Aluminum fence cost in Iowa
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (150 linear ft)
- $3,650 – $10,900
- Per linear ft
- $24 – $72
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $7,600
- Metros covered
- 7
Iowa prices for aluminum fence: $3,650 to $10,900 for 150 linear ft, or $24 to $72 per linear ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 4% below the national one. Local wages for carpenters are $27.75 an hour.
Inside Iowa, the metros we cover range from $7,150 (Iowa City) to $7,550 (Davenport) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Iowa (statewide), standard level
$5,850 to $8,750
About $38.50 to $57.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 36% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $3,600 | $5,550 |
| Labor | $2,200 | $3,100 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $100 |
| Total | $5,850 | $8,750 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Iowa
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,100 | $4,550 | $7,050 | 63% |
| Labor | $1,500 | $2,650 | $3,800 | 36% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $85 | $130 | 1% |
| Total | $3,650 | $7,300 | $10,900 | 100% |
Why two Iowa quotes can differ
Style
Aluminum picket runs $25-$50 per linear foot installed, ornamental fence $40-$75, and privacy designs $75-$130 (HomeGuide).
Soil and slope
Steep slopes and rocky clay can add $15-$20+ per linear foot in labor.
Pool codes
Many codes require a pool barrier with gaps under 4 inches, which influences the style you can buy.
Permit
A fence permit runs $40-$150.
Basic, standard or premium: Iowa prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from pool fence (100 linear ft) to 200 ft (200 linear ft).
Basic
$3,650 to $6,550
Standard picket or ornamental, 4 ft
Standard
$5,850 to $8,750
Ornamental pool-code fence, 4-5 ft
Premium
$8,050 to $10,900
Tall privacy slat or custom ornamental
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| pool fence (100 linear ft) | $2,450 – $4,400 | $3,900 – $5,850 | $5,400 – $7,350 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $3,650 – $6,550 | $5,850 – $8,750 | $8,050 – $10,900 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $4,850 – $8,750 | $7,750 – $11,600 | $10,700 – $14,500 |
Other Iowa jobs that often go with aluminum fence
Each project weights the trades differently, so Iowa's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, inground pool is −1% and vinyl fence −5%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,300 – $8,700 | −5% |
| Wood fence | 150 linear ft | $2,900 – $7,300 | −4% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,500 – $6,000 | −3% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,700 – $111,500 | −1% |
Extras that change the Iowa total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.97 for Iowa, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.01) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $190 – $880 |
Iowa labor market for aluminum fence
Iowa's labor line is priced from 3 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.01 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 40% of the weighting: a median of $27.75 an hour, 5% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.91 and $31.69 an hour. About 5,770 work in the state. That is 37.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 40%) the local median is $23.31 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.90 and $28.11 an hour. BLS counts 13,780 of them working in the state, 88.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Sheet metal workers (47-2211), 20% of the weighting: a median of $31.95 an hour, 8% above the US median of $29.71. The middle half of them earn between $23.78 and $36.58 an hour. About 1,650 work in the state. That is 10.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 7.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($31.69 an hour) would add about $140 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($22.91) would take off about $170. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 1,559,240 jobs across Iowa (May 2025), which is 1.0% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $22.91 | $27.75 | $31.69 | $29.12 | 0.95 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $21.90 | $23.31 | $28.11 | $22.66 | 1.03 | state |
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | 20% | $23.78 | $31.95 | $36.58 | $29.71 | 1.08 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.01 | |||||
When Iowa weather lets you install
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and Iowa is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Des Moines has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Iowa at 9 months (March through November); Dubuque has the shortest at 8 (April through November). Rainfall runs from 29 inches a year in Sioux City to 38 inches in Dubuque.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | 14 | 86 | 37 | 9: March through November |
| Davenport | 14 | 84 | 36 | 9: March through November |
| Cedar Rapids | 11 | 83 | 36 | 9: March through November |
| Iowa City | 15 | 86 | 36 | 9: March through November |
| Waterloo | 11 | 85 | 36 | 9: March through November |
| Sioux City | 10 | 85 | 29 | 9: March through November |
| Dubuque | 11 | 82 | 38 | 8: April through November |
Iowa against its neighbors
Iowa ranks 30 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for aluminum fence, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $9,550 and the cheapest Arkansas at $6,700, both for 150 linear ft at the midpoint. Iowa sits at $7,300. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 190 miles away | $3,550 – $10,700 | $7,150 | −2% |
| Missouri | 220 miles away | $3,850 – $11,400 | $7,650 | +5% |
| Wisconsin | 230 miles away | $3,850 – $11,500 | $7,650 | +5% |
| Minnesota | 240 miles away | $4,050 – $12,100 | $8,100 | +11% |
| Illinois | 240 miles away | $4,350 – $12,900 | $8,600 | +18% |
Which Iowa city is cheapest for aluminum fence?
4 of the 7 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $7,300, and the top-to-bottom gap is 6%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (150 linear ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport, IA | $3,800 – $11,300 | $7,550 | +3% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $3,750 – $11,200 | $7,450 | +2% |
| Des Moines, IA | $3,700 – $11,100 | $7,400 | +1% |
| Dubuque, IA | $3,700 – $11,000 | $7,350 | +1% |
| Waterloo, IA | $3,650 – $10,900 | $7,250 | level |
| Sioux City, IA | $3,600 – $10,800 | $7,200 | −1% |
| Iowa City, IA | $3,550 – $10,700 | $7,150 | −2% |
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Aluminum fence in Iowa: your questions
+How much does it cost to install an aluminum fence in Iowa?
$3,650 to $10,900 for 150 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Iowa can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Iowa is cheapest for aluminum fence?
Iowa City at about $7,150 (midpoint, 150 linear ft). The priciest is Davenport at $7,550.
+Is aluminum fence cheaper in Iowa than the US average?
It is 4% cheaper: $7,300 against $7,600 for 150 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Iowa?
About 36% ($2,650). Materials are 63%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.01x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Iowa?
The BLS statewide median is $27.75 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.91 to $31.69.
+Where does Iowa rank for aluminum fence costs?
30th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $7,300 for 150 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium aluminum fence work cost in Iowa?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $3,650 to $6,550 and premium work $8,050 to $10,900. Basic means: standard picket or ornamental, 4 ft. Premium means: tall privacy slat or custom ornamental.
+Does the season matter for aluminum fence in Iowa?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Iowa metros we cover, Des Moines has the most comfortable months (9 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
+What does "add one gate" add in Iowa?
$190 to $880, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Aluminum fence by city in Iowa
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does an Aluminum Fence Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed range minus HomeGuide's $10-$25/ft labor range.