Inground pool cost in Cedar Rapids, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (450 sq ft)
- $36,600 – $114,500
- Per sq ft
- $81 – $253
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $74,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #125
- 1 = most expensive
Cedar Rapids homeowners pay roughly $36,600 to $114,500 to install an inground pool at 450 sq ft, or $81 to $253 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Cedar Rapids is almost level. Construction laborers earn a median of $23.40 an hour in the Cedar Rapids area, 3% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 450 sq ft in Cedar Rapids, IA, standard level
$59,900 to $91,000
About $133 to $202 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $26,400 | $40,200 |
| Labor | $33,400 | $50,600 |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $210 |
| Total | $59,900 | $91,000 |
Cost breakdown for 450 sq ft in Cedar Rapids, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $16,000 | $33,300 | $50,600 | 44% |
| Labor | $20,500 | $42,000 | $63,400 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $180 | $270 | 0% |
| Total | $36,600 | $75,500 | $114,500 | 100% |
Why Cedar Rapids prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 40% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $23.40 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Cedar Rapids is 1.08 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 56% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Cedar Rapids metro is 93.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 450 sq ft comes to $33,300, compared with $35,600 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (89.0) and land at $90 to $270.
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 Cedar Rapids. The wage table below marks each row.
Inground pool: what moves the price in Cedar Rapids
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.
When to schedule inground pool in Cedar Rapids
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Cedar Rapids Muni Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
May through September is the stretch where pouring concrete runs into the fewest weather problems in Cedar Rapids (5 of 12 months). January, February, March, April, October, November and December have an average overnight low of 40°F or below.
The 40°F line is a deliberately cautious stand-in. The American Concrete Institute's cold-weather guide (ACI 306R-16) defines cold-weather concreting around an average daily air temperature below 40°F, which is colder than our test of an average overnight low at or below 40°F, so we flag a few extra shoulder months. In cold weather crews may need heated enclosures, insulating blankets or accelerated mixes, and those measures can raise a quote.
Cedar Rapids gets about 36 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and July (5.6 inches in June). Inside the workable window, August and September are the driest, at 4.1 and 3.4 inches. The station averages about 12 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 | 28 | 11 | 0.9 | Cold |
| Feb | 33 | 16 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Mar | 46 | 27 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Apr | 60 | 38 | 3.6 | Cold |
| May | 71 | 50 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 80 | 60 | 5.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 83 | 63 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Aug | 81 | 60 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 75 | 52 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 62 | 40 | 2.9 | Cold |
| Nov | 46 | 28 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Dec | 33 | 17 | 1.6 | Cold |
Cedar Rapids against nearby metros and the rest of Iowa
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Cedar Rapids. Iowa City is the lowest at about $73,400 (midpoint, 450 sq ft), 40 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IAthis page | $36,600 – $114,500 | $75,500 | |
| Iowa City, IA40 miles | $35,600 – $111,000 | $73,400 | −3% |
| Dubuque, IA45 miles | $35,900 – $112,000 | $74,000 | −2% |
| Waterloo, IA55 miles | $39,500 – $123,000 | $81,300 | +8% |
| Davenport, IA75 miles | $37,500 – $117,000 | $77,400 | +3% |
| La Crosse, WI115 miles | $39,700 – $124,000 | $81,700 | +8% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $35,700 – $111,500 | $73,600 | −2% |
| United States | $36,100 – $113,000 | $74,500 | −1% |
Across 300 US metros, Cedar Rapids comes in at #125 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $105,000; the cheapest is McAllen, TX at $62,300 (midpoints, 450 sq ft). Statewide, Cedar Rapids is 2% above the Iowa figure.
