Retaining wall cost in Dayton, OH
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $7,200 – $13,400
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $36 – $64.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #129
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to build a retaining wall in Dayton, plan on $7,200 to $13,400 for 200 sq ft of wall face, all in. Per sq ft of wall face, that is $36 to $64.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint lands close to the national one. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $31.80 an hour in the Dayton area, 6% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Dayton, OH, standard level
$9,050 to $11,500
About $44.50 to $56 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 50% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $5,900 |
| Labor | $4,900 | $5,300 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $310 |
| Total | $9,050 | $11,500 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Dayton, OH
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,600 | $4,950 | $7,300 | 48% |
| Labor | $4,550 | $5,100 | $5,650 | 50% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $230 | $420 | 2% |
| Total | $7,200 | $10,300 | $13,400 | 100% |
What is behind the Dayton number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: brickmasons and blockmasons at 50%, construction laborers at 30%, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at 20%. Weighted together, Dayton wages are 1.08 times the national level. Labor makes up about 50% of the midpoint estimate (46% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Dayton metro is 93.6 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 200 sq ft of wall face comes to $4,950, compared with $5,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (92.7) and land at $45 to $420.
Why two Dayton quotes can differ
Permit
Permits cost $50-$450 depending on location and wall size.
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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: retaining wall pricing in Dayton
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Dayton 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
$7,200 to $9,650
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$9,050 to $11,500
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$10,900 to $13,400
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,650 – $4,950 | $4,600 – $5,900 | $5,600 – $6,900 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,900 – $4,000 | $3,700 – $4,800 | $4,500 – $5,600 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,800 – $7,800 | $7,300 – $9,250 | $8,750 – $10,800 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $8,650 – $11,600 | $10,800 – $13,800 | $13,000 – $15,900 |
Is Dayton cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Dayton. Lexington is the lowest at about $9,900 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face), 120 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton, OHthis page | $7,200 – $13,400 | $10,300 | |
| Cincinnati, OH55 miles | $7,450 – $13,700 | $10,600 | +3% |
| Columbus, OH70 miles | $7,900 – $14,200 | $11,000 | +7% |
| Fort Wayne, IN100 miles | $7,200 – $13,400 | $10,300 | level |
| Indianapolis, IN105 miles | $7,650 – $14,000 | $10,800 | +5% |
| Lexington, KY120 miles | $6,800 – $13,000 | $9,900 | −4% |
| Ohio (statewide) | $7,500 – $13,700 | $10,600 | +3% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | level |
Across 300 US metros, Dayton comes in at #129 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, Dayton is 3% below the Ohio figure.
Other Ohio metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 1,105,580 jobs | $7,900 – $14,200 | $11,000 | +7% |
| Cincinnati, OH | 1,101,030 jobs | $7,450 – $13,700 | $10,600 | +3% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $7,850 – $14,200 | $11,000 | +7% |
| Akron, OH | 319,560 jobs | $7,550 – $13,700 | $10,600 | +3% |
| Toledo, OH | 291,530 jobs | $7,500 – $13,700 | $10,600 | +3% |
| Canton, OH | 163,080 jobs | $7,500 – $13,700 | $10,600 | +3% |
Cities with a workforce like Dayton's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dayton against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $7,200 – $13,600 | $10,400 | +1% |
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $6,200 – $12,200 | $9,200 | −10% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $6,650 – $12,800 | $9,700 | −6% |
| Little Rock, AR | 358,210 jobs | $6,300 – $12,200 | $9,250 | −10% |
What nearby projects cost in Dayton
Because every project leans on different trades, Dayton's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, French drain runs +6% and sod installation −3%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $640 – $2,250 | +6% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,050 – $5,550 | +2% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,750 – $9,600 | +4% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −3% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,000 – $10,000 | level |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $36,600 – $114,000 | +1% |
Climate in Dayton: timing your retaining wall job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Dayton Mcd (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
April through November is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Dayton (8 of 12 months). January, February, March and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March 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 107 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Dayton gets about 42 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 12 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and June (4.5 inches in April). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.0 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 39 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 | 36 | 20 | 3.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 40 | 23 | 2.4 | Cold |
| Mar | 51 | 31 | 3.5 | Cold |
| Apr | 64 | 41 | 4.5 | Workable |
| May | 75 | 53 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 62 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 66 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 64 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 56 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 44 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 52 | 33 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 41 | 26 | 3.1 | Cold |
Dayton labor market for retaining wall
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 Dayton is 1.08 times the national level.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021), 50% of the weighting: a median of $31.80 an hour, 6% above the US median of $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $24.31 and $37.67 an hour. About 80 work in the metro. That is 2.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 3.4 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $25.48 an hour, 12% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.00 and $35.00 an hour. About 1,390 work in the metro. That is 37.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 20%) the local median is $30.79 an hour, which is 7% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $25.96 and $40.96 an hour. BLS counts 710 of them working in the area, 19.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the brickmasons and blockmasons on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($37.67 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $460. At the 25th percentile ($24.31) it shrinks by about $590. The total moves by 4.5% or 5.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 372,660 jobs in the Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek area. That makes it the 70th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.24% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $24.31 | $31.80 | $37.67 | $29.87 | 1.06 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.00 | $25.48 | $35.00 | $22.66 | 1.12 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $25.96 | $30.79 | $40.96 | $28.78 | 1.07 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.08 | |||||
Get 3 local quotes
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Retaining wall in Dayton: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Dayton?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $7,200 to $13,400 in the Dayton area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,050 to $11,500. 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 Dayton?
About $36 to $64.50 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $45 to $420 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Dayton or Cincinnati?
Cincinnati is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $10,600, which is 3% more than Dayton ($10,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dayton?
About 50% at the midpoint, or $5,100 out of $10,300. Materials are 48% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Dayton?
$5,800 to $10,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Dayton?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $420 for fees in the Dayton area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dayton expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Ohio?
Dayton is 3% below the Ohio statewide estimate ($10,600 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Ohio; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Dayton?
The BLS median is $31.80 an hour in the Dayton area, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.31 to $37.67.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Dayton?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $7,200 to $9,650 and premium work $10,900 to $13,400. 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 Dayton?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. September and October 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 Dayton
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.