Chain-link fence cost: national prices and local ranges
Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- US range (150 linear ft)
- $1,550 – $6,150
- Per linear ft
- $10 – $40
- materials and labor
- Cheapest metro
- $3,000
- Brownsville, TX
- Priciest metro
- $5,450
- Honolulu, HI
A chain-link fence runs $1,550 to $6,150 nationally for 150 linear ft, or $10 to $40 per linear ft for materials and labor. Where you live moves that number a lot: across 300 metros the midpoint runs from $3,000 in Brownsville, TX to $5,450 in Honolulu, HI.
Estimate your chain-link fence cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in the US average, standard level
$2,900 to $4,750
About $19 to $31 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 60% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,200 | $1,650 |
| Labor | $1,650 | $3,000 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $120 |
| Total | $2,900 | $4,750 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in the US
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $900 | $1,450 | $1,950 | 37% |
| Labor | $600 | $2,350 | $4,050 | 60% |
| Permits and fees | $40 | $95 | $150 | 2% |
| Total | $1,550 | $3,850 | $6,150 | 100% |
What basic, standard and premium mean
Basic
$1,550 to $3,400
4-ft galvanized, front yard
Standard
$2,900 to $4,750
6-ft galvanized backyard fence
Premium
$4,300 to $6,150
Vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates
Cost by size and quality level
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $1,050 – $2,300 | $1,950 – $3,200 | $2,900 – $4,150 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,900 – $4,750 | $4,300 – $6,150 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $2,050 – $4,500 | $3,850 – $6,300 | $5,700 – $8,150 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $3,050 – $6,700 | $5,750 – $9,400 | $8,500 – $12,200 |
How a chain-link fence job goes, step by step
- Confirm line and height. Check permits and rules. Chain link is often limited in front yards by local codes or HOAs.
- Set terminal and line posts. End, corner and gate posts are larger and set deeper; line posts go in at regular spacing.
- Stretch the fabric. Mesh is unrolled, stretched tight with a tool, and tied to the posts and top rail.
- Hang gates. Gates are fitted last. Slats or privacy screens are an optional add.
What changes the price of a chain-link fence
Height
A 4-ft fence runs $10-$20 per linear foot; 6- to 8-ft backyard fences run $15-$40+ (HomeGuide).
Coating
Black or green vinyl-coated mesh costs more than galvanized.
Gates
Gates are $80-$1,000+ before installation. Rolling or slide gates are the expensive end.
Survey
A land survey ($300-$900) is worth it before you put a fence near a boundary.
Wages behind the national estimate
Construction laborers (47-2061) do the largest share of the work, about 60% of the weighting. Their national median is $22.66 an hour. Among 300 metros with a published figure, the median runs from $15.39 in Dothan, AL to $40.23 in Vineland, NJ, and the middle metro sits at $22.70. That ratio between the high and low end is 2.61 to 1, and it feeds straight into the labor line of the estimate.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 60% | $18.57 | $22.66 | $28.72 | $22.66 | 1.00 | US |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $23.32 | $29.12 | $36.94 | $29.12 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Add-ons and extras
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to the US by the average of the local wage index (1.00) and goods index (1.00), a factor of 1.00. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $80 – $1,000 |
Does the season matter for chain-link fence?
We checked NOAA 1991-2020 normals for 300 metros and counted the months with no freezing or heat problem for exterior installation. 40 metros have all 12 months comfortable; the median metro has 9. The shortest seasons are in Anchorage, AK (6), El Centro, CA (6), Yuma, AZ (6) and Appleton, WI (7). The wettest metro is Pensacola; the driest is El Centro at about 3 inches a year.
Local pages show a month-by-month table for each metro. We do not change prices by month, because there is no reliable published seasonal price series.
How much the price varies by city
Across the 300 metros we cover, the midpoint for 150 linear ft runs from $3,000 in Brownsville to $5,450 in Honolulu, a gap of 81%. The median metro is $3,700, which is −3% against the national midpoint of $3,850. 46 metros are 10% or more above the national figure, 65 are 10% or more below, and 189 sit within 10% of it.
