This page covers vinyl fences only. To compare all five materials side by side, use the main fence cost calculator. Vinyl, sometimes called PVC fencing, is plastic formed into hollow posts, rails and panels that slot together on site.
National ballpark · 150 linear ft of 6-ft vinyl fence with one gate
This is a planning range, not a quote.
| Cost | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,590 | $2,470 | $3,350 |
| Labor | $1,590 | $2,470 | $3,350 |
| Permit (varies by city) national | $28 | $100 | $180 |
| Total | $3,200 | $5,040 | $6,880 |
How the vinyl fence cost calculator works
Here the material is fixed to vinyl. Enter your ZIP code, the length of your fence line, the height, the number of gates and whether an old fence comes out first. The calculator multiplies the length by an installed vinyl price per foot, applies a height factor for 8 feet, adds a vinyl gate for each gate, adds tear-out if you tick it, and adjusts the total for your state.
On the 150-foot example, the breakdown shows materials and labor at $1,590–$3,350 each, typical $2,470, plus a permit at $28–$180, typical $100. The calculator splits the installed price evenly between materials and labor, based on one source that puts labor near 50% of a fence job. Wages and regional price levels then shift each half for your state. More on the method is on How we calculate.
Vinyl fence cost per linear foot
Installed, vinyl runs $20–$40 per linear foot, typical $30. Six sources agree on that range more closely than they do for most fence materials. The spread is narrower than wood's too: vinyl tops out at $40 a foot, while wood privacy reaches $45. Vinyl starts higher, but its price is easier to predict.
| 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 |
The price premium over wood
Vinyl's main trade-off is upfront cost against upkeep. On our 150-foot example:
- Vinyl: $3,200–$6,880, typical $5,040
- Wood privacy: $2,970–$7,160, typical $3,410
- Composite: $3,030–$6,930, typical $4,980, gates not included
- Chain link: $1,330–$5,080, typical $3,050
At the typical price, vinyl costs roughly one and a half times what wood does. At the top of the range, the order flips: high-end wood passes vinyl. If the wood fence you want is a premium design, get a vinyl quote too; the gap may be smaller than you expect. The wood fence cost calculator runs the same inputs for wood.
What upkeep you're paying to skip
Vinyl doesn't need staining, sealing or painting, and it won't rot where it meets the ground. Most of its care is a wash with water and mild soap when dirt or green growth builds up. That's the case for paying more upfront.
Vinyl has its own weak spots. Panels can crack if a mower or a ball hits them hard, and a cracked panel is replaced rather than patched. White vinyl shows dirt more than wood does. Colors are limited to what the maker offers. None of these costs are in the calculator, because our data doesn't price repairs or cleaning. Before you order, ask the installer how easy it is to get matching replacement panels later.
Vinyl fence gates
A vinyl gate costs $250–$700, typical $480, from two sources. That's about twice the single figure we have for a wood gate, $240, and below the $600–$1,000 range for metal gates.
| 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.
Vinyl is light, so a wide vinyl gate can sag over time unless it has a metal frame inside. If you need a gate for a mower or a car, ask whether the gate and its posts are reinforced, and expect that gate to cost more than a walk-through one. Each extra gate adds its full price to the estimate, so place gates where you'll actually use them.
What affects the price
Length
Length drives the fence line in a straight line: double the feet, double the fence cost. Gates and the permit don't change with length. Measure the run where the posts will go and count corners and ends, because those posts take extra work to set.
Height
Our vinyl prices are for 6-ft privacy panels. Choosing 8 feet adds 25–35% to the fence line, based on one source. For 4-ft fences we don't have enough data, so the calculator keeps 6-ft prices and notes that a shorter fence will likely cost less. Many vinyl fences around front yards and pools are shorter, so a 4-ft quote may come in well under the estimate.
Style
Our data doesn't split vinyl by style. A solid privacy panel, a semi-private design with gaps, a picket fence and a lattice top all fall somewhere inside the $20–$40 range. Textured or wood-look panels and colors other than white usually cost more than plain white panels.
Old fence removal
Tearing out an old fence adds $6.50–$13 per linear foot, typical $9.50, from two sources that disagree. On 150 feet that moves the total to $4,180–$8,750, typical $6,460. Ask whether the crew hauls away the old fence or leaves it for you.
Ground and access
Vinyl panels come in fixed sections, so slopes are harder than with wood. On sloped ground the panels are usually stepped, which leaves gaps at the bottom, or special rackable panels are used. Rock, roots and tight side yards add labor too. Our data doesn't price any of this separately.
Vinyl fence cost by state
About half of a vinyl fence bill is labor, so wages explain most of the difference between states. For our 150-foot example, the typical price runs from $4,330 in Oklahoma, $4,360 in Arkansas and $4,420 in South Dakota to $5,810 in California, $5,880 in Illinois and $6,330 in Hawaii.
- Alabama$4,450
- Alaska$5,740
- Arizona$4,840
- Arkansas$4,360
- California$5,810
- Colorado$5,100
- Connecticut$5,120
- Delaware$4,890
- District of Columbia$5,250
- Florida$4,550
- Georgia$4,560
- Hawaii$6,330
- Idaho$4,600
- Illinois$5,880
- Indiana$5,020
- Iowa$4,770
- Kansas$4,750
- Kentucky$4,620
- Louisiana$4,450
- Maine$5,030
- Maryland$5,200
- Massachusetts$5,610
- Michigan$4,990
- Minnesota$5,230
- Mississippi$4,460
- Missouri$4,960
- Montana$4,870
- Nebraska$4,480
- Nevada$5,020
- New Hampshire$5,030
- New Jersey$5,350
- New Mexico$4,910
- New York$5,700
- North Carolina$4,490
- North Dakota$4,820
- Ohio$4,890
- Oklahoma$4,330
- Oregon$5,260
- Pennsylvania$4,970
- Rhode Island$4,980
- South Carolina$4,550
- South Dakota$4,420
- Tennessee$4,550
- Texas$4,510
- Utah$4,620
- Vermont$5,050
- Virginia$4,850
- Washington$5,700
- West Virginia$4,470
- Wisconsin$4,940
- Wyoming$4,770
Ways to lower the cost
- Choose white and a plain style. Colors, textures and decorative tops add to the panel price.
- Use vinyl where it's seen. Some homeowners put vinyl along the street and a cheaper material along the back line.
- Limit the gates. Each vinyl gate adds its full price; one wide gate may replace two narrow ones.
- Mix heights. A lower section where you don't need privacy can cost less, though our data can't put a number on it.
- Do the tear-out yourself if your city allows it and you can haul the old fence away.
Hiring tips
Get at least three written quotes for the same vinyl fence: the same length, height, style and number of gates. Ask each installer to name the panel thickness and post size, whether gate posts are reinforced, and how posts are set in the ground. Removal, haul-away and the permit should appear as separate lines that you can check against the breakdown above.
Ask what the warranty covers, who backs it and whether it transfers if you sell the house. Confirm who arranges the utility locate before digging and who files the permit. I'd also ask how the installer handles a slope on your fence line and what the finished bottom edge will look like. Check for a license where your state requires one and for proof of insurance. Bring the ballpark. Ask for the line items.