Inground pool cost: national prices and local ranges
Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- US range (450 sq ft)
- $36,100 – $113,000
- Per sq ft
- $80 – $250
- materials and labor
- Cheapest metro
- $62,300
- McAllen, TX
- Priciest metro
- $105,000
- Kahului, HI
An inground pool runs $36,100 to $113,000 nationally for 450 sq ft, or $80 to $250 per sq ft for materials and labor. Where you live moves that number a lot: across 300 metros the midpoint runs from $62,300 in McAllen, TX to $105,000 in Kahului, HI.
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Estimated cost for 450 sq ft in the US average, standard level
$59,100 to $89,800
About $131 to $199 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 52% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $28,200 | $42,900 |
| Labor | $30,800 | $46,600 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $240 |
| Total | $59,100 | $89,800 |
Cost breakdown for 450 sq ft in the US
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $17,100 | $35,600 | $54,000 | 48% |
| Labor | $18,900 | $38,700 | $58,500 | 52% |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $200 | $300 | 0% |
| Total | $36,100 | $74,500 | $113,000 | 100% |
What basic, standard and premium mean
Basic
$36,100 to $66,800
Vinyl-liner pool, small size
Standard
$59,100 to $89,800
Fiberglass pool, standard size
Premium
$82,100 to $113,000
Concrete or gunite, large with custom features
Cost by size and quality level
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small pool (400 sq ft) | $32,100 – $59,400 | $52,600 – $79,800 | $73,000 – $100,500 |
| average (512 sq ft) | $41,100 – $76,000 | $67,200 – $102,000 | $93,400 – $128,500 |
| large (800 sq ft) | $64,100 – $118,500 | $105,000 – $159,500 | $146,000 – $200,500 |
How a inground pool job goes, step by step
- Permits, setbacks, and fencing. Pools nearly always need permits, inspections and a barrier fence.
- Excavate and build the shell. Gunite or shotcrete, fiberglass and vinyl-liner pools differ in how the shell is built, how long it takes and how it ages.
- Plumbing, electrical, and equipment. Pumps, filters, heaters and lighting are installed and inspected.
- Finish, fill, and balance the water. The interior is finished, the pool filled and chemistry balanced before use.
What changes the price of an inground pool
Pool type
Vinyl pools are $25,000-$65,000, fiberglass $45,000-$100,000, and concrete or gunite $50,000-$120,000 (HomeGuide).
Maintenance
Pool maintenance is $80-$150 a month; concrete pools also need an acid wash every 3-5 years at $300-$1,000.
Permit
A building permit for a pool is $100-$300 and contractors often include it. Many cities add plumbing and electrical permits.
Wages behind the national estimate
Construction laborers (47-2061) do the largest share of the work, about 40% of the weighting. Their national median is $22.66 an hour. Among 300 metros with a published figure, the median runs from $15.39 in Dothan, AL to $40.23 in Vineland, NJ, and the middle metro sits at $22.70. That ratio between the high and low end is 2.61 to 1, and it feeds straight into the labor line of the estimate.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $18.57 | $22.66 | $28.72 | $22.66 | 1.00 | US |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $23.40 | $28.78 | $37.10 | $28.78 | 1.00 | US |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 20% | $24.57 | $29.87 | $38.15 | $29.87 | 1.00 | US |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $24.13 | $30.67 | $40.92 | $30.67 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Does the season matter for inground pool?
Weather decides when pouring concrete can happen. Using NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals for 300 metros, 10 have a comfortable season that lasts all year. A typical metro has 6 comfortable months. At the other end, Anchorage, AK, Grand Junction, CO, Kennewick, WA and Pueblo, CO have the fewest (3 to 3).
Local pages show a month-by-month table for each metro. We do not change prices by month, because there is no reliable published seasonal price series.
