Chain-link fence cost in Waco, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $1,350 – $5,150
- Per linear ft
- $8.80 – $33.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −15%
- US $3,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #277
- 1 = most expensive
Waco homeowners pay roughly $1,350 to $5,150 to install a chain-link fence at 150 linear ft, or $8.80 to $33.50 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Waco is 15% lower. Construction laborers earn a median of $18.08 an hour in the Waco area, 20% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Waco, TX, standard level
$2,500 to $4,050
About $16 to $26 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,550 |
| Labor | $1,300 | $2,400 |
| Permits and fees | $70 | $110 |
| Total | $2,500 | $4,050 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Waco, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $840 | $1,350 | $1,850 | 41% |
| Labor | $470 | $1,850 | $3,200 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $90 | $140 | 3% |
| Total | $1,350 | $3,250 | $5,150 | 100% |
What is behind the Waco number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: construction laborers at 60%, carpenters at 40%. Weighted together, Waco wages are 0.79 times the national level. Labor makes up about 56% of the midpoint estimate (60% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Waco metro is 93.8 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 150 linear ft comes to $1,350, compared with $1,450 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (92.5) and land at $35 to $140.
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Waco is 0.79 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 60% of the weighting: a median of $18.08 an hour, 20% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.60 and $20.65 an hour. About 1,220 work in the metro. That is 93.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 40%) the local median is $22.76 an hour, which is 22% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $19.96 and $25.45 an hour. BLS counts 420 of them working in the area, 32.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($20.65 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $160. At the 25th percentile ($16.60) it shrinks by about $90. The total moves by 4.8% or 2.8%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 129,860 jobs in the Waco area. That makes it the 168th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.08% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 60% | $16.60 | $18.08 | $20.65 | $22.66 | 0.80 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $19.96 | $22.76 | $25.45 | $29.12 | 0.78 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.79 | |||||
When to schedule chain-link fence in Waco
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Waco Rgnl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
October through May is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Waco (8 of 12 months). June, July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Waco gets about 36 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and October (4.4 inches in May). Inside the workable window, January and February are the driest, at 2.6 and 2.7 inches. The station averages about 115 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59 | 36 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Feb | 63 | 40 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Mar | 70 | 47 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 78 | 55 | 3.3 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 63 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 93 | 71 | 3.4 | Hot |
| Jul | 97 | 74 | 1.8 | Hot |
| Aug | 97 | 74 | 2.0 | Hot |
| Sep | 91 | 67 | 2.9 | Hot |
| Oct | 81 | 56 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Nov | 69 | 46 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 60 | 38 | 2.9 | Workable |
Waco: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Waco wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$1,350 to $2,900
4-ft galvanized, front yard
Standard
$2,500 to $4,050
6-ft galvanized backyard fence
Premium
$3,650 to $5,150
Vinyl-coated, 8 ft, extra gates
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $920 – $1,950 | $1,700 – $2,700 | $2,450 – $3,500 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $1,350 – $2,900 | $2,500 – $4,050 | $3,650 – $5,150 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $1,800 – $3,800 | $3,300 – $5,350 | $4,850 – $6,850 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $2,650 – $5,700 | $4,950 – $7,950 | $7,200 – $10,200 |
Related projects, priced for Waco
Because every project leans on different trades, Waco's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, vinyl fence runs −9% and gravel driveway −13%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood fence | 150 linear ft | $2,650 – $6,700 | −13% |
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,150 – $8,250 | −9% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,350 – $10,200 | −11% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,150 – $8,850 | −13% |
Add-ons priced for Waco
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Waco by the average of the local wage index (0.79) and goods index (0.94), a factor of 0.86. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $70 – $860 |
Why two Waco quotes can differ
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.
Height
A 4-ft fence runs $10-$20 per linear foot; 6- to 8-ft backyard fences run $15-$40+ (HomeGuide).
How Waco compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 150 linear ft range from $3,200 to $3,600 across Waco and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waco, TXthis page | $1,350 – $5,150 | $3,250 | |
| Killeen, TX40 miles | $1,350 – $5,200 | $3,250 | level |
| College Station, TX75 miles | $1,350 – $5,150 | $3,250 | −1% |
| Dallas, TX90 miles | $1,500 – $5,750 | $3,600 | +11% |
| Austin, TX95 miles | $1,400 – $5,600 | $3,500 | +7% |
| Tyler, TX130 miles | $1,350 – $5,100 | $3,200 | −1% |
| Texas (statewide) | $1,450 – $5,450 | $3,450 | +5% |
| United States | $1,550 – $6,150 | $3,850 | +18% |
Across 300 US metros, Waco comes in at #277 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $5,450; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $3,000 (midpoints, 150 linear ft). Statewide, Waco is 5% below the Texas figure.
Other Texas metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $1,500 – $5,750 | $3,600 | +11% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $1,450 – $5,550 | $3,500 | +8% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $1,400 – $5,600 | $3,500 | +7% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $1,400 – $5,300 | $3,350 | +2% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $1,300 – $4,950 | $3,150 | −4% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $1,300 – $4,850 | $3,100 | −6% |
Cities with a workforce like Waco's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Waco against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia, WA | 130,300 jobs | $1,650 – $6,650 | $4,150 | +27% |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $1,650 – $6,750 | $4,200 | +29% |
| Fayetteville, NC | 131,430 jobs | $1,450 – $5,550 | $3,500 | +7% |
| Elkhart, IN | 127,730 jobs | $1,500 – $6,200 | $3,850 | +18% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $2,500 to $4,050 for Waco, TX is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
The report lays out the chain-link fence numbers for Waco, TX line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. 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 Waco: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a chain-link fence in Waco?
For 150 linear ft, expect $1,350 to $5,150 in the Waco area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,500 to $4,050. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for chain-link fence in Waco?
About $8.80 to $33.50 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 Waco or Killeen?
Killeen is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $3,250, which is 0% more than Waco ($3,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Waco?
About 56% at the midpoint, or $1,850 out of $3,250. Materials are 41% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Waco?
$1,800 to $6,850. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does chain-link fence need a permit in Waco?
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 Waco area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Waco expensive for chain-link fence compared with the rest of Texas?
Waco is 5% below the Texas statewide estimate ($3,450 at the midpoint). We cover 21 metros in Texas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Waco?
The BLS median is $18.08 an hour in the Waco area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $16.60 to $20.65.
+What do basic and premium chain-link fence work cost in Waco?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $1,350 to $2,900 and premium work $3,650 to $5,150. 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 Waco?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through May. January and February 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 Waco?
$70 to $860, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Chain-link fence near Waco
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).