Chain-link fence cost in Memphis, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $1,450 – $5,700
- Per linear ft
- $9.40 – $37
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −7%
- US $3,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #195
- 1 = most expensive
A chain-link fence in Memphis, TN usually costs $1,450 to $5,700 for 150 linear ft. That works out to about $9.40 to $37 per linear ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $280 less. Construction laborers earn a median of $21.54 an hour in the Memphis area, 5% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Memphis, TN, standard level
$2,700 to $4,400
About $17.50 to $28.50 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 Memphis, TN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $870 | $1,350 | $1,900 | 38% |
| Labor | $540 | $2,100 | $3,650 | 59% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $90 | $140 | 2% |
| Total | $1,450 | $3,550 | $5,700 | 100% |
Why Memphis 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 $21.54 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Memphis is 0.90 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 59% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Memphis is at 96.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,450 nationally becomes $1,350 here (midpoint, 150 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 92.2: $35 to $140.
Related projects, priced for Memphis
Jobs that often go together with chain-link fence are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Memphis wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, vinyl fence comes out highest (−5%) and wood fence lowest (−7%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood fence | 150 linear ft | $2,800 – $7,100 | −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 – $9,600 | −6% |
Is Memphis cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Memphis. Jonesboro is the lowest at about $3,200 (midpoint, 150 linear ft), 65 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TNthis page | $1,450 – $5,700 | $3,550 | |
| Jonesboro, AR65 miles | $1,350 – $5,100 | $3,200 | −10% |
| Jackson, TN75 miles | $1,450 – $5,600 | $3,500 | −1% |
| Little Rock, AR145 miles | $1,350 – $5,150 | $3,250 | −9% |
| Decatur, AL160 miles | $1,400 – $5,300 | $3,350 | −6% |
| Clarksville, TN170 miles | $1,400 – $5,500 | $3,450 | −3% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $1,450 – $5,700 | $3,550 | level |
| United States | $1,550 – $6,150 | $3,850 | +8% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Memphis ranks #195 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Memphis is 0% below the Tennessee figure.
Elsewhere in Tennessee
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $1,500 – $5,900 | $3,700 | +3% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $1,450 – $5,750 | $3,600 | +1% |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $1,450 – $5,600 | $3,500 | −1% |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $1,450 – $5,650 | $3,550 | −1% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $1,400 – $5,500 | $3,450 | −3% |
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $1,450 – $5,600 | $3,500 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Memphis against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | 660,350 jobs | $1,450 – $5,600 | $3,500 | −1% |
| Hartford, CT | 599,770 jobs | $1,600 – $6,700 | $4,150 | +16% |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 677,680 jobs | $1,400 – $5,300 | $3,350 | −6% |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 598,260 jobs | $1,500 – $6,000 | $3,750 | +5% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Memphis bid
Survey
A land survey ($300-$900) is worth it before you put a fence near a boundary.
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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: chain-link fence pricing in Memphis
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Memphis. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run 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 | $5,350 – $8,700 | $7,850 – $11,200 |
What local crews earn in Memphis
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Memphis the blend is 0.90.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 60%) the local median is $21.54 an hour, which is 5% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.31 and $24.40 an hour. BLS counts 3,940 of them working in the area, 64.4 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 $24.34 an hour, 16% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.58 and $28.26 an hour. About 1,240 work in the metro. That is 20.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $180 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $200. That is a swing of roughly 5.6% to 4.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Memphis has 611,670 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 46th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 60% | $18.31 | $21.54 | $24.40 | $22.66 | 0.95 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $22.58 | $24.34 | $28.26 | $29.12 | 0.84 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.90 | |||||
Memphis weather and the chain-link fence calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Memphis Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Memphis are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Memphis gets about 55 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 3 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, April and December (5.9 inches in April). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.0 and 4.0 inches. The station averages about 72 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51 | 33 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 56 | 37 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Mar | 64 | 44 | 5.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 73 | 53 | 5.9 | Workable |
| May | 82 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 70 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 4.8 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 3.4 | Hot |
| Sep | 86 | 66 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 75 | 54 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 63 | 43 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 53 | 36 | 5.5 | Workable |
Extras that change the Memphis total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.93 for Memphis, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.90) and goods price index (0.96). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $75 – $930 |
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Chain-link fence in Memphis: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a chain-link fence in Memphis?
For 150 linear ft, expect $1,450 to $5,700 in the Memphis area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,700 to $4,400. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for chain-link fence in Memphis?
About $9.40 to $37 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 Memphis or Jonesboro?
Jonesboro is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $3,200, which is 10% less than Memphis ($3,550). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Memphis?
About 59% at the midpoint, or $2,100 out of $3,550. Materials are 38% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Memphis?
$1,900 to $7,550. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does chain-link fence need a permit in Memphis?
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 Memphis area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Memphis expensive for chain-link fence compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Memphis is 0% below the Tennessee statewide estimate ($3,550 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Tennessee; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Memphis?
The BLS median is $21.54 an hour in the Memphis area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.31 to $24.40.
+What do basic and premium chain-link fence work cost in Memphis?
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.
+When is the best time to install a chain-link fence in Memphis?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. September and October 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 Memphis?
$75 to $930, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Chain-link fence near Memphis
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).