you’re on a tighter budget or won’t be in the home long, quality architectural shingles are a smart buy. If you’re staying put and want a roof you buy once, standing seam metal is usually worth the premium. Here’s the honest side-by-side.
Both materials work in Illinois — this isn’t a case where one is right and the other is a mistake. It’s a trade-off between what you spend today and what you get over the next 40 years. Below we lay out cost, lifespan, winter performance, resale, and the noise question, then help you match the choice to your situation.
Quick answer
Choose asphalt for the lowest upfront cost, easy repairs, and strong resale recoup — great if you’re staying 10–15 years or watching the budget. Choose standing seam metal for 40–70 year life, better snow-shedding, and lower maintenance — best if you’re staying long-term and want to buy once.
Asphalt vs. metal at a glance
Factor
Asphalt shingles
Standing seam metal
Installed cost / sq ft
$4.50–$7
$8–$14
Lifespan
20–30 years
40–70 years
Maintenance
Moderate; granule loss over time
Very low
Snow & ice
Can form ice dams if under-ventilated
Sheds snow; resists ice dams
Repairs
Easy, cheap, any roofer
Specialized; fewer needed
Resale recoup
Higher % of cost
Lower % but higher sale price
Installed U.S./Chicago-area ranges (2025–2026); figures consistent with our materials and cost guides. Metal costs roughly 2–3× asphalt upfront.
Cost: asphalt wins upfront
There’s no contest on day-one price. Asphalt runs about $4.50–$7 per square foot installed; standing seam metal runs roughly $8–$14 — two to three times more up front. On a typical home that’s a real difference in the check you write this year.
But the honest way to think about roofing cost is over time, not on day one. A metal roof that lasts 40–70 years can outlive two or three asphalt roofs. Measured across the life of the house, the gap narrows a lot — and for people who stay put, metal often comes out cheaper because you buy it once. We walk through the full pricing picture in our roof replacement cost guide.
Lifespan & durability: metal wins long-term
Asphalt shingles last 20–30 years in our climate — good, proven, and familiar. Standing seam metal lasts 40–70 years with very little maintenance, resists fire and impact, and doesn’t lose granules the way shingles do.
The durability difference shows up most at the details — the flashings, valleys, and penetrations where roofs actually leak. That’s the part we care about most, because it’s what we fabricate in-house: standing seam, custom flashings, and metal details cut and formed to your roof rather than approximated with off-the-shelf parts.
Most contractors order pre-formed metal and bend it to fit. We cut and form every piece in-house — the difference shows in ten years, at the seams.
Which handles Illinois winters better?
This is where metal pulls ahead for our climate. Its smooth surface sheds snow and ice, which reduces the ice-dam buildup that plagues shingle roofs at the eaves. Metal also doesn’t stiffen and crack the way cold asphalt can when ice shifts on top of it.
That doesn’t rule out asphalt — plenty of Illinois homes wear shingles just fine. Asphalt handles winter well when the attic is properly insulated and ventilated, which is what prevents ice dams in the first place. But if snow load and ice dams are a recurring headache on your home, metal is the more forgiving choice. (More on that in our best roofing materials guide.)
Resale value: a split decision
Here’s the nuance most articles skip. On a percentage basis, asphalt recoups more of its cost at resale — Zonda’s 2025 Cost vs. Value Report puts an asphalt roof replacement around 68% recouped versus about 50% for metal. That’s partly because metal costs so much more to begin with.
But homes with metal roofs often sell for slightly more and can move faster, thanks to the material’s longevity and rising popularity. So if you’re optimizing purely for return-on-cost before a near-term sale, asphalt is the safer math. If you’re buying a roof to live under for decades, metal’s value is in the years you own it, not the resale spreadsheet.
What about noise — aren't metal roofs loud?
This is the most common metal myth, and it’s mostly outdated. A modern standing seam roof installed over solid decking and underlayment is no louder in the rain than asphalt — the layers between the panel and your living space absorb the sound. The “tin roof in a storm” image comes from bare metal over open framing, like an old barn, not a properly built residential system.
So which should you choose?
Match the roof to your situation:
- Choose asphalt if budget is the priority, you’re staying 10–15 years, or you want the easiest, cheapest future repairs. Quality architectural or impact-rated shingles are a genuinely good roof.
- Choose standing seam metal if you’re staying long-term, you want the lowest lifetime cost and maintenance, or ice and snow are a recurring problem on your home.
- Consider a mix — some homes use metal on the trouble spots (low-slope sections, valleys, porches) and asphalt on the main field. We’ll tell you if that makes sense for yours.
Not a storm chaser. Not a franchise. We install both, so we don’t have a dog in the fight — we’ll measure your roof, look at your budget and how long you’re staying, and give you a straight recommendation. Owner on every project, whichever material you choose.
Not sure which roof fits your home?
Get an honest recommendation and an itemized estimate — no upsells, no pressure.
Frequently asked questions
Is a metal roof worth it over asphalt shingles?
Often, if you plan to stay in the home. Metal costs roughly $8–$14 per square foot versus $4.50–$7 for asphalt, but it lasts 40–70 years instead of 20–30 with far less maintenance — so over the long run it’s frequently the cheaper choice. If you’re moving within 10–15 years or watching the budget, quality asphalt usually makes more sense.
Which lasts longer, asphalt or metal?
Metal, by a wide margin. Standing seam metal roofs last about 40–70 years, while asphalt shingles typically last 20–30 in the Illinois climate. A single metal roof can outlast two or three asphalt roofs, which is the core of its long-term value.
Is a metal roof better than shingles in snow?
Generally yes. Metal’s smooth surface sheds snow and ice and resists the ice dams that form on shingle roofs at the eaves. Asphalt performs well in winter too, but mainly when the attic is properly insulated and ventilated. If ice dams are a recurring problem on your home, metal is the more forgiving choice.
Are metal roofs noisy when it rains?
Not when installed correctly. A modern standing seam roof over solid decking and underlayment is about as quiet as asphalt during rain, because the layers beneath the panels absorb sound. The loud “tin roof” reputation comes from bare metal over open framing, not a proper residential system.
Which has better resale value, metal or asphalt?
It depends how you measure it. Asphalt recoups a higher percentage of its cost at resale (around 68% versus about 50% for metal, per Zonda’s 2025 Cost vs. Value Report), largely because it’s cheaper to install. But homes with metal roofs often sell for slightly more and faster due to the material’s longevity. For a near-term sale, asphalt is the safer return; for long-term ownership, metal’s value is in the decades you use it.
Cost, lifespan, and resale figures reflect 2025–2026 data from independent sources including This Old House, the Zonda 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, Angi, and Roof Maxx. Material ranges are U.S./Chicago-area estimates for planning only and are not a quote.