How much the price varies by city
The national midpoint of $74,500 hides a wide spread. 66 of 300 metros come in at least 10% higher and 58 at least 10% lower; 176 land in between. The cheapest, McAllen, is at $62,300, and the dearest, Kahului, at $105,000. Half of all metros are above $73,200.
Most expensive metros for inground pool
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Kahului, HI | $50,900 – $159,000 | $105,000 |
| Honolulu, HI | $50,200 – $156,500 | $103,500 |
| San Francisco, CA | $49,100 – $153,000 | $101,000 |
| San Jose, CA | $48,700 – $151,500 | $100,000 |
| Chicago, IL | $46,500 – $145,000 | $95,800 |
| New York, NY | $45,700 – $143,000 | $94,200 |
| Seattle, WA | $45,300 – $141,500 | $93,300 |
| Vineland, NJ | $44,800 – $140,000 | $92,300 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $44,500 – $139,000 | $91,700 |
| Bellingham, WA | $44,200 – $138,000 | $91,100 |
Least expensive metros for inground pool
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| McAllen, TX | $30,200 – $94,300 | $62,300 |
| Brownsville, TX | $30,400 – $95,000 | $62,700 |
| Dalton, GA | $30,600 – $95,700 | $63,100 |
| Dothan, AL | $30,600 – $95,900 | $63,300 |
| Laredo, TX | $30,700 – $96,000 | $63,400 |
| El Paso, TX | $30,700 – $96,100 | $63,400 |
| Fort Smith, AR | $30,800 – $96,200 | $63,500 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $30,900 – $96,500 | $63,700 |
| Lubbock, TX | $30,900 – $96,700 | $63,800 |
| College Station, TX | $31,000 – $97,100 | $64,100 |
Inground pool cost by state
| State | Range (450 sq ft) | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $31,800 – $99,300 | $65,500 |
| Alaska | $41,500 – $129,500 | $85,600 |
| Arizona | $35,100 – $109,500 | $72,300 |
| Arkansas | $31,100 – $97,400 | $64,300 |
| California | $42,500 – $133,000 | $87,700 |
| Colorado | $36,400 – $114,000 | $75,100 |
| Connecticut | $40,000 – $125,000 | $82,400 |
| Delaware | $35,300 – $110,500 | $72,800 |
| District of Columbia | $40,300 – $126,000 | $83,100 |
| Florida | $33,400 – $104,500 | $68,900 |
| Georgia | $32,600 – $102,000 | $67,200 |
| Hawaii | $49,700 – $155,000 | $102,500 |
| Idaho | $35,300 – $110,500 | $72,800 |
| Illinois | $45,300 – $141,500 | $93,300 |
| Indiana | $38,700 – $121,000 | $79,800 |
| Iowa | $35,700 – $111,500 | $73,600 |
| Kansas | $33,800 – $105,500 | $69,700 |
| Kentucky | $34,800 – $109,000 | $71,900 |
| Louisiana | $32,500 – $101,500 | $67,100 |
| Maine | $34,000 – $106,000 | $70,100 |
| Maryland | $36,500 – $114,000 | $75,300 |
| Massachusetts | $43,000 – $134,000 | $88,600 |
| Michigan | $36,600 – $114,500 | $75,500 |
| Minnesota | $43,000 – $134,500 | $88,700 |
| Mississippi | $31,700 – $99,100 | $65,400 |
| Missouri | $37,800 – $118,000 | $77,900 |
| Montana | $36,100 – $113,000 | $74,500 |
| Nebraska | $34,800 – $109,000 | $71,800 |
| Nevada | $36,700 – $114,500 | $75,700 |
| New Hampshire | $36,900 – $115,500 | $76,100 |
| New Jersey | $44,200 – $138,000 | $91,100 |
| New Mexico | $32,200 – $100,500 | $66,400 |
| New York | $42,500 – $133,000 | $87,600 |
| North Carolina | $33,200 – $104,000 | $68,500 |
| North Dakota | $37,000 – $115,500 | $76,200 |
| Ohio | $37,400 – $117,000 | $77,200 |
| Oklahoma | $31,800 – $99,400 | $65,600 |
| Oregon | $40,900 – $128,000 | $84,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,000 – $115,500 | $76,300 |
| Rhode Island | $39,000 – $122,000 | $80,400 |
| South Carolina | $32,700 – $102,000 | $67,400 |
| South Dakota | $34,600 – $108,000 | $71,300 |
| Tennessee | $34,300 – $107,000 | $70,800 |
| Texas | $33,400 – $104,500 | $68,800 |
| Utah | $35,300 – $110,500 | $72,800 |
| Vermont | $35,600 – $111,000 | $73,300 |
| Virginia | $34,800 – $108,500 | $71,800 |
| Washington | $42,400 – $132,500 | $87,400 |
| West Virginia | $32,800 – $102,500 | $67,700 |
| Wisconsin | $39,600 – $123,500 | $81,600 |
| Wyoming | $35,300 – $110,000 | $72,700 |
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Inground pool cost: your questions
+How much does it cost to install an inground pool?