Other Iowa metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $36,900 – $115,000 | $76,100 | +1% |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $37,500 – $117,000 | $77,400 | +3% |
| Iowa City, IA | 93,760 jobs | $35,600 – $111,000 | $73,400 | −3% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $39,500 – $123,000 | $81,300 | +8% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $35,600 – $111,000 | $73,400 | −3% |
| Dubuque, IA | 58,470 jobs | $35,900 – $112,000 | $74,000 | −2% |
Cities with a workforce like Cedar Rapids's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Cedar Rapids against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington, WV | 140,740 jobs | $33,900 – $106,000 | $69,900 | −7% |
| Rockford, IL | 137,650 jobs | $42,200 – $131,500 | $87,000 | +15% |
| Vallejo, CA | 144,130 jobs | $43,400 – $135,500 | $89,500 | +19% |
| Evansville, IN | 135,250 jobs | $38,800 – $121,000 | $80,000 | +6% |
Related projects, priced for Cedar Rapids
Because every project leans on different trades, Cedar Rapids's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, paver patio runs +1% and wood deck −4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,750 – $11,200 | −2% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,000 – $5,500 | +1% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,900 | −2% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,250 – $14,500 | −4% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $600 – $2,100 | level |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,200 – $13,300 | level |
Pick a size, pick a tier: inground pool pricing in Cedar Rapids
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Cedar Rapids 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
$36,600 to $67,700
Vinyl-liner pool, small size
Standard
$59,900 to $91,000
Fiberglass pool, standard size
Premium
$83,200 to $114,500
Concrete or gunite, large with custom features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small pool (400 sq ft) | $32,600 – $60,200 | $53,300 – $80,900 | $74,000 – $101,500 |
| average (512 sq ft) | $41,600 – $77,000 | $68,200 – $103,500 | $94,700 – $130,000 |
| large (800 sq ft) | $65,000 – $120,000 | $106,500 – $161,500 | $148,000 – $203,000 |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 4 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Cedar Rapids is 1.08 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 40% of the weighting: a median of $23.40 an hour, 3% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.73 and $28.57 an hour. About 990 work in the metro. That is 71.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $30.44 an hour, which is 6% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $28.00 and $35.30 an hour. BLS counts 490 of them working in the area, 35.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is about average.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Cedar Rapids metro, so we used the Iowa statewide median: $33.38 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $25.77 and $36.59 an hour.
For plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152, weighted 10%) the local median is $40.01 an hour, which is 30% above the national $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $24.95 and $41.02 an hour. BLS counts 780 of them working in the area, 56.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.0), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($28.57 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $3,550. At the 25th percentile ($21.73) it shrinks by about $1,150. The total moves by 4.7% or 1.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 139,260 jobs in the Cedar Rapids area. That makes it the 160th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.09% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $21.73 | $23.40 | $28.57 | $22.66 | 1.03 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $28.00 | $30.44 | $35.30 | $28.78 | 1.06 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 20% | $25.77 | $33.38 | $36.59 | $29.87 | 1.12 | state |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $24.95 | $40.01 | $41.02 | $30.67 | 1.30 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.08 | |||||
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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 $59,900 to $91,000 for Cedar Rapids, IA is attached.
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Inground pool in Cedar Rapids: your questions
+How much does it cost to install an inground pool in Cedar Rapids?
For 450 sq ft, expect $36,600 to $114,500 in the Cedar Rapids area. A standard-spec job lands at $59,900 to $91,000. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for inground pool in Cedar Rapids?
About $81 to $253 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $90 to $270 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $80 to $250.
+Is inground pool cheaper in Cedar Rapids or Iowa City?
Iowa City is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 450 sq ft there is $73,400, which is 3% less than Cedar Rapids ($75,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Cedar Rapids?
About 56% at the midpoint, or $42,000 out of $75,500. Materials are 44% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would average (512 sq ft) cost in Cedar Rapids?
$41,600 to $130,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does inground pool need a permit in Cedar Rapids?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $90 to $270 for fees in the Cedar Rapids area (our national range of $100 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Cedar Rapids expensive for inground pool compared with the rest of Iowa?
Cedar Rapids is 2% above the Iowa statewide estimate ($73,600 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Iowa; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Cedar Rapids?
The BLS median is $23.40 an hour in the Cedar Rapids area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.73 to $28.57.
+What do basic and premium inground pool work cost in Cedar Rapids?
For 450 sq ft, basic work runs $36,600 to $67,700 and premium work $83,200 to $114,500. Basic means: vinyl-liner pool, small size. Premium means: concrete or gunite, large with custom features.
+When is the best time to install an inground pool in Cedar Rapids?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through September. August and September are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Inground pool near Cedar Rapids
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.