Retaining wall cost in Chico, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $7,900 – $14,700
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $39.50 – $71.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +10%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #54
- 1 = most expensive
Chico homeowners pay roughly $7,900 to $14,700 to build a retaining wall at 200 sq ft of wall face, or $39.50 to $71.50 per sq ft of wall face (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Chico is 10% higher. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $33.20 an hour in the Chico area, 11% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Chico, CA, standard level
$9,950 to $12,700
About $49 to $61.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $6,650 |
| Labor | $5,250 | $5,700 |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $330 |
| Total | $9,950 | $12,700 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Chico, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,950 | $5,550 | $8,200 | 49% |
| Labor | $4,900 | $5,500 | $6,050 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $250 | $460 | 2% |
| Total | $7,900 | $11,300 | $14,700 | 100% |
What is behind the Chico number
Labor is 49% of the midpoint bill here, against 46% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is brickmasons and blockmasons (50%), construction laborers (30%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Chico the blended ratio comes out at 1.17. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the California statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Chico metro is 105.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 200 sq ft of wall face comes to $5,550, compared with $5,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (101.2) and land at $50 to $460.
Data note: 50% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Chico. The wage table below marks each row.
Specs and site conditions that change a Chico bid
Height
Walls over 4 feet need engineering, deeper excavation and more skilled labor; many cities require permits over 3-4 feet (HomeGuide).
Material
Block, poured concrete and natural stone are priced differently; concrete and stone walls run higher than the segmental block default.
Drainage
Every wall needs drainage behind it. A French drain adds $10-$85+ per linear foot.
Pick a size, pick a tier: retaining wall pricing in Chico
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Chico 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
$7,900 to $10,600
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$9,950 to $12,700
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$12,000 to $14,700
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $4,000 – $5,400 | $5,050 – $6,500 | $6,150 – $7,600 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,200 – $4,400 | $4,100 – $5,250 | $5,000 – $6,150 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $6,350 – $8,550 | $8,000 – $10,200 | $9,650 – $11,900 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $9,450 – $12,700 | $11,900 – $15,200 | $14,300 – $17,600 |
When to schedule retaining wall in Chico
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Chico Univ Farm (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
October through June is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Chico (9 of 12 months). July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Chico gets about 27 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (5.1 inches in February). Inside the workable window, May and June are the driest, at 1.4 and 0.6 inches. The station averages about 99 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 | 56 | 36 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 62 | 38 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 67 | 42 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 73 | 45 | 1.9 | Workable |
| May | 81 | 52 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 57 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 95 | 61 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 94 | 59 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Sep | 91 | 55 | 0.3 | Hot |
| Oct | 80 | 47 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 65 | 40 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 57 | 36 | 5.0 | Workable |
Local wages behind the labor line
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 Chico is 1.17 times the national level.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Chico metro, so we used the California statewide median: $33.20 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $28.24 and $38.26 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $26.31 an hour, 16% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.14 and $34.60 an hour. About 480 work in the metro. That is 61.4 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 20%) the local median is $38.00 an hour, which is 32% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $30.40 and $59.81 an hour. BLS counts 230 of them working in the area, 29.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is about average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the brickmasons and blockmasons on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($38.26 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $400. At the 25th percentile ($28.24) it shrinks by about $390. The total moves by 3.5% or 3.4%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 78,220 jobs in the Chico area. That makes it the 241st 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $28.24 | $33.20 | $38.26 | $29.87 | 1.11 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.14 | $26.31 | $34.60 | $22.66 | 1.16 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $30.40 | $38.00 | $59.81 | $28.78 | 1.32 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.17 | |||||
Is Chico cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Chico. Redding is the lowest at about $11,300 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face), 80 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chico, CAthis page | $7,900 – $14,700 | $11,300 | |
| Sacramento, CA70 miles | $8,400 – $15,400 | $11,900 | +5% |
| Redding, CA80 miles | $7,900 – $14,700 | $11,300 | level |
| Napa, CA90 miles | $8,200 – $15,100 | $11,700 | +3% |
| Vallejo, CA100 miles | $8,350 – $15,300 | $11,800 | +4% |
| Santa Rosa, CA105 miles | $8,600 – $15,600 | $12,100 | +7% |
| California (statewide) | $8,200 – $15,200 | $11,700 | +3% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | −9% |
Across 300 US metros, Chico comes in at #54 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $13,500; the cheapest is El Paso, TX at $8,850 (midpoints, 200 sq ft of wall face). Statewide, Chico is 3% below the California figure.
Other California metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $8,050 – $15,000 | $11,600 | +2% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $9,400 – $16,800 | $13,100 | +16% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $7,750 – $14,400 | $11,100 | −2% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $7,900 – $14,900 | $11,400 | +1% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $9,150 – $16,300 | $12,700 | +12% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $8,400 – $15,400 | $11,900 | +5% |
Cities with a workforce like Chico's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Chico against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced, CA | 79,510 jobs | $7,850 – $14,600 | $11,200 | −1% |
| Napa, CA | 77,860 jobs | $8,200 – $15,100 | $11,700 | +3% |
| Saginaw, MI | 80,000 jobs | $6,950 – $13,000 | $10,000 | −12% |
| Racine, WI | 76,280 jobs | $8,100 – $14,500 | $11,300 | level |
What nearby projects cost in Chico
Because every project leans on different trades, Chico's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, French drain runs +17% and sprinkler system +8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $700 – $2,450 | +17% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,300 – $6,000 | +11% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,000 – $10,100 | +10% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,650 – $3,600 | +10% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,350 – $10,800 | +8% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $40,300 – $126,000 | +12% |
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 $9,950 to $12,700 for Chico, CA is attached.
Detailed retaining wall report for Chico, CA, $9
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Retaining wall in Chico: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Chico?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $7,900 to $14,700 in the Chico area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,950 to $12,700. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft of wall face and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft of wall face for retaining wall in Chico?
About $39.50 to $71.50 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $50 to $460 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Chico or Sacramento?
Sacramento is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $11,900, which is 5% more than Chico ($11,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Chico?
About 49% at the midpoint, or $5,500 out of $11,300. Materials are 49% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Chico?
$6,350 to $11,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Chico?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $460 for fees in the Chico area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Chico expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of California?
Chico is 3% below the California statewide estimate ($11,700 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Chico?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $33.20 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.24 to $38.26.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Chico?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $7,900 to $10,600 and premium work $12,000 to $14,700. Basic means: short block wall, easy access. Premium means: tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access.
+When is the best time to build a retaining wall in Chico?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through June. May and June are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Retaining wall near Chico
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 Retaining Wall Cost? (2026) (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 = 40% of the low installed price and 60% of the high one, since HomeGuide says labor is 40-60% of the total project cost.