Chain-link fence cost in Minnesota
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (150 linear ft)
- $1,650 – $6,950
- Per linear ft
- $11 – $45.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +12%
- US $3,850
- Metros covered
- 4
Minnesota prices for chain-link fence: $1,650 to $6,950 for 150 linear ft, or $11 to $45.50 per linear ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 12% above the national one. Local wages for construction laborers are $28.97 an hour.
Inside Minnesota, the metros we cover range from $4,100 (St. Cloud) to $4,550 (Minneapolis) 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 Minnesota (statewide), standard level
$3,250 to $5,350
About $21 to $35 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 65% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,200 | $1,650 |
| Labor | $1,950 | $3,600 |
| Permits and fees | $70 | $120 |
| Total | $3,250 | $5,350 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Minnesota
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $900 | $1,450 | $1,950 | 33% |
| Labor | $720 | $2,800 | $4,850 | 65% |
| Permits and fees | $40 | $95 | $150 | 2% |
| Total | $1,650 | $4,300 | $6,950 | 100% |
How Minnesota compares with nearby states
Minnesota ranks 9 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. Minnesota sits at $4,300. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | 240 miles away | $1,500 – $6,000 | $3,750 | −13% |
| Wisconsin | 260 miles away | $1,550 – $6,500 | $4,050 | −6% |
| North Dakota | 270 miles away | $1,500 – $6,100 | $3,800 | −12% |
| South Dakota | 290 miles away | $1,450 – $5,650 | $3,550 | −18% |
| Nebraska | 320 miles away | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 | −16% |
Extras that change the Minnesota total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.10 for Minnesota, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.20) and goods price index (1.01). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $90 – $1,100 |
Chain-link fence cost by metro in Minnesota
1 of the 4 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $4,300, and the top-to-bottom gap is 11%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | $1,750 – $7,350 | $4,550 | +5% |
| Duluth, MN | $1,600 – $6,750 | $4,200 | −3% |
| Rochester, MN | $1,600 – $6,750 | $4,200 | −3% |
| St. Cloud, MN | $1,600 – $6,600 | $4,100 | −5% |
What construction laborers and the other trades earn in Minnesota
Minnesota'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 1.20 times the national level.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 60%) the local median is $28.97 an hour, which is 28% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.28 and $38.32 an hour. BLS counts 28,530 of them working in the state, 96.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Carpenters (47-2031), 40% of the weighting: a median of $31.22 an hour, 7% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $26.56 and $40.58 an hour. About 14,930 work in the state. That is 50.6 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 ($38.32 an hour) would add about $580 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($23.28) would take off about $350. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 2,949,820 jobs across Minnesota (May 2025), which is 1.9% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 60% | $23.28 | $28.97 | $38.32 | $22.66 | 1.28 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $26.56 | $31.22 | $40.58 | $29.12 | 1.07 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.20 | |||||
Basic, standard or premium: Minnesota 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
$1,650 to $3,800
4-ft galvanized, front yard
Standard
$3,250 to $5,350
6-ft galvanized backyard fence
Premium
$4,850 to $6,950
Vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $1,100 – $2,550 | $2,200 – $3,600 | $3,250 – $4,700 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $1,650 – $3,800 | $3,250 – $5,350 | $4,850 – $6,950 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $2,200 – $5,000 | $4,300 – $7,100 | $6,400 – $9,200 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $3,300 – $7,450 | $6,450 – $10,600 | $9,550 – $13,800 |
If you are planning more than one job in Minnesota
Each project weights the trades differently, so Minnesota's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, gravel driveway is +15% and vinyl fence +4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood fence | 150 linear ft | $3,300 – $8,150 | +7% |
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,700 – $9,600 | +4% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $4,050 – $12,100 | +6% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,900 – $11,700 | +15% |
Weather windows across Minnesota
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and Minnesota 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 Minnesota metro on the list has 7 comfortable months, though rainfall ranges from 28 inches a year in St. Cloud to 35 in Rochester.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | 8 | 83 | 34 | 7: April through October |
| Duluth | 2 | 78 | 31 | 7: April through October |
| Rochester | 7 | 80 | 35 | 7: April through October |
| St. Cloud | 3 | 82 | 28 | 7: April through October |
Why two Minnesota 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.
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Detailed chain-link fence report for Minnesota, $9
Multi-page report for Minnesota: 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 in Minnesota: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a chain-link fence in Minnesota?
$1,650 to $6,950 for 150 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Minnesota can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Minnesota is cheapest for chain-link fence?
St. Cloud at about $4,100 (midpoint, 150 linear ft). The priciest is Minneapolis at $4,550.
+Is chain-link fence cheaper in Minnesota than the US average?
It is 12% more expensive: $4,300 against $3,850 for 150 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Minnesota?
About 65% ($2,800). Materials are 33%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.20x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in Minnesota?
The BLS statewide median is $28.97 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.28 to $38.32.
+Where does Minnesota rank for chain-link fence costs?
9th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $4,300 for 150 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium chain-link fence work cost in Minnesota?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $1,650 to $3,800 and premium work $4,850 to $6,950. Basic means: 4-ft galvanized, front yard. Premium means: vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates.
+Does the season matter for chain-link fence in Minnesota?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Minnesota metros we cover, Minneapolis has the most comfortable months (7 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 Minnesota?
$90 to $1,100, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Chain-link fence by city in Minnesota
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).