Inground pool cost in Delaware
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (450 sq ft)
- $35,300 – $110,500
- Per sq ft
- $78 – $244
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $74,500
- Metros covered
- 1
Delaware prices for inground pool: $35,300 to $110,500 for 450 sq ft, or $78 to $244 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 2% below the national one. Local wages for construction laborers are $21.90 an hour.
Delaware has one metro in our dataset, Dover, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas.
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Estimated cost for 450 sq ft in Delaware (statewide), standard level
$57,800 to $87,800
About $128 to $195 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 53% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $27,100 | $41,300 |
| Labor | $30,600 | $46,300 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $240 |
| Total | $57,800 | $87,800 |
Cost breakdown for 450 sq ft in Delaware
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $16,400 | $34,200 | $51,900 | 47% |
| Labor | $18,800 | $38,400 | $58,100 | 53% |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $200 | $300 | 0% |
| Total | $35,300 | $72,800 | $110,500 | 100% |
How Delaware compares with nearby states
Delaware ranks 29 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for inground pool, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $102,500 and the cheapest Arkansas at $64,300, both for 450 sq ft at the midpoint. Delaware sits at $72,800. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 60 miles away | $44,200 – $138,000 | $91,100 | +25% |
| Maryland | 60 miles away | $36,500 – $114,000 | $75,300 | +3% |
| Pennsylvania | 100 miles away | $37,000 – $115,500 | $76,300 | +5% |
| District of Columbia | 110 miles away | $40,300 – $126,000 | $83,100 | +14% |
| New York | 150 miles away | $42,500 – $133,000 | $87,600 | +20% |
Delaware labor market for inground pool
Delaware's labor line is priced from 4 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.99 times the national level.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 40%) the local median is $21.90 an hour, which is 3% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.93 and $27.07 an hour. BLS counts 3,240 of them working in the state, 66.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $27.89 an hour, 3% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.36 and $31.80 an hour. About 1,230 work in the state. That is 25.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 20%) the local median is $32.00 an hour, which is 7% above the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $26.93 and $40.12 an hour. BLS counts 200 of them working in the state, 4.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.4), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 10% of the weighting: a median of $31.11 an hour, in line with the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $24.93 and $37.42 an hour. About 1,590 work in the state. That is 32.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($27.07 an hour) would add about $3,550 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.93) would take off about $2,700. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 484,790 jobs across Delaware (May 2025), which is 0.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $17.93 | $21.90 | $27.07 | $22.66 | 0.97 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $22.36 | $27.89 | $31.80 | $28.78 | 0.97 | state |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 20% | $26.93 | $32.00 | $40.12 | $29.87 | 1.07 | state |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $24.93 | $31.11 | $37.42 | $30.67 | 1.01 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.99 | |||||
Why two Delaware quotes can differ
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.
Basic, standard or premium: Delaware prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from small pool (400 sq ft) to large (800 sq ft).
Basic
$35,300 to $65,300
Vinyl-liner pool, small size
Standard
$57,800 to $87,800
Fiberglass pool, standard size
Premium
$80,300 to $110,500
Concrete or gunite, large with custom features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small pool (400 sq ft) | $31,400 – $58,100 | $51,400 – $78,100 | $71,400 – $98,100 |
| average (512 sq ft) | $40,200 – $74,300 | $65,800 – $99,900 | $91,300 – $125,500 |
| large (800 sq ft) | $62,700 – $116,000 | $102,500 – $156,000 | $142,500 – $196,000 |
Other Delaware jobs that often go with inground pool
Each project weights the trades differently, so Delaware's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, retaining wall is −1% and aluminum fence −3%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,650 – $11,000 | −3% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,950 – $5,350 | −2% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,900 | −2% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,300 – $14,700 | −3% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $590 – $2,050 | −1% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,000 – $13,300 | −1% |
When Delaware weather lets you install
Weather decides when pouring concrete can happen, and Delaware is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Dover has 7 comfortable months (April through October), with about 48 inches of precipitation a year.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | 28 | 87 | 48 | 7: April through October |
Inground pool cost by metro in Delaware
Delaware has one metro in our dataset, Dover, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (450 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DE | $34,300 – $107,500 | $70,800 | −3% |
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Detailed inground pool report for Delaware, $9
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Inground pool in Delaware: your questions
+How much does it cost to install an inground pool in Delaware?
$35,300 to $110,500 for 450 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Delaware can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Delaware is cheapest for inground pool?
Dover at about $70,800 (midpoint, 450 sq ft).
+Is inground pool cheaper in Delaware than the US average?
It is 2% cheaper: $72,800 against $74,500 for 450 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Delaware?
About 53% ($38,400). Materials are 47%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.99x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in Delaware?
The BLS statewide median is $21.90 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.93 to $27.07.
+Where does Delaware rank for inground pool costs?
29th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $72,800 for 450 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium inground pool work cost in Delaware?
For 450 sq ft, basic work runs $35,300 to $65,300 and premium work $80,300 to $110,500. Basic means: vinyl-liner pool, small size. Premium means: concrete or gunite, large with custom features.
+Does the season matter for inground pool in Delaware?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Delaware metros we cover, Dover has the most comfortable months (7 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
Inground pool by city in Delaware
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.