Composite deck cost in Bloomington, IN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $11,900 – $23,800
- Per sq ft
- $39.50 – $79
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −1%
- US $18,100
- Rank of 300 metros
- #118
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to build a composite deck in Bloomington, plan on $11,900 to $23,800 for 300 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $39.50 to $79 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint lands close to the national one. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 94.3).
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Bloomington, IN, standard level
$15,500 to $20,300
About $51.50 to $67 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 61% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,900 | $7,700 |
| Labor | $9,500 | $12,400 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $110 |
| Total | $15,500 | $20,300 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Bloomington, IN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,550 | $6,800 | $9,050 | 38% |
| Labor | $7,300 | $11,000 | $14,600 | 61% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $95 | $140 | 1% |
| Total | $11,900 | $17,900 | $23,800 | 100% |
Where the Bloomington price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 80% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $29.50 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Bloomington is 1.02 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 61% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Bloomington metro is 94.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 300 sq ft comes to $6,800, compared with $7,200 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (95.1) and land at $50 to $140.
Climate in Bloomington: timing your composite deck job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Bloomington Indiana Univ (in the city). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through November is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Bloomington (9 of 12 months). January, February and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Bloomington gets about 49 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 18 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and June (5.4 inches in June). Inside the workable window, March and August are the driest, at 3.7 and 3.4 inches. The station averages about 21 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 | 37 | 21 | 3.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 42 | 23 | 3.0 | Cold |
| Mar | 52 | 32 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 64 | 42 | 5.2 | Workable |
| May | 74 | 53 | 5.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 82 | 62 | 5.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 65 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 85 | 64 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 56 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 44 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 53 | 34 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 41 | 26 | 3.5 | Cold |
Specs and site conditions that change a Bloomington bid
Engineering
Large or complex decks may need a structural engineer at $100-$220 an hour to get a permit.
Board grade
Composite materials run $16-$32 per sq ft and the installed price is $40-$80 per sq ft, including the substructure (HomeGuide).
Labor
Labor for composite is $24-$48 per sq ft, higher than wood because the boards need extra parts and more careful assembly.
Optional extras in Bloomington
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Bloomington by the average of the local wage index (1.02) and goods index (0.94), a factor of 0.98. 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 a deck railing (approx. 0.3 ft per sq ft) | $1,750 – $5,300 |
Cost by quality level and size in Bloomington
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Bloomington 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
$11,900 to $16,700
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$15,500 to $20,300
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$19,100 to $23,800
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,800 – $6,700 | $6,250 – $8,150 | $7,700 – $9,600 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $5,750 – $8,050 | $7,450 – $9,800 | $9,200 – $11,500 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $12,700 – $17,800 | $16,500 – $21,600 | $20,300 – $25,400 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $15,800 – $22,200 | $20,600 – $27,000 | $25,400 – $31,700 |
Planning more than one job in Bloomington?
Because every project leans on different trades, Bloomington's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, concrete patio runs +2% and gutters −4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,350 – $14,800 | −2% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,250 – $4,100 | +2% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,050 – $5,550 | +2% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,250 – $4,050 | −4% |
Bloomington labor market for composite deck
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 Bloomington is 1.02 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 80%) the local median is $29.50 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.82 and $35.36 an hour. BLS counts 270 of them working in the area, 36.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is about average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $23.42 an hour, 3% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.28 and $30.52 an hour. About 360 work in the metro. That is 49.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($35.36 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $1,750. At the 25th percentile ($23.82) it shrinks by about $1,700. The total moves by 9.7% or 9.4%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 73,240 jobs in the Bloomington area. That makes it the 251st largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.05% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $23.82 | $29.50 | $35.36 | $29.12 | 1.01 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $19.28 | $23.42 | $30.52 | $22.66 | 1.03 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.02 | |||||
Bloomington against nearby metros and the rest of Indiana
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Evansville is the priciest of the group at $18,500. Louisville is the cheapest at $17,300.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, INthis page | $11,900 – $23,800 | $17,900 | |
| Terre Haute, IN40 miles | $11,700 – $23,500 | $17,600 | −2% |
| Indianapolis, IN50 miles | $12,300 – $24,700 | $18,500 | +4% |
| Louisville, KY90 miles | $11,500 – $23,000 | $17,300 | −3% |
| Lafayette, IN90 miles | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,200 | +2% |
| Evansville, IN95 miles | $12,400 – $24,700 | $18,500 | +4% |
| Indiana (statewide) | $12,100 – $24,300 | $18,200 | +2% |
| United States | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,100 | +1% |
Across 300 US metros, Bloomington comes in at #118 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $25,200; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $13,500 (midpoints, 300 sq ft). Statewide, Bloomington is 2% below the Indiana figure.
Other Indiana metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis, IN | 1,105,170 jobs | $12,300 – $24,700 | $18,500 | +4% |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 225,520 jobs | $11,800 – $23,600 | $17,700 | −1% |
| Evansville, IN | 135,250 jobs | $12,400 – $24,700 | $18,500 | +4% |
| South Bend, IN | 131,670 jobs | $12,000 – $24,000 | $18,000 | +1% |
| Elkhart, IN | 127,730 jobs | $12,300 – $24,600 | $18,400 | +3% |
| Lafayette, IN | 102,200 jobs | $12,100 – $24,200 | $18,200 | +2% |
Cities with a workforce like Bloomington's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Bloomington against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului, HI | 73,750 jobs | $15,700 – $31,400 | $23,500 | +32% |
| Auburn, AL | 72,710 jobs | $10,300 – $20,600 | $15,500 | −13% |
| Rapid City, SD | 73,820 jobs | $10,600 – $21,300 | $16,000 | −11% |
| Prescott Valley, AZ | 72,300 jobs | $11,500 – $23,000 | $17,200 | −4% |
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 $15,500 to $20,300 for Bloomington, IN is attached.
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Multi-page report for Bloomington, IN: 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.
Composite deck in Bloomington: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Bloomington?
For 300 sq ft, expect $11,900 to $23,800 in the Bloomington area. A standard-spec job lands at $15,500 to $20,300. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for composite deck in Bloomington?
About $39.50 to $79 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $50 to $140 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $40 to $80.
+Is composite deck cheaper in Bloomington or Terre Haute?
Terre Haute is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $17,600, which is 2% less than Bloomington ($17,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Bloomington?
About 61% at the midpoint, or $11,000 out of $17,900. Materials are 38% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Bloomington?
$12,700 to $25,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does composite deck need a permit in Bloomington?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $140 for fees in the Bloomington area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Bloomington expensive for composite deck compared with the rest of Indiana?
Bloomington is 2% below the Indiana statewide estimate ($18,200 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Indiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Bloomington?
The BLS median is $29.50 an hour in the Bloomington area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.82 to $35.36.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Bloomington?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $11,900 to $16,700 and premium work $19,100 to $23,800. Basic means: entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape. Premium means: premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners.
+When is the best time to build a composite deck in Bloomington?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. March and August 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 a deck railing" add in Bloomington?
$1,750 to $5,300 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck near Bloomington
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 Composite Decking Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (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