Chain-link fence cost in Des Moines, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $1,500 – $6,200
- Per linear ft
- $9.80 – $40.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $3,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #121
- 1 = most expensive
Des Moines homeowners pay roughly $1,500 to $6,200 to install a chain-link fence at 150 linear ft, or $9.80 to $40.50 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Des Moines is almost level. Construction laborers earn a median of $24.03 an hour in the Des Moines area, 6% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Des Moines, IA, standard level
$2,900 to $4,800
About $19 to $31 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 63% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,550 |
| Labor | $1,700 | $3,150 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $110 |
| Total | $2,900 | $4,800 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Des Moines, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $840 | $1,350 | $1,850 | 35% |
| Labor | $620 | $2,400 | $4,200 | 63% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $85 | $140 | 2% |
| Total | $1,500 | $3,850 | $6,200 | 100% |
Why Des Moines prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 60% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $24.03 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Des Moines is 1.04 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 63% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Des Moines metro is 93.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 150 linear ft comes to $1,350, compared with $1,450 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (91.7) and land at $35 to $140.
What nearby projects cost in Des Moines
Because every project leans on different trades, Des Moines's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, gravel driveway runs −1% and vinyl fence −4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood fence | 150 linear ft | $3,000 – $7,450 | −2% |
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,350 – $8,800 | −4% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,700 – $11,100 | −3% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,500 – $10,100 | −1% |
Chain-link fence: what moves the price in Des Moines
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.
Optional extras in Des Moines
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Des Moines by the average of the local wage index (1.04) and goods index (0.94), a factor of 0.99. 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 – $990 |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Des Moines is 1.04 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 60% of the weighting: a median of $24.03 an hour, 6% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.67 and $28.91 an hour. About 3,510 work in the metro. That is 86.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 40%) the local median is $29.50 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $24.03 and $35.68 an hour. BLS counts 1,810 of them working in the area, 44.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is about average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($28.91 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $300. At the 25th percentile ($22.67) it shrinks by about $85. The total moves by 7.8% or 2.2%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 404,130 jobs in the Des Moines-West Des Moines area. That makes it the 64th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.26% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 60% | $22.67 | $24.03 | $28.91 | $22.66 | 1.06 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $24.03 | $29.50 | $35.68 | $29.12 | 1.01 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.04 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Des Moines
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Des Moines wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$1,500 to $3,400
4-ft galvanized, front yard
Standard
$2,900 to $4,800
6-ft galvanized backyard fence
Premium
$4,300 to $6,200
Vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $1,000 – $2,300 | $1,950 – $3,200 | $2,900 – $4,150 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $1,500 – $3,400 | $2,900 – $4,800 | $4,300 – $6,200 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $2,000 – $4,500 | $3,850 – $6,350 | $5,700 – $8,200 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $2,950 – $6,700 | $5,750 – $9,450 | $8,550 – $12,200 |
When to schedule chain-link fence in Des Moines
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Des Moines Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through November is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Des Moines (9 of 12 months). 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.
Des Moines gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 37 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 2.2 and 1.9 inches. The station averages about 22 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31 | 14 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Feb | 36 | 18 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Mar | 49 | 30 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 62 | 41 | 4.0 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 52 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 82 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 66 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 64 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 77 | 55 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 43 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 48 | 30 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 36 | 20 | 1.6 | Cold |
Is Des Moines cheap or dear? The local comparison
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 150 linear ft range from $3,600 to $3,850 across Des Moines and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IAthis page | $1,500 – $6,200 | $3,850 | |
| Waterloo, IA95 miles | $1,500 – $6,050 | $3,750 | −2% |
| Iowa City, IA110 miles | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 | −6% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA115 miles | $1,500 – $6,050 | $3,750 | −2% |
| Omaha, NE120 miles | $1,450 – $5,850 | $3,650 | −5% |
| Sioux City, IA145 miles | $1,450 – $5,850 | $3,650 | −5% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $1,500 – $6,000 | $3,750 | −3% |
| United States | $1,550 – $6,150 | $3,850 | level |
Across 300 US metros, Des Moines comes in at #121 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $5,450; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $3,000 (midpoints, 150 linear ft). Statewide, Des Moines is 3% above the Iowa figure.
Other Iowa metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $1,550 – $6,400 | $3,950 | +3% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $1,500 – $6,050 | $3,750 | −2% |
| Iowa City, IA | 93,760 jobs | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 | −6% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $1,500 – $6,050 | $3,750 | −2% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $1,450 – $5,850 | $3,650 | −5% |
| Dubuque, IA | 58,470 jobs | $1,500 – $6,100 | $3,800 | −2% |
Cities with a workforce like Des Moines's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Des Moines against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport, CT | 404,180 jobs | $1,600 – $6,800 | $4,200 | +9% |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $1,400 – $5,500 | $3,450 | −10% |
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $1,450 – $5,700 | $3,600 | −7% |
| Charleston, SC | 394,170 jobs | $1,450 – $5,650 | $3,550 | −8% |
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Chain-link fence in Des Moines: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a chain-link fence in Des Moines?
For 150 linear ft, expect $1,500 to $6,200 in the Des Moines area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,900 to $4,800. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for chain-link fence in Des Moines?
About $9.80 to $40.50 per linear ft for materials and labor, plus $35 to $140 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $40.
+Is chain-link fence cheaper in Des Moines or Waterloo?
Waterloo is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $3,750, which is 2% less than Des Moines ($3,850). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Des Moines?
About 63% at the midpoint, or $2,400 out of $3,850. Materials are 35% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Des Moines?
$2,000 to $8,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does chain-link fence need a permit in Des Moines?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $35 to $140 for fees in the Des Moines area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Des Moines expensive for chain-link fence compared with the rest of Iowa?
Des Moines is 3% 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 Des Moines?
The BLS median is $24.03 an hour in the Des Moines area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.67 to $28.91.
+What do basic and premium chain-link fence work cost in Des Moines?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $1,500 to $3,400 and premium work $4,300 to $6,200. 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 Des Moines?
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 Des Moines?
$80 to $990, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Chain-link fence near Des Moines
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).