Most expensive metros for chain-link fence
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $2,000 – $8,900 | $5,450 |
| Kahului, HI | $2,000 – $8,650 | $5,300 |
| San Francisco, CA | $1,950 – $8,400 | $5,150 |
| Vineland, NJ | $1,850 – $8,100 | $4,950 |
| San Jose, CA | $1,850 – $7,900 | $4,850 |
| Chicago, IL | $1,800 – $7,550 | $4,650 |
| Trenton, NJ | $1,750 – $7,550 | $4,650 |
| New York, NY | $1,800 – $7,450 | $4,650 |
| Vallejo, CA | $1,750 – $7,450 | $4,600 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $1,750 – $7,450 | $4,600 |
Least expensive metros for chain-link fence
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Brownsville, TX | $1,300 – $4,700 | $3,000 |
| Laredo, TX | $1,300 – $4,800 | $3,050 |
| Dothan, AL | $1,300 – $4,800 | $3,050 |
| McAllen, TX | $1,300 – $4,850 | $3,100 |
| Albany, GA | $1,350 – $4,900 | $3,100 |
| El Paso, TX | $1,300 – $4,950 | $3,150 |
| Texarkana, TX | $1,300 – $4,950 | $3,150 |
| Dalton, GA | $1,350 – $5,000 | $3,150 |
| Fort Smith, AR | $1,350 – $5,000 | $3,150 |
| Lubbock, TX | $1,350 – $5,050 | $3,200 |
Chain-link fence cost by state
| State | Range (150 linear ft) | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $1,400 – $5,200 | $3,300 |
| Alaska | $1,750 – $7,200 | $4,450 |
| Arizona | $1,500 – $6,000 | $3,750 |
| Arkansas | $1,350 – $5,150 | $3,250 |
| California | $1,750 – $7,350 | $4,550 |
| Colorado | $1,550 – $6,250 | $3,900 |
| Connecticut | $1,600 – $6,750 | $4,200 |
| Delaware | $1,500 – $5,950 | $3,700 |
| District of Columbia | $1,650 – $6,450 | $4,050 |
| Florida | $1,450 – $5,650 | $3,550 |
| Georgia | $1,400 – $5,400 | $3,400 |
| Hawaii | $1,950 – $8,600 | $5,300 |
| Idaho | $1,450 – $5,850 | $3,650 |
| Illinois | $1,750 – $7,400 | $4,600 |
| Indiana | $1,550 – $6,250 | $3,900 |
| Iowa | $1,500 – $6,000 | $3,750 |
| Kansas | $1,450 – $5,800 | $3,650 |
| Kentucky | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 |
| Louisiana | $1,350 – $5,250 | $3,300 |
| Maine | $1,500 – $6,100 | $3,800 |
| Maryland | $1,550 – $6,250 | $3,900 |
| Massachusetts | $1,700 – $7,350 | $4,550 |
| Michigan | $1,550 – $6,200 | $3,850 |
| Minnesota | $1,650 – $6,950 | $4,300 |
| Mississippi | $1,400 – $5,250 | $3,300 |
| Missouri | $1,600 – $6,550 | $4,050 |
| Montana | $1,500 – $6,150 | $3,850 |
| Nebraska | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 |
| Nevada | $1,550 – $6,200 | $3,850 |
| New Hampshire | $1,550 – $6,300 | $3,900 |
| New Jersey | $1,750 – $7,250 | $4,500 |
| New Mexico | $1,450 – $5,600 | $3,500 |
| New York | $1,700 – $7,050 | $4,400 |
| North Carolina | $1,450 – $5,650 | $3,550 |
| North Dakota | $1,500 – $6,100 | $3,800 |
| Ohio | $1,550 – $6,500 | $4,000 |
| Oklahoma | $1,350 – $5,250 | $3,300 |
| Oregon | $1,650 – $6,500 | $4,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,550 – $6,200 | $3,900 |
| Rhode Island | $1,600 – $6,650 | $4,100 |
| South Carolina | $1,450 – $5,600 | $3,500 |
| South Dakota | $1,450 – $5,650 | $3,550 |
| Tennessee | $1,450 – $5,700 | $3,550 |
| Texas | $1,450 – $5,450 | $3,450 |
| Utah | $1,450 – $5,850 | $3,650 |
| Vermont | $1,550 – $6,200 | $3,900 |
| Virginia | $1,500 – $5,850 | $3,650 |
| Washington | $1,700 – $7,150 | $4,450 |
| West Virginia | $1,400 – $5,500 | $3,450 |
| Wisconsin | $1,550 – $6,500 | $4,050 |
| Wyoming | $1,450 – $5,900 | $3,700 |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $2,900 to $4,750 for your area is attached.