$36,100 to $113,000 for 450 sq ft at national prices, including a permit of $100 to $300.
+What is the average cost per sq ft?
$80 to $250 per sq ft, materials and labor. The mid-range is about $165.
+How much does the price vary by city?
A lot. The most expensive metro we cover is 69% above the cheapest for the same 450 sq ft job. The cheapest is McAllen, TX; the priciest is Kahului, HI.
+How much of the cost is labor?
About 52% at the national midpoint ($38,700). Materials are 48%.
+What do construction laborers earn on a inground pool job?
The national BLS median is $22.66 an hour for construction laborers, with the middle half earning $18.57 to $28.72. Local wages are what move this estimate from town to town.
+How much more does a premium inground pool job cost than a basic one?
At the national level, basic runs $36,100 to $66,800 and premium $82,100 to $113,000 for 450 sq ft. Basic means: vinyl-liner pool, small size. Premium means: concrete or gunite, large with custom features.
+Can inground pool work be done in winter?
It depends on where you are. Weather decides when pouring concrete can happen. Using NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals for 300 metros, 10 have a comfortable season that lasts all year. A typical metro has 6 comfortable months. At the other end, Anchorage, AK, Grand Junction, CO, Kennewick, WA and Pueblo, CO have the fewest (3 to 3).
Related projects
Largest metros: Inground pool prices
- New York, NY$94,200 midpoint
- Los Angeles, CA$87,700 midpoint
- Chicago, IL$95,800 midpoint
- Dallas, TX$72,300 midpoint
- Houston, TX$70,200 midpoint
- Washington, DC$76,900 midpoint
- Philadelphia, PA$79,700 midpoint
- Atlanta, GA$69,900 midpoint
- Miami, FL$72,600 midpoint
- Boston, MA$89,300 midpoint
- Phoenix, AZ$72,800 midpoint
- San Francisco, CA$101,000 midpoint
- Seattle, WA$93,300 midpoint
- Minneapolis, MN$91,700 midpoint
- Detroit, MI$80,500 midpoint
- Riverside, CA$82,900 midpoint
- Denver, CO$77,800 midpoint
- San Diego, CA$85,900 midpoint
- Tampa, FL$68,600 midpoint
- Orlando, FL$67,400 midpoint
- Charlotte, NC$69,600 midpoint
- Baltimore, MD$74,700 midpoint
- St. Louis, MO$87,200 midpoint
- Austin, TX$69,200 midpoint
- Portland, OR$87,100 midpoint
- Las Vegas, NV$73,200 midpoint
- San Jose, CA$100,000 midpoint
- San Antonio, TX$66,500 midpoint
- Pittsburgh, PA$78,500 midpoint
- Columbus, OH$81,700 midpoint
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 An Inground Pool 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. It is a category average, not a pool-specific one, so read the pool materials line loosely.