Chain-link fence cost in Massachusetts
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (150 linear ft)
- $1,700 – $7,350
- Per linear ft
- $11 – $48
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +18%
- US $3,850
- Metros covered
- 6
Across Massachusetts, a chain-link fence costs about $1,700 to $7,350 for 150 linear ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 18% above the US figure of $3,850. Construction laborers earn a median $30.48 an hour in Massachusetts (US: $22.66).
Inside Massachusetts, the metros we cover range from $4,000 (Pittsfield) to $4,550 (Boston) 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 Massachusetts (statewide), standard level
$3,400 to $5,650
About $22 to $37 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 67% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,200 | $1,600 |
| Labor | $2,150 | $3,950 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $120 |
| Total | $3,400 | $5,650 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Massachusetts
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $890 | $1,400 | $1,950 | 31% |
| Labor | $780 | $3,050 | $5,300 | 67% |
| Permits and fees | $40 | $100 | $160 | 2% |
| Total | $1,700 | $4,550 | $7,350 | 100% |
Massachusetts versus the states around it
Massachusetts ranks 4 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. Massachusetts sits at $4,550. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 40 miles away | $1,550 – $6,300 | $3,900 | −14% |
| Rhode Island | 50 miles away | $1,600 – $6,650 | $4,100 | −9% |
| Connecticut | 110 miles away | $1,600 – $6,750 | $4,200 | −8% |
| Maine | 120 miles away | $1,500 – $6,100 | $3,800 | −16% |
| Vermont | 180 miles away | $1,550 – $6,200 | $3,900 | −15% |
Add-ons priced for Massachusetts
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.15 for Massachusetts, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.30) and goods price index (0.99). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $90 – $1,150 |
When Massachusetts weather lets you install
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and Massachusetts 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.
Barnstable has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Massachusetts at 10 months (March through December); Pittsfield has the shortest at 8 (April through November). Rainfall runs from 44 inches a year in Boston to 48 inches in Worcester.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | 23 | 82 | 44 | 9: March through November |
| Worcester | 17 | 80 | 48 | 8: April through November |
| Springfield | 16 | 85 | 45 | 9: March through November |
| Barnstable | 24 | 81 | 45 | 10: March through December |
| Amherst | 16 | 85 | 45 | 9: March through November |
| Pittsfield | 14 | 79 | 44 | 8: April through November |
Why two Massachusetts 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.
Massachusetts metro-by-metro prices
0 of the 6 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $4,550, and the top-to-bottom gap is 14%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, MA | $1,700 – $7,400 | $4,550 | level |
| Springfield, MA | $1,700 – $7,300 | $4,500 | −1% |
| Worcester, MA | $1,650 – $7,150 | $4,400 | −3% |
| Barnstable, MA | $1,650 – $7,000 | $4,350 | −4% |
| Amherst, MA | $1,600 – $6,850 | $4,250 | −7% |
| Pittsfield, MA | $1,550 – $6,400 | $4,000 | −12% |
Wages behind the Massachusetts number
Massachusetts'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 1.30 times the national level.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 60%) the local median is $30.48 an hour, which is 35% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $25.16 and $42.46 an hour. BLS counts 16,210 of them working in the state, 44.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Carpenters (47-2031), 40% of the weighting: a median of $36.16 an hour, 24% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $29.21 and $46.88 an hour. About 18,540 work in the state. That is 51.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($42.46 an hour) would add about $740 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($25.16) would take off about $330. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 3,637,650 jobs across Massachusetts (May 2025), which is 2.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 60% | $25.16 | $30.48 | $42.46 | $22.66 | 1.35 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $29.21 | $36.16 | $46.88 | $29.12 | 1.24 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.30 | |||||
Basic, standard or premium: Massachusetts 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
$1,700 to $3,950
4-ft galvanized, front yard
Standard
$3,400 to $5,650
6-ft galvanized backyard fence
Premium
$5,100 to $7,350
Vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $1,150 – $2,700 | $2,300 – $3,800 | $3,450 – $4,950 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $1,700 – $3,950 | $3,400 – $5,650 | $5,100 – $7,350 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $2,250 – $5,250 | $4,500 – $7,500 | $6,750 – $9,750 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $3,400 – $7,850 | $6,750 – $11,200 | $10,100 – $14,600 |
Other Massachusetts jobs that often go with chain-link fence
Each project weights the trades differently, so Massachusetts's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, gravel driveway is +15% and vinyl fence +6%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood fence | 150 linear ft | $3,450 – $8,450 | +11% |
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,700 – $9,750 | +6% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $4,200 – $12,400 | +10% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,900 – $11,700 | +15% |
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Chain-link fence in Massachusetts: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a chain-link fence in Massachusetts?
$1,700 to $7,350 for 150 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Massachusetts can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Massachusetts is cheapest for chain-link fence?
Pittsfield at about $4,000 (midpoint, 150 linear ft). The priciest is Boston at $4,550.
+Is chain-link fence cheaper in Massachusetts than the US average?
It is 18% more expensive: $4,550 against $3,850 for 150 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Massachusetts?
About 67% ($3,050). Materials are 31%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.30x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in Massachusetts?
The BLS statewide median is $30.48 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $25.16 to $42.46.
+Where does Massachusetts rank for chain-link fence costs?
4th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $4,550 for 150 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium chain-link fence work cost in Massachusetts?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $1,700 to $3,950 and premium work $5,100 to $7,350. Basic means: 4-ft galvanized, front yard. Premium means: vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates.
+Does the season matter for chain-link fence in Massachusetts?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Massachusetts metros we cover, Barnstable has the most comfortable months (10 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 Massachusetts?
$90 to $1,150, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Chain-link fence by city in Massachusetts
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).