Decks, Fences & Siding
Fence Cost Calculator
Enter how many feet of fence you need, your own material price per foot and the number of gates. Pick your state and the tool adds labor at the median wage for fence erectors there.
Worked example
The example uses a sample price typed into the price field, only to show the math. Use the price your supplier quotes you.
- Materials: 150 lin ft x $20.00 (the price entered) = $3,000.
- Labor: 40.5 hours x $17.92 an hour (fence erectors, median in Texas) = $726.
Building a price per foot
A price per foot rolls posts, rails, pickets or panels, concrete and fasteners into one number. Take the counts from the fence calculator, price them at your supplier, and divide the total by the fence length. That number fits any style: wood, vinyl, metal or wire.
In the worked example, 150 ft at $20.00 per foot comes to $3,000 in materials.
Why gates are entered separately
A gate costs more than the same width of fence. It needs a frame, hinges, a latch and often heavier posts. Enter your price for each gate as one figure, so the per-foot price stays clean.
How we estimate labor
Hours are based on length. We multiply them by the median wage for fence erectors in your state, from the BLS May 2025 survey. In Texas the median is $17.92 an hour, so 40.5 hours is $726. Rocky soil, slopes and tree roots can push real hours higher.
The labor line uses the wage paid to workers, not the rate a company bills. A company adds overhead, insurance, equipment and profit on top, so expect a contractor's price to sit well above the labor figure here. Our method page explains how the hours are set.
Left out of this estimate
Some fence costs depend on the lot and local rules, so add them on your own:
- A boundary survey if the property line is not marked.
- Fence permits and any HOA review.
- Removing and hauling away an old fence.
- Clearing brush or digging through rock.
- Delivery charges for long or heavy materials.
- Stain or paint for a wood fence.
Comparing fence types
Chain-link usually installs faster than a solid wood fence of the same length, which is why it has its own page: the chain link fence cost calculator uses a shorter labor estimate. Run both with your own prices to see the gap.
Fence erectors: hourly wages by state
Median hourly wage in the highest and lowest paying states, with the 25th and 75th percentile. U.S. median: $23.07 an hour (24,480 workers).
| State | 25th pct. | Median | 75th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $22.49 | $31.06 | $39.09 |
| Pennsylvania | $22.62 | $28.17 | $34.94 |
| Minnesota | $23.08 | $27.53 | $28.80 |
| New Jersey | $23.87 | $27.26 | $29.26 |
| California | $22.47 | $26.95 | $33.50 |
| Montana | $21.54 | $26.79 | $29.54 |
| Connecticut | $20.58 | $25.57 | $32.84 |
| Iowa | $22.77 | $25.25 | $27.22 |
| Mississippi | $17.91 | $18.61 | $20.75 |
| South Carolina | $16.90 | $18.25 | $19.89 |
| Oklahoma | $14.47 | $18.21 | $22.13 |
| Texas | $16.41 | $17.92 | $22.01 |
| Georgia | $14.81 | $17.78 | $22.64 |
Not published by BLS for: District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Vermont. The calculator uses the U.S. median there.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-4031. Wages paid to workers, not what a company charges you: contractor rates include overhead, insurance and profit.
Questions
Does the price per foot include posts?
It should. Enter one price that covers posts, rails, pickets or panels, concrete and fasteners.
Why is a fence erector wage used, not a carpenter wage?
BLS tracks fence erectors as their own trade, and their wages differ from carpenters in most states.
How many bags of concrete will the posts need?
Use the fence post depth calculator to count bags from your post size and hole depth.
How this works: formulas and typical values are listed on our method page; every data source and its license is on sources.
Labor: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Last reviewed November 2026.