Retaining wall cost in Springfield, MA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $8,650 – $15,300
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $43 – $74.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +17%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #16
- 1 = most expensive
A retaining wall in Springfield, MA usually costs $8,650 to $15,300 for 200 sq ft of wall face. That works out to about $43 to $74.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,750 more. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $45.65 an hour in the Springfield area, 53% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Springfield, MA, standard level
$10,700 to $13,300
About $52.50 to $65 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 55% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $6,100 |
| Labor | $6,350 | $6,900 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $320 |
| Total | $10,700 | $13,300 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Springfield, MA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $5,150 | $7,550 | 43% |
| Labor | $5,900 | $6,600 | $7,300 | 55% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $240 | $430 | 2% |
| Total | $8,650 | $12,000 | $15,300 | 100% |
Why Springfield prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on brickmasons and blockmasons, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $45.65 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Springfield is 1.41 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 55% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Massachusetts statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Springfield is at 97.0 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $5,150 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 96.1: $50 to $430.
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 Springfield. The wage table below marks each row.
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Springfield
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 Springfield
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Springfield. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face to 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face).
Basic
$8,650 to $11,300
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$10,700 to $13,300
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$12,700 to $15,300
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $4,350 – $5,750 | $5,400 – $6,800 | $6,450 – $7,850 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,500 – $4,650 | $4,350 – $5,500 | $5,250 – $6,400 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $6,950 – $9,100 | $8,550 – $10,700 | $10,200 – $12,300 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $10,400 – $13,600 | $12,800 – $15,900 | $15,100 – $18,300 |
What local crews earn in Springfield
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Springfield the blend is 1.41.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Springfield metro, so we used the Massachusetts statewide median: $45.65 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $36.67 and $64.18 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $30.12 an hour, which is 33% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.44 and $37.06 an hour. BLS counts 880 of them working in the area, 43.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 20% of the weighting: a median of $35.13 an hour, 22% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $27.14 and $47.59 an hour. About 670 work in the metro. That is 33.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (brickmasons and blockmasons) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $1,450 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $710. That is a swing of roughly 5.9% to 12.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Springfield has 201,240 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 113th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $36.67 | $45.65 | $64.18 | $29.87 | 1.53 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $23.44 | $30.12 | $37.06 | $22.66 | 1.33 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $27.14 | $35.13 | $47.59 | $28.78 | 1.22 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.41 | |||||
Is Springfield cheap or dear? The local comparison
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 200 sq ft of wall face range from $10,900 to $12,000 across Springfield and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, MAthis page | $8,650 – $15,300 | $12,000 | |
| Amherst, MA15 miles | $8,450 – $15,100 | $11,800 | −2% |
| Hartford, CT30 miles | $8,300 – $14,900 | $11,600 | −3% |
| Pittsfield, MA35 miles | $8,050 – $14,500 | $11,300 | −6% |
| Worcester, MA40 miles | $8,100 – $14,600 | $11,400 | −5% |
| Waterbury, CT50 miles | $7,700 – $14,100 | $10,900 | −9% |
| Massachusetts (statewide) | $8,800 – $15,600 | $12,200 | +2% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | −15% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Springfield ranks #16 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Springfield is 2% below the Massachusetts figure.
Elsewhere in Massachusetts
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, MA | 2,703,890 jobs | $8,900 – $15,800 | $12,300 | +3% |
| Worcester, MA | 349,880 jobs | $8,100 – $14,600 | $11,400 | −5% |
| Barnstable, MA | 94,110 jobs | $8,600 – $15,200 | $11,900 | −1% |
| Amherst, MA | 65,670 jobs | $8,450 – $15,100 | $11,800 | −2% |
| Pittsfield, MA | 56,810 jobs | $8,050 – $14,500 | $11,300 | −6% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Springfield against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa, CA | 205,260 jobs | $8,600 – $15,600 | $12,100 | +1% |
| Santa Maria, CA | 200,760 jobs | $7,800 – $14,600 | $11,200 | −7% |
| Lansing, MI | 217,180 jobs | $7,650 – $13,900 | $10,800 | −10% |
| Manchester, NH | 199,560 jobs | $7,150 – $13,500 | $10,300 | −14% |
Springfield weather and the retaining wall calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Westfield Barnes Muni Ap (10 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in Springfield are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, 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 144 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Springfield gets about 45 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, September and October (4.7 inches in October). Inside the workable window, May and August are the driest, at 3.7 and 3.7 inches. The station averages about 18 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35 | 16 | 2.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 38 | 17 | 2.6 | Cold |
| Mar | 47 | 26 | 3.4 | Cold |
| Apr | 60 | 35 | 4.1 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 46 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 80 | 55 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 61 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Aug | 83 | 59 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Sep | 75 | 51 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 39 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 51 | 30 | 3.5 | Cold |
| Dec | 40 | 22 | 3.6 | Cold |
What nearby projects cost in Springfield
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Springfield wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+20%) and sod installation lowest (+7%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $670 – $2,350 | +12% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,600 – $6,550 | +20% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,050 – $10,500 | +13% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,600 – $3,550 | +7% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,700 – $11,700 | +17% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $42,200 – $131,500 | +17% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed retaining wall report for Springfield, MA, $9
The report lays out the retaining wall numbers for Springfield, MA line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Retaining wall in Springfield: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Springfield?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $8,650 to $15,300 in the Springfield area. A standard-spec job lands at $10,700 to $13,300. 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 Springfield?
About $43 to $74.50 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $50 to $430 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Springfield or Amherst?
Amherst is 15 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $11,800, which is 2% less than Springfield ($12,000). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Springfield?
About 55% at the midpoint, or $6,600 out of $12,000. Materials are 43% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Springfield?
$6,950 to $12,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Springfield?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $430 for fees in the Springfield area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Springfield expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Massachusetts?
Springfield is 2% below the Massachusetts statewide estimate ($12,200 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Massachusetts; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Springfield?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $45.65 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $36.67 to $64.18.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Springfield?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $8,650 to $11,300 and premium work $12,700 to $15,300. 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 Springfield?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. May and August 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 Springfield
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.