Detailed chain-link fence report for your address, $9
Multi-page report for your address: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Chain-link fence cost: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a chain-link fence?
$1,550 to $6,150 for 150 linear ft at national prices, including a permit of $40 to $150.
+What is the average cost per linear ft?
$10 to $40 per linear ft, materials and labor. The mid-range is about $25.
+How much does the price vary by city?
A lot. The most expensive metro we cover is 81% above the cheapest for the same 150 linear ft job. The cheapest is Brownsville, TX; the priciest is Honolulu, HI.
+How much of the cost is labor?
About 60% at the national midpoint ($2,350). Materials are 37%.
+What do construction laborers earn on a chain-link fence job?
The national BLS median is $22.66 an hour for construction laborers, with the middle half earning $18.57 to $28.72. Local wages are what move this estimate from town to town.
+How much more does a premium chain-link fence job cost than a basic one?
At the national level, basic runs $1,550 to $3,400 and premium $4,300 to $6,150 for 150 linear ft. Basic means: 4-ft galvanized, front yard. Premium means: vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates.
+Can chain-link fence work be done in winter?
It depends on where you are. We checked NOAA 1991-2020 normals for 300 metros and counted the months with no freezing or heat problem for exterior installation. 40 metros have all 12 months comfortable; the median metro has 9. The shortest seasons are in Anchorage, AK (6), El Centro, CA (6), Yuma, AZ (6) and Appleton, WI (7). The wettest metro is Pensacola; the driest is El Centro at about 3 inches a year.
Related projects
Largest metros: Chain-link fence prices
- New York, NY$4,650 midpoint
- Los Angeles, CA$4,550 midpoint
- Chicago, IL$4,650 midpoint
- Dallas, TX$3,600 midpoint
- Houston, TX$3,500 midpoint
- Washington, DC$3,950 midpoint
- Philadelphia, PA$4,050 midpoint
- Atlanta, GA$3,550 midpoint
- Miami, FL$3,700 midpoint
- Boston, MA$4,550 midpoint
- Phoenix, AZ$3,750 midpoint
- San Francisco, CA$5,150 midpoint
- Seattle, WA$4,550 midpoint
- Minneapolis, MN$4,550 midpoint
- Detroit, MI$4,200 midpoint
- Riverside, CA$4,400 midpoint
- Denver, CO$4,000 midpoint
- San Diego, CA$4,450 midpoint
- Tampa, FL$3,550 midpoint
- Orlando, FL$3,450 midpoint
- Charlotte, NC$3,600 midpoint
- Baltimore, MD$3,900 midpoint
- St. Louis, MO$4,500 midpoint
- Austin, TX$3,500 midpoint
- Portland, OR$4,350 midpoint
- Las Vegas, NV$3,850 midpoint
- San Jose, CA$4,850 midpoint
- San Antonio, TX$3,350 midpoint
- Pittsburgh, PA$3,950 midpoint
- Columbus, OH$4,250 midpoint
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 a Chain-Link Fence Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Visual Fence Pro: Chain Link Fence Cost & Pricing Guide for Contractors (2026) (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 = Visual Fence Pro's $6-$13 per foot for residential galvanized 4-6 ft fence (taller or vinyl-coated fence costs more).