Services benchmark
What residential fence installation costs in 2026: price per linear foot across 9 metros
Installed cost per linear foot for six fence types, plus the metro multiplier that moves the same cedar fence from $42 to $68 a foot.
Key numbers
$48
Median per foot, cedar 6 ft installed
$7,200
Median price of a 150 ft cedar job
1.6x
Metro spread, Phoenix to San Jose
7 of 9
Metros where a permit is quoted
3 to 5 weeks
Typical lead time to first post
30%
Typical deposit before materials
The data
Installed cost per linear foot, national medians from 312 quotes, adjusted to the metro you pick. Scopes are normalized: posts set in concrete, haul-away of the old fence excluded, gates priced separately.
| Fence type↕ | Low↕ | Median▲ | High↕ | 150 ft job▲ | Service life↕ | Permit↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chain link, 4 ft | $19 | $25 | $34 | $3,744 | 15 to 20 yrs | Rarely |
| Pressure-treated, 6 ft | $27 | $35 | $49 | $5,304 | 12 to 15 yrs | Usually |
| Cedar, 6 ft | $37 | $50 | $71 | $7,488 | 15 to 25 yrs | Usually |
| Vinyl, 6 ft | $44 | $59 | $82 | $8,892 | 25 to 30 yrs | Usually |
| Aluminum, 5 ft | $54 | $74 | $102 | $11,076 | 30 yrs plus | Usually |
| Composite, 6 ft | $71 | $98 | $133 | $14,664 | 25 to 30 yrs | Usually |
Quotes collected July to September 2026 from 96 contractors. Contractor names withheld by agreement.
Cost per linear foot, Chicago
Low to high, dot marks the median
Chain link, 4 ft
$25 (19 to 34)
Pressure-treated, 6 ft
$35 (27 to 49)
Cedar, 6 ft
$50 (37 to 71)
Vinyl, 6 ft
$59 (44 to 82)
Aluminum, 5 ft
$74 (54 to 102)
Composite, 6 ft
$98 (71 to 133)
$0$140
What the metro does to the price
The same cedar fence, same scope, moves from $42 a foot in Phoenix to $68 in San Jose. Labor availability explains more of that gap than material cost.
| Metro↕ | Cedar 6 ft, per foot▲ | Index↕ | Permit cost↕ | Lead time↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | $42 | 0.88 | $0 to $90 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Houston | $44 | 0.91 | None | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Atlanta | $46 | 0.95 | $35 to $120 | 3 to 5 weeks |
| Denver | $49 | 1.01 | $60 to $140 | 3 to 5 weeks |
| Chicago | $50 | 1.04 | $75 to $210 | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Minneapolis | $51 | 1.06 | $50 to $160 | 4 to 7 weeks |
| Boston | $57 | 1.18 | $90 to $210 | 5 to 8 weeks |
| Seattle | $58 | 1.21 | None | 4 to 6 weeks |
| San Jose | $68 | 1.42 | $120 to $340 | 5 to 9 weeks |
The adders that are not in the per-foot price
- Walk gate, 4 ft: $280 to $650 installed.
- Double drive gate, 10 to 12 ft: $700 to $1,450.
- Removal and disposal of an existing fence: $3 to $7 per foot.
- Slope work and grading: $2 to $5 per foot on grades above 10%.
- Permit and survey, where required: $35 to $340 depending on metro.
What good looks like
- A written scope that names post depth, concrete and picket spacing
- Deposit of 30% or less, balance on completion
- One year of labor warranty in writing, two years in the best quotes
- Gate hardware listed by model, not as "standard hardware"
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