Chain-link fence cost in Kentucky
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (150 linear ft)
- $1,450 – $5,750
- Per linear ft
- $9.50 – $37.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $3,850
- Metros covered
- 3
Across Kentucky, a chain-link fence costs about $1,450 to $5,750 for 150 linear ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 6% below the US figure of $3,850. Construction laborers earn a median $21.98 an hour in Kentucky (US: $22.66).
Inside Kentucky, the metros we cover range from $3,500 (Bowling Green) to $3,750 (Louisville) 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 Kentucky (statewide), standard level
$2,750 to $4,500
About $18 to $29 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 60% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,550 |
| Labor | $1,500 | $2,800 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $110 |
| Total | $2,750 | $4,500 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Kentucky
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $860 | $1,350 | $1,850 | 38% |
| Labor | $560 | $2,150 | $3,750 | 60% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $85 | $140 | 2% |
| Total | $1,450 | $3,600 | $5,750 | 100% |
Basic, standard or premium: Kentucky 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 backyard (100 linear ft) to full lot (300 linear ft).
Basic
$1,450 to $3,200
4-ft galvanized, front yard
Standard
$2,750 to $4,500
6-ft galvanized backyard fence
Premium
$4,050 to $5,750
Vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $980 – $2,150 | $1,850 – $3,000 | $2,750 – $3,900 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,750 – $4,500 | $4,050 – $5,750 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $1,950 – $4,200 | $3,650 – $5,950 | $5,350 – $7,650 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $2,900 – $6,300 | $5,450 – $8,850 | $8,000 – $11,400 |
Other Kentucky jobs that often go with chain-link fence
Each project weights the trades differently, so Kentucky's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, gravel driveway is −4% and wood fence −6%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood fence | 150 linear ft | $2,850 – $7,200 | −6% |
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,300 – $8,700 | −5% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,600 – $10,800 | −5% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,400 – $9,800 | −4% |
Kentucky versus the states around it
Kentucky ranks 36 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for chain-link fence, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $5,300 and the cheapest Arkansas at $3,250, both for 150 linear ft at the midpoint. Kentucky sits at $3,600. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 140 miles away | $1,550 – $6,250 | $3,900 | +8% |
| Tennessee | 170 miles away | $1,450 – $5,700 | $3,550 | −1% |
| Ohio | 210 miles away | $1,550 – $6,500 | $4,000 | +11% |
| West Virginia | 220 miles away | $1,400 – $5,500 | $3,450 | −4% |
| Illinois | 280 miles away | $1,750 – $7,400 | $4,600 | +27% |
Chain-link fence cost by metro in Kentucky
1 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $3,600, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY | $1,500 – $5,950 | $3,750 | +3% |
| Lexington, KY | $1,450 – $5,800 | $3,650 | level |
| Bowling Green, KY | $1,450 – $5,600 | $3,500 | −3% |
Add-ons priced for Kentucky
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.94 for Kentucky, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.93) and goods price index (0.96). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $75 – $940 |
Why two Kentucky quotes can differ
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.
Weather windows across Kentucky
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and Kentucky 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.
Every Kentucky metro on the list has 11 comfortable months, though rainfall ranges from 48 inches a year in Louisville to 50 in Bowling Green.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | 28 | 89 | 48 | 11: February through December |
| Lexington | 25 | 87 | 50 | 11: February through December |
| Bowling Green | 28 | 90 | 50 | 11: August through June |
What construction laborers and the other trades earn in Kentucky
Kentucky's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.93 times the national level.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 60%) the local median is $21.98 an hour, which is 3% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.13 and $24.06 an hour. BLS counts 13,280 of them working in the state, 66.4 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 $25.33 an hour, 13% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.09 and $29.45 an hour. About 8,540 work in the state. That is 42.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($24.06 an hour) would add about $130 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($18.13) would take off about $240. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 2,000,360 jobs across Kentucky (May 2025), which is 1.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 60% | $18.13 | $21.98 | $24.06 | $22.66 | 0.97 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $22.09 | $25.33 | $29.45 | $29.12 | 0.87 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.93 | |||||
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Chain-link fence in Kentucky: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a chain-link fence in Kentucky?
$1,450 to $5,750 for 150 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Kentucky can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Kentucky is cheapest for chain-link fence?
Bowling Green at about $3,500 (midpoint, 150 linear ft). The priciest is Louisville at $3,750.
+Is chain-link fence cheaper in Kentucky than the US average?
It is 6% cheaper: $3,600 against $3,850 for 150 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Kentucky?
About 60% ($2,150). Materials are 38%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.93x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in Kentucky?
The BLS statewide median is $21.98 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.13 to $24.06.
+Where does Kentucky rank for chain-link fence costs?
36th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $3,600 for 150 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium chain-link fence work cost in Kentucky?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $1,450 to $3,200 and premium work $4,050 to $5,750. Basic means: 4-ft galvanized, front yard. Premium means: vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates.
+Does the season matter for chain-link fence in Kentucky?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Kentucky metros we cover, Louisville has the most comfortable months (11 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 Kentucky?
$75 to $940, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Chain-link fence by city in Kentucky
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).