Chain-link fence cost in Cedar Rapids, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $1,500 – $6,050
- Per linear ft
- $9.65 – $39.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $3,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #139
- 1 = most expensive
A chain-link fence in Cedar Rapids, IA usually costs $1,500 to $6,050 for 150 linear ft. That works out to about $9.65 to $39.50 per linear ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 93.7).
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Cedar Rapids, IA, standard level
$2,850 to $4,700
About $18.50 to $30.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 62% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,550 |
| Labor | $1,650 | $3,050 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $100 |
| Total | $2,850 | $4,700 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Cedar Rapids, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $840 | $1,350 | $1,850 | 35% |
| Labor | $610 | $2,350 | $4,100 | 62% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $85 | $130 | 2% |
| Total | $1,500 | $3,750 | $6,050 | 100% |
What is behind the Cedar Rapids number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: construction laborers at 60%, carpenters at 40%. Weighted together, Cedar Rapids wages are 1.01 times the national level. Labor makes up about 62% of the midpoint estimate (60% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Cedar Rapids is at 93.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,450 nationally becomes $1,350 here (midpoint, 150 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 89.0: $35 to $130.
What local crews earn in Cedar Rapids
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Cedar Rapids the blend is 1.01.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 60%) the local median is $23.40 an hour, which is 3% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.73 and $28.57 an hour. BLS counts 990 of them working in the area, 71.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Carpenters (47-2031), 40% of the weighting: a median of $28.33 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.11 and $31.75 an hour. About 530 work in the metro. That is 38.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $320 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $100. That is a swing of roughly 2.7% to 8.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Cedar Rapids has 139,260 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 160th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 60% | $21.73 | $23.40 | $28.57 | $22.66 | 1.03 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $23.11 | $28.33 | $31.75 | $29.12 | 0.97 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.01 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Cedar Rapids bid
Survey
A land survey ($300-$900) is worth it before you put a fence near a boundary.
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.
Add-ons priced for Cedar Rapids
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.97 for Cedar Rapids, 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) | $80 – $970 |
Cost by quality level and size in Cedar Rapids
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Cedar Rapids. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from backyard (100 linear ft) to full lot (300 linear ft).
Basic
$1,500 to $3,300
4-ft galvanized, front yard
Standard
$2,850 to $4,700
6-ft galvanized backyard fence
Premium
$4,200 to $6,050
Vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $1,000 – $2,250 | $1,900 – $3,150 | $2,850 – $4,100 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,850 – $4,700 | $4,200 – $6,050 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $1,950 – $4,400 | $3,800 – $6,200 | $5,600 – $8,000 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $2,950 – $6,550 | $5,650 – $9,250 | $8,350 – $12,000 |
Planning more than one job in Cedar Rapids?
Jobs that often go together with chain-link fence are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Cedar Rapids wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, gravel driveway comes out highest (−1%) and vinyl fence lowest (−5%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood fence | 150 linear ft | $2,950 – $7,350 | −4% |
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,300 – $8,700 | −5% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,750 – $11,200 | −2% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,500 – $10,100 | −1% |
Cedar Rapids weather and the chain-link fence calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Cedar Rapids Muni Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Cedar Rapids are March through November: 9 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Cedar Rapids gets about 36 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and July (5.6 inches in June). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 2.0 and 2.0 inches. The station averages about 12 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | 11 | 0.9 | Cold |
| Feb | 33 | 16 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Mar | 46 | 27 | 2.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 60 | 38 | 3.6 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 50 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 80 | 60 | 5.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 83 | 63 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Aug | 81 | 60 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 75 | 52 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 62 | 40 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 46 | 28 | 2.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 33 | 17 | 1.6 | Cold |
How Cedar Rapids compares
Same job, same size (150 linear ft), priced for the nearest metros. La Crosse is the priciest of the group at $4,050. Iowa City is the cheapest at $3,600.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IAthis page | $1,500 – $6,050 | $3,750 | |
| Iowa City, IA40 miles | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 | −4% |
| Dubuque, IA45 miles | $1,500 – $6,100 | $3,800 | +1% |
| Waterloo, IA55 miles | $1,500 – $6,050 | $3,750 | level |
| Davenport, IA75 miles | $1,550 – $6,400 | $3,950 | +5% |
| La Crosse, WI115 miles | $1,550 – $6,600 | $4,050 | +8% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $1,500 – $6,000 | $3,750 | −1% |
| United States | $1,550 – $6,150 | $3,850 | +2% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Cedar Rapids ranks #139 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Cedar Rapids is 1% above the Iowa figure.
Elsewhere in Iowa
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $1,500 – $6,200 | $3,850 | +2% |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $1,550 – $6,400 | $3,950 | +5% |
| Iowa City, IA | 93,760 jobs | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 | −4% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $1,500 – $6,050 | $3,750 | level |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $1,450 – $5,850 | $3,650 | −3% |
| Dubuque, IA | 58,470 jobs | $1,500 – $6,100 | $3,800 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Cedar Rapids against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington, WV | 140,740 jobs | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 | −5% |
| Rockford, IL | 137,650 jobs | $1,600 – $6,900 | $4,250 | +13% |
| Vallejo, CA | 144,130 jobs | $1,750 – $7,450 | $4,600 | +23% |
| Evansville, IN | 135,250 jobs | $1,550 – $6,450 | $4,000 | +6% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Chain-link fence in Cedar Rapids: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a chain-link fence in Cedar Rapids?
For 150 linear ft, expect $1,500 to $6,050 in the Cedar Rapids area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,850 to $4,700. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for chain-link fence in Cedar Rapids?
About $9.65 to $39.50 per linear ft for materials and labor, plus $35 to $130 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $40.
+Is chain-link fence cheaper in Cedar Rapids or Iowa City?
Iowa City is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $3,600, which is 4% less than Cedar Rapids ($3,750). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Cedar Rapids?
About 62% at the midpoint, or $2,350 out of $3,750. Materials are 35% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Cedar Rapids?
$1,950 to $8,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does chain-link fence need a permit in Cedar Rapids?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $35 to $130 for fees in the Cedar Rapids area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Cedar Rapids expensive for chain-link fence compared with the rest of Iowa?
Cedar Rapids is 1% above the Iowa statewide estimate ($3,750 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Iowa; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Cedar Rapids?
The BLS median is $23.40 an hour in the Cedar Rapids area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.73 to $28.57.
+What do basic and premium chain-link fence work cost in Cedar Rapids?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $1,500 to $3,300 and premium work $4,200 to $6,050. Basic means: 4-ft galvanized, front yard. Premium means: vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates.
+When is the best time to install a chain-link fence in Cedar Rapids?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. March and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
+What does "add one gate" add in Cedar Rapids?
$80 to $970, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Chain-link fence near Cedar Rapids
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).