French drain cost in Duluth, MN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $700 – $2,450
- Per linear ft
- $11.50 – $41
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +17%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #40
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a French drain in Duluth, plan on $700 to $2,450 for 60 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $11.50 to $41 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 17% higher than the national one. Construction laborers earn a median of $29.49 an hour in the Duluth area, 30% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Duluth, MN, standard level
$1,200 to $1,900
About $20.50 to $32 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 61% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $480 | $750 |
| Labor | $740 | $1,150 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,200 | $1,900 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Duluth, MN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $620 | $960 | 39% |
| Labor | $420 | $960 | $1,500 | 61% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $700 | $1,550 | $2,450 | 100% |
Why Duluth prices look the way they do
Labor is 61% of the midpoint bill here, against 52% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is construction laborers (50%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (30%), pipelayers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Duluth the blended ratio comes out at 1.36.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Duluth metro is 95.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 60 linear ft comes to $620, compared with $650 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (88.8) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 20% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Duluth. The wage table below marks each row.
Related projects, priced for Duluth
Because every project leans on different trades, Duluth's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sprinkler system runs +14% and sod installation −1%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $8,150 – $14,500 | +11% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,800 – $11,300 | +11% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,500 – $3,250 | −1% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,650 – $5,500 | +7% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,550 – $11,400 | +14% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $40,800 – $127,000 | +13% |
Climate in Duluth: timing your French drain job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Duluth (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
May through October is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Duluth (6 of 12 months). January, February, March, April, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, April, November and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 177 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Duluth gets about 31 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 90 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, July and August (4.4 inches in June). Inside the workable window, May and October are the driest, at 3.4 and 2.9 inches. The station averages about 2 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 | 20 | 2 | 0.9 | Cold |
| Feb | 25 | 6 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Mar | 36 | 18 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Apr | 49 | 30 | 2.5 | Cold |
| May | 63 | 41 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 72 | 50 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 78 | 56 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 76 | 55 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Sep | 67 | 47 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 53 | 36 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 37 | 23 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Dec | 25 | 10 | 1.5 | Cold |
How Duluth compares
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Duluth. Fargo is the lowest at about $1,350 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 215 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth, MNthis page | $700 – $2,450 | $1,550 | |
| St. Cloud, MN155 miles | $690 – $2,450 | $1,550 | −1% |
| Minneapolis, MN160 miles | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +5% |
| Eau Claire, WI175 miles | $690 – $2,400 | $1,550 | −1% |
| Wausau, WI210 miles | $700 – $2,450 | $1,550 | level |
| Fargo, ND215 miles | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −15% |
| Minnesota (statewide) | $720 – $2,500 | $1,600 | +3% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −14% |
Across 300 US metros, Duluth comes in at #40 from the top. The priciest is San Francisco, CA at $1,900; the cheapest is McAllen, TX at $1,100 (midpoints, 60 linear ft). Statewide, Duluth is 2% below the Minnesota figure.
Other Minnesota metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | 1,951,650 jobs | $740 – $2,600 | $1,650 | +5% |
| Rochester, MN | 122,980 jobs | $700 – $2,450 | $1,600 | level |
| St. Cloud, MN | 103,920 jobs | $690 – $2,450 | $1,550 | −1% |
Cities with a workforce like Duluth's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Duluth against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crestview, FL | 125,050 jobs | $560 – $1,950 | $1,250 | −19% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $710 – $2,450 | $1,600 | +1% |
| Norwich, CT | 126,450 jobs | $620 – $2,150 | $1,400 | −11% |
| Amarillo, TX | 123,930 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −24% |
Cost by quality level and size in Duluth
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Duluth 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 3 common sizes.
Basic
$700 to $1,400
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,200 to $1,900
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,750 to $2,450
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $350 – $700 | $610 – $960 | $870 – $1,200 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $700 – $1,400 | $1,200 – $1,900 | $1,750 – $2,450 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,400 – $2,800 | $2,450 – $3,850 | $3,500 – $4,900 |
Duluth labor market for French drain
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Duluth is 1.36 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $29.49 an hour, 30% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.29 and $37.00 an hour. About 1,390 work in the metro. That is 111.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $36.08 an hour, which is 25% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.89 and $40.28 an hour. BLS counts 770 of them working in the area, 61.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Pipelayers (47-2151) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Duluth metro, so we used the Minnesota statewide median: $39.41 an hour against $23.56 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $36.46 and $45.69 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($37.00 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $120. At the 25th percentile ($23.29) it shrinks by about $95. The total moves by 7.4% or 6.1%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 124,710 jobs in the Duluth area. That makes it the 173rd 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) | 50% | $23.29 | $29.49 | $37.00 | $22.66 | 1.30 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $29.89 | $36.08 | $40.28 | $28.78 | 1.25 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $36.46 | $39.41 | $45.69 | $23.56 | 1.67 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.36 | |||||
Why two Duluth quotes can differ
Crawl space drains
A crawl space French drain is $2,000-$8,000 installed.
Exterior versus interior
A shallow exterior French drain is $10-$35 per linear foot; an interior basement drain is $40-$85 per foot, or $4,000-$17,000 installed (HomeGuide).
Where the water goes
A sump pump adds $500-$1,800 and a dry well $50-$3,000+. Discharging to a storm drain can mean extra permit fees.
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 $1,200 to $1,900 for Duluth, MN is attached.
Detailed french drain report for Duluth, MN, $9
Multi-page report for Duluth, MN: 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.
French drain in Duluth: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Duluth?
For 60 linear ft, expect $700 to $2,450 in the Duluth area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,200 to $1,900. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Duluth?
About $11.50 to $41 per linear ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $35.
+Is French drain cheaper in Duluth or St. Cloud?
St. Cloud is 155 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,550, which is 1% less than Duluth ($1,550). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Duluth?
About 61% at the midpoint, or $960 out of $1,550. Materials are 39% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Duluth?
$700 to $2,450. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Duluth?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Duluth area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Duluth expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Minnesota?
Duluth is 2% below the Minnesota statewide estimate ($1,600 at the midpoint). We cover 4 metros in Minnesota; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Duluth?
The BLS median is $29.49 an hour in the Duluth area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.29 to $37.00.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Duluth?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $700 to $1,400 and premium work $1,750 to $2,450. Basic means: shallow yard drain, easy digging. Premium means: deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge.
+When is the best time to install a French drain in Duluth?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through October. May 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.
French drain near Duluth
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 French Drain Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (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 = 48% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range 'Outdoor Living' category split (44% labor, 48% materials). It is a category average, not a French-drain figure, so the materials line here is a rough one.