National ballpark · 150 linear ft of 6-ft wood privacy fence with one gate
This is a planning range, not a quote.
Limited data: wood gate price (one figure). The real range may be wider.
| Cost | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,470 | $1,660 | $3,490 |
| Labor | $1,470 | $1,660 | $3,490 |
| Permit (varies by city) national | $28 | $100 | $180 |
| Total | $2,970 | $3,410 | $7,160 |
How this fence cost calculator works
Enter your ZIP code, the length of fence you need in linear feet, the material, the height and the number of gates. Tick the box if the old fence has to come out first. The calculator multiplies your length by an installed price per foot for that material, adds gates and tear-out, then adjusts the result for wages and prices in your state.
You get three numbers. Low is what a simple job with an efficient crew can cost. Typical is where most quotes land. High covers tough sites, premium boards and busy seasons. The breakdown shows how the bill splits between materials, labor, removal and the permit, so you can compare it line by line with a contractor's quote.
The state adjustment uses two public data sets: construction wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the labor half of the job, and regional price levels from the Bureau of Economic Analysis for the materials half. Permit fees aren't adjusted, because cities set them, not state wages. The full method is on our How we calculate page.
Fence cost by material
Material sets the price per foot more than anything else. Chain link is the budget pick, wood privacy is close behind on typical price, and aluminum costs the most of the five materials we track.
| Option | Low | Typical | High | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood privacy | $18 | $21 | $45 | /linear ft |
| Vinyl | $20 | $30 | $40 | /linear ft |
| Chain link | $8.00 | $19 | $30 | /linear ft |
| Aluminum | $22 | $36 | $50 | /linear ft |
| Composite | $20 | $33 | $45 | /linear ft |
Wood, vinyl or chain link?
Most homeowners end up choosing between these three. Chain link is the cheapest per foot, but you can see straight through it. Wood privacy costs only a little more on a typical job and gives a solid screen; plan on staining or sealing it over the years. Vinyl costs about half again as much as wood on our 150-foot example, and people usually pick it to skip that upkeep.
If you've settled on one material, the dedicated calculators go deeper: chain link fence cost calculator, wood fence cost calculator and vinyl fence cost calculator.
Gate prices
Each gate adds a fixed amount on top of the fence itself. A wood gate is the cheapest at about $240, while a metal gate runs $600–$1,000. We have only one figure for wood gates and one source for metal gates, so the real range may be wider.
| Option | Low | Typical | High | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood * | — | $240 | — | /each |
| Vinyl | $250 | $480 | $700 | /each |
| Chain link * | $100 | $100 | $400 | /each |
| Metal * | $600 | $800 | $1,000 | /each |
* Limited data: one source, sources that disagree widely, or a single figure.
What affects the price
Material
Going from chain link to aluminum can roughly double the bill. For our 150-foot example with one gate, chain link comes to $1,330–$5,080 (typical $3,050), wood privacy to $2,970–$7,160 (typical $3,410), vinyl to $3,200–$6,880 (typical $5,040) and aluminum to $3,930–$8,680 (typical $6,300). Composite lands at $3,030–$6,930 (typical $4,980), but that figure leaves out gates, because we don't have a reliable composite gate price.
Height
Our prices are for the common 6-ft privacy height. An 8-ft fence adds about 25–35%, based on one source. For 4-ft fences we don't have enough data, so the calculator shows 6-ft prices and tells you a shorter fence will likely cost less. If you only need to keep a dog in, ask for quotes on both heights.
Gates
Gates are the easiest line to underestimate. A vinyl gate runs $250–$700 and a chain-link gate $100–$400. Wide driveway gates and gates with self-closing hardware usually cost more than a standard walk-through gate, so tell each contractor exactly what you need.
Old fence removal
Tearing out an old fence costs $6.50–$13 per linear foot, typical $9.50. Our sources disagree here, so treat the number as a rough guide. On our 150-foot example, removal moves the total to $3,940–$9,040, with a typical price of $4,840. Some contractors include haul-away in that price and some charge for it separately.
Terrain and access
Slopes, rocky soil, tree roots and tight side yards all add labor. Our data doesn't price these conditions separately, which is one reason the high end of the range sits well above the typical price. If your yard has any of them, plan toward the high number.
When to budget toward the high end
The typical price assumes a flat, open yard, standard boards and a crew with an easy route to the fence line. Plan nearer the high number if your lot slopes or has rock close to the surface, if the fence runs through trees, if you want heavier posts or decorative tops, or if you live where fence crews are booked weeks ahead. A long fence also isn't always cheaper per foot: corners, gates and changes in grade add work no matter how long the run is.
Fence cost by state
Labor is about half of a fence bill, so local wages explain most of the gap between states. For our 150-foot wood privacy example, the typical price runs from $2,940 in Oklahoma to $4,280 in Hawaii, with California at $3,930 and Illinois at $3,980.
- Alabama$3,020
- Alaska$3,880
- Arizona$3,280
- Arkansas$2,960
- California$3,930
- Colorado$3,450
- Connecticut$3,470
- Delaware$3,310
- District of Columbia$3,550
- Florida$3,090
- Georgia$3,090
- Hawaii$4,280
- Idaho$3,120
- Illinois$3,980
- Indiana$3,400
- Iowa$3,230
- Kansas$3,220
- Kentucky$3,130
- Louisiana$3,020
- Maine$3,410
- Maryland$3,520
- Massachusetts$3,800
- Michigan$3,380
- Minnesota$3,540
- Mississippi$3,020
- Missouri$3,360
- Montana$3,300
- Nebraska$3,040
- Nevada$3,400
- New Hampshire$3,410
- New Jersey$3,630
- New Mexico$3,330
- New York$3,860
- North Carolina$3,040
- North Dakota$3,270
- Ohio$3,320
- Oklahoma$2,940
- Oregon$3,560
- Pennsylvania$3,370
- Rhode Island$3,370
- South Carolina$3,080
- South Dakota$3,000
- Tennessee$3,080
- Texas$3,060
- Utah$3,130
- Vermont$3,420
- Virginia$3,290
- Washington$3,860
- West Virginia$3,030
- Wisconsin$3,350
- Wyoming$3,240
Ways to lower the cost
- Pick the material for the job. Chain link or a simple wood fence keeps a dog in for much less than vinyl or aluminum.
- Measure before you call. Walk the line with a tape and count corners and gates, so every quote prices the same fence.
- Cut the gate count. Each gate is a fixed cost; one well-placed gate often does the work of two.
- Remove the old fence yourself if it's in your skills and your city allows it, and ask each contractor what they'd charge without tear-out.
- Ask about timing. If your date is flexible, ask each contractor whether a slower month would change the price.
Hiring tips
Get at least three written quotes for the same fence: same length, material, height and number of gates. Ask each contractor to list materials, labor, removal, haul-away and the permit as separate lines, then compare them with the breakdown above. A quote far below our low number deserves questions about post depth, post material and what's left out.
Ask who pulls the permit and who calls the utility locator before digging. Get the start date, payment schedule and warranty in writing, and find out what happens if the crew hits rock or roots partway through. Before the last payment, walk the line together: posts plumb, boards even, gates swinging and latching without force. Check that the company has a license where your state requires one, and ask for proof of insurance. Bring the ballpark. Ask for the line items.