Chain-link fence cost in Tennessee
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (150 linear ft)
- $1,450 – $5,700
- Per linear ft
- $9.40 – $37
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −7%
- US $3,850
- Metros covered
- 8
Across Tennessee, a chain-link fence costs about $1,450 to $5,700 for 150 linear ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 7% below the US figure of $3,850. Construction laborers earn a median $21.64 an hour in Tennessee (US: $22.66).
Inside Tennessee, the metros we cover range from $3,400 (Johnson City) to $3,700 (Nashville) 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 Tennessee (statewide), standard level
$2,700 to $4,400
About $17.50 to $29 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 59% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,550 |
| Labor | $1,500 | $2,750 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $110 |
| Total | $2,700 | $4,400 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Tennessee
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $870 | $1,350 | $1,900 | 38% |
| Labor | $550 | $2,100 | $3,700 | 59% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $85 | $140 | 2% |
| Total | $1,450 | $3,550 | $5,700 | 100% |
Why two Tennessee 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.
Which Tennessee city is cheapest for chain-link fence?
2 of the 8 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $3,550, and the top-to-bottom gap is 8%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | $1,500 – $5,900 | $3,700 | +3% |
| Knoxville, TN | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 | +1% |
| Memphis, TN | $1,450 – $5,700 | $3,550 | level |
| Kingsport, TN | $1,450 – $5,650 | $3,550 | −1% |
| Chattanooga, TN | $1,450 – $5,600 | $3,500 | −2% |
| Jackson, TN | $1,450 – $5,600 | $3,500 | −2% |
| Clarksville, TN | $1,400 – $5,500 | $3,450 | −3% |
| Johnson City, TN | $1,400 – $5,400 | $3,400 | −5% |
Optional extras in Tennessee
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.94 for Tennessee, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.91) 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 |
Related projects, priced for Tennessee
Each project weights the trades differently, so Tennessee's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, vinyl fence is −5% and wood fence −7%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood fence | 150 linear ft | $2,800 – $7,150 | −7% |
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,300 – $8,650 | −5% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,550 – $10,800 | −6% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,350 – $9,550 | −6% |
When Tennessee weather lets you install
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and Tennessee 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.
Knoxville has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Tennessee at 12 months; Jackson has the shortest at 10 (September through June). Rainfall runs from 44 inches a year in Johnson City to 57 inches in Jackson.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 30 | 91 | 51 | 10: September through June |
| Memphis | 33 | 92 | 55 | 10: September through June |
| Knoxville | 30 | 88 | 52 | 12: all year |
| Chattanooga | 32 | 91 | 55 | 10: September through June |
| Kingsport | 27 | 87 | 45 | 12: all year |
| Clarksville | 28 | 90 | 54 | 10: September through June |
| Jackson | 27 | 91 | 57 | 10: September through June |
| Johnson City | 26 | 86 | 44 | 12: all year |
Tennessee versus the states around it
Tennessee ranks 38 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. Tennessee sits at $3,550. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 170 miles away | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 | +1% |
| Alabama | 190 miles away | $1,400 – $5,200 | $3,300 | −8% |
| Georgia | 210 miles away | $1,400 – $5,400 | $3,400 | −4% |
| Indiana | 300 miles away | $1,550 – $6,250 | $3,900 | +9% |
| Mississippi | 330 miles away | $1,400 – $5,250 | $3,300 | −7% |
Basic, standard or premium: Tennessee 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 $3,150
4-ft galvanized, front yard
Standard
$2,700 to $4,400
6-ft galvanized backyard fence
Premium
$4,000 to $5,700
Vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $980 – $2,100 | $1,850 – $3,000 | $2,700 – $3,850 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,700 – $4,400 | $4,000 – $5,700 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $1,900 – $4,150 | $3,600 – $5,850 | $5,300 – $7,550 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $2,850 – $6,200 | $5,400 – $8,750 | $7,900 – $11,300 |
Wages behind the Tennessee number
Tennessee'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 0.91 times the national level.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 60%) the local median is $21.64 an hour, which is 5% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.11 and $23.78 an hour. BLS counts 26,250 of them working in the state, 80.1 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 $24.44 an hour, 16% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.36 and $28.80 an hour. About 8,200 work in the state. That is 25.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($23.78 an hour) would add about $130 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($18.11) would take off about $220. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 3,278,760 jobs across Tennessee (May 2025), which is 2.1% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 60% | $18.11 | $21.64 | $23.78 | $22.66 | 0.95 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $22.36 | $24.44 | $28.80 | $29.12 | 0.84 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.91 | |||||
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Chain-link fence in Tennessee: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a chain-link fence in Tennessee?
$1,450 to $5,700 for 150 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Tennessee can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Tennessee is cheapest for chain-link fence?
Johnson City at about $3,400 (midpoint, 150 linear ft). The priciest is Nashville at $3,700.
+Is chain-link fence cheaper in Tennessee than the US average?
It is 7% cheaper: $3,550 against $3,850 for 150 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Tennessee?
About 59% ($2,100). Materials are 38%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.91x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in Tennessee?
The BLS statewide median is $21.64 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.11 to $23.78.
+Where does Tennessee rank for chain-link fence costs?
38th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $3,550 for 150 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium chain-link fence work cost in Tennessee?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $1,450 to $3,150 and premium work $4,000 to $5,700. Basic means: 4-ft galvanized, front yard. Premium means: vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates.
+Does the season matter for chain-link fence in Tennessee?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Tennessee metros we cover, Knoxville has the most comfortable months (12 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 Tennessee?
$75 to $940, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Chain-link fence by city in Tennessee
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).