Red-painted wooden privacy fence and gate with a metal latch
Photo: Gene Samit / Pexels
Fence cost guide

Fence Installation Cost

Sourced quoted from a published source and citedEstimate our own calculation from those sources (blended ranges, regional index, line items)How we price →
Quick answer Estimate
$22 – $43 per linear ft

That's our range to install a wood fence, with a typical price of about $31 per linear foot. A 150 ft backyard run typically costs about $4,700 in wood, and about $5,300 in vinyl or $3,300 in chain-link.

Estimate Our range, based on sources [1][2]. Planning numbers, not quotes. Height, style and gates move the price.

Cost range at a glance EstimateLow–High Typical
Fence Installation Cost: low, typical and high cost by option$0$18.20$36.40$54.60$72.80Wood$22–$43 · typ. $31Vinyl (PVC)$28–$44 · typ. $35Chain-link$12–$29 · typ. $22Aluminum$31–$70 · typ. $52Composite$22–$51 · typ. $37

Bars run from our Low to High figure; the dark tick marks Typical. Same numbers as the table below.

Disclosure: Ledger and Lumber plans to sell its own planning templates and may use clearly labeled affiliate links in the future. That never changes the cost figures we publish.

Fence installation cost by material

Fence installation cost per linear foot by material
MaterialOur range EstimateTypical EstimateWhat the sources publish Sourced
Wood$22 – $43$31HomeGuide $20 – $50; Angi $10 – $45[1][2]
Vinyl (PVC)$28 – $44$35HomeGuide $30 – $60; Angi $15 – $40[1][2]
Chain-link$12 – $29$22HomeGuide $9 – $30; Angi $8 – $40[1][2]
Aluminum$31 – $70$52HomeGuide $25 – $75; Angi $17 – $90[1][2]
Composite$22 – $51$37HomeGuide $20 – $85; Angi $11 – $45[1][2]
Wrought iron$43 – $64$53HomeGuide $50 – $85; Angi $25 – $55[1][2]

Estimate Our range, based on sources [1][2]. For each tier we pooled the low, midpoint and high figure each source publishes for a comparable scope (a single benchmark figure counts once), then used the median as Typical and the middle half of the pooled figures as Low–High. We pooled HomeGuide's and Angi's per-foot installed ranges for each material. See How we build our ranges.

Wood fence cost by length Estimate

Wood fence cost by length
LengthOur range EstimateTypical Estimate
50 linear ft$1,100 – $2,200$1,600
100 linear ft$2,200 – $4,300$3,100
150 linear ft$3,300 – $6,500$4,700
200 linear ft$4,400 – $8,600$6,200
300 linear ft$6,600 – $12,900$9,300

What the sources say Sourced

HomeGuide puts new fence installation at $20 – $60 per linear foot for wood or vinyl, and $4,000 – $12,000 for 200 ft.[1] Angi's average fence job is $3,276, with most between $1,860 – $4,844, and an average of $23 per linear foot.[2]

Extra costs to check for in your quote

Fence installation add-on costs
ItemCostBasis
Remove the old fence$4.50 – $14 per ft EstimateBlend of HomeGuide $10 – $20 and Angi $3 – $5 per ft[1][2]
Gate$150 – $2,000 each SourcedAngi[2]
Permit$40 – $85 EstimateBlend of HomeGuide $40 – $150 and Angi $20 – $60[1][2]
Property survey$200 – $1,200 SourcedHomeGuide[1]

Angi puts labor at about half of a fence job.[2] Sourced

What drives the price

  • Height and style. A 6 ft privacy fence uses far more material than a 4 ft picket fence; shadow-box and board-on-board styles cost more again.
  • Posts and terrain. Rocky soil, slopes, roots and concrete footings add labor. Posts are one of the costliest parts of a fence.
  • Gates. Each gate adds hardware and framing; wide or automatic gates cost much more.
  • Tear-out and haul-away. Removing an old fence is usually a separate line.
  • Property lines. A survey avoids building on the neighbor's land. Many towns and HOAs limit height and require a permit.

Regional differences Estimate

Our exterior cost index and typical wood fence cost by division
Region (Census division)Our cost index EstimateTypical 150 ft wood fence Estimate
New England
CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT
1.02
2% above U.S.
$4,700
Middle Atlantic
NJ, NY, PA
1.15
15% above U.S.
$5,300
South Atlantic
DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV
0.96
4% below U.S.
$4,500
U.S. average1.00$4,700
East North Central
IL, IN, MI, OH, WI
1.01
1% above U.S.
$4,700
East South Central
AL, KY, MS, TN
0.90
10% below U.S.
$4,200
West North Central
IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD
1.01
1% above U.S.
$4,700
West South Central
AR, LA, OK, TX
0.91
9% below U.S.
$4,200
Mountain
AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY
0.97
3% below U.S.
$4,500
Pacific
AK, CA, HI, OR, WA
1.05
5% above U.S.
$4,900

Estimate Derived, not published. Our exterior index divides each division's 2025 Cost vs. Value average for six exterior projects (vinyl and fiber-cement siding, vinyl and wood windows, wood and composite decks) by the national average and averages the six ratios.[3] The typical column multiplies our national typical by the index. See How we build our ranges.

Exterior Projects Budget Workbook spreadsheet preview (sample data)
Instant download · $19

Exterior Projects Budget Workbook

Budget a fence alongside a deck, siding or roof project, with our ranges pre-filled and a payment schedule.

Get the template

Costs in your city

Our local cost pages adjust these national ranges for 25 metro areas using local construction wages, and add each area's housing age, climate zone and permit office: Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Hartford, Houston, Kansas City, Louisville, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Tampa, Washington. See all local costs →

Fence installation FAQ

How much does it cost to put up a fence?

For wood, our range is $22 to $43 per linear foot, typically $31, so about $4,700 for 150 ft. Angi's average fence job is $3,276.[2]

What is the cheapest fence to install?

Chain-link is usually cheapest among common materials, at a typical $22 per linear foot by our blend.[1][2] Wood is next; vinyl, aluminum and wrought iron cost more.

Is vinyl fence more expensive than wood?

Usually a little, up front: our typical vinyl price is $35 per foot versus $31 for wood. Vinyl needs no staining or painting, which narrows the gap over time.

Do I need a permit for a fence?

Many towns require one, especially for fences over 6 ft or near a street. Permits typically cost $40 to $85 by our blend.[1][2] Check HOA rules and get a survey ($200 – $1,200) if property lines are unclear.[1]

How do I know if my fence quote is fair?

Divide the total by the linear feet and compare it with the per-foot range for your material, then account for gates, removal and permits. If a wood fence comes in well above $43 per foot with no extras, get another bid.

Sources

  1. HomeGuide, “How much does fence installation cost?” (updated Feb 3, 2026). homeguide.com/costs/fence-installation-cost (accessed Oct 13, 2026).
  2. Angi, “How Much Does Fence Installation Cost? [2026 Data]” (updated Aug 3, 2026). angi.com/articles/how-much-does-fence-installation-cost.htm (accessed Oct 13, 2026).
  3. Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, 2025 Cost vs. Value Report: national averages and regional pages (New England, Middle Atlantic, South Atlantic, East North Central, East South Central, West North Central, West South Central, Mountain, Pacific) (accessed Oct 8, 2026). © 2025 Zonda Media. We quote a few national figures and use the regional figures only to derive our own cost index. States per division from the U.S. Census Bureau, Census Regions and Divisions.

Quoted figures are labeled Sourced. Everything labeled Estimate is our own arithmetic on these sources, explained in How we build our ranges. Planning numbers only, not quotes. Get itemized local bids before you commit.