Retaining wall cost in Clarksville, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,750 – $12,900
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $33.50 – $62.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #179
- 1 = most expensive
Clarksville homeowners pay roughly $6,750 to $12,900 to build a retaining wall at 200 sq ft of wall face, or $33.50 to $62.50 per sq ft of wall face (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Clarksville is 4% lower. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $30.70 an hour in the Clarksville area, 3% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Clarksville, TN, standard level
$8,550 to $11,000
About $42 to $53.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $6,050 |
| Labor | $4,300 | $4,650 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $300 |
| Total | $8,550 | $11,000 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Clarksville, TN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $5,100 | $7,500 | 52% |
| Labor | $4,000 | $4,450 | $4,950 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $230 | $410 | 2% |
| Total | $6,750 | $9,800 | $12,900 | 100% |
Where the Clarksville price comes from
Labor is 46% 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 Clarksville the blended ratio comes out at 0.95. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Tennessee statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Clarksville metro is 96.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 200 sq ft of wall face comes to $5,100, compared with $5,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (90.9) and land at $45 to $410.
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 Clarksville. The wage table below marks each row.
When to schedule retaining wall in Clarksville
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Clarksville Wwtp (in the city). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through June and September through November are the stretches where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Clarksville (7 of 12 months). January, February and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F); July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January, February 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 79 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Clarksville gets about 54 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are April, May and December (5.6 inches in May). Inside the workable window, September and November are the driest, at 3.4 and 4.1 inches. The station averages about 57 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 | 47 | 28 | 4.0 | Cold |
| Feb | 52 | 31 | 4.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 61 | 38 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Apr | 72 | 47 | 5.0 | Workable |
| May | 79 | 57 | 5.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 87 | 65 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 90 | 69 | 4.6 | Hot |
| Aug | 90 | 67 | 3.7 | Hot |
| Sep | 84 | 60 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 72 | 48 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Nov | 60 | 37 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 50 | 31 | 4.9 | Cold |
Clarksville: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Clarksville 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
$6,750 to $9,200
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,550 to $11,000
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$10,400 to $12,900
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,400 – $4,700 | $4,350 – $5,650 | $5,350 – $6,650 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,700 – $3,800 | $3,500 – $4,600 | $4,300 – $5,400 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,400 – $7,400 | $6,900 – $8,900 | $8,400 – $10,400 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $8,050 – $11,000 | $10,300 – $13,200 | $12,400 – $15,400 |
Is Clarksville cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Clarksville. Huntsville is the lowest at about $9,100 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face), 140 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, TNthis page | $6,750 – $12,900 | $9,800 | |
| Nashville, TN65 miles | $7,000 – $13,200 | $10,100 | +3% |
| Bowling Green, KY70 miles | $6,750 – $12,800 | $9,800 | level |
| Evansville, IN95 miles | $7,450 – $13,700 | $10,600 | +8% |
| Jackson, TN95 miles | $6,750 – $12,900 | $9,800 | level |
| Huntsville, AL140 miles | $6,100 – $12,100 | $9,100 | −7% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $6,850 – $13,000 | $9,900 | +1% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +5% |
Across 300 US metros, Clarksville comes in at #179 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, Clarksville is 1% below the Tennessee figure.
Other Tennessee metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $7,000 – $13,200 | $10,100 | +3% |
| Memphis, TN | 611,670 jobs | $6,900 – $13,100 | $10,000 | +2% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $6,800 – $13,000 | $9,900 | +1% |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $6,950 – $13,100 | $10,000 | +2% |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $6,700 – $12,800 | $9,750 | −1% |
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $6,750 – $12,900 | $9,800 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Clarksville's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Clarksville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, WV | 103,450 jobs | $6,500 – $12,600 | $9,550 | −3% |
| Lafayette, IN | 102,200 jobs | $7,250 – $13,400 | $10,300 | +5% |
| Gainesville, GA | 103,870 jobs | $6,150 – $12,200 | $9,150 | −6% |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $6,500 – $12,500 | $9,500 | −3% |
What nearby projects cost in Clarksville
Because every project leans on different trades, Clarksville's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, paver patio runs −5% and concrete driveway −11%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $550 – $1,950 | −8% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,850 – $5,150 | −5% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,250 – $8,150 | −11% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −6% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,700 – $9,300 | −7% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $33,700 – $105,500 | −7% |
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 Clarksville is 0.95 times the national level.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Clarksville metro, so we used the Tennessee statewide median: $30.70 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $26.13 and $35.05 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $20.17 an hour, 11% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.68 and $23.18 an hour. About 620 work in the metro. That is 60.1 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 20%) the local median is $24.48 an hour, which is 15% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.78 and $28.30 an hour. BLS counts 420 of them working in the area, 40.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the brickmasons and blockmasons on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($35.05 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $340. At the 25th percentile ($26.13) it shrinks by about $360. The total moves by 3.5% or 3.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 103,220 jobs in the Clarksville area. That makes it the 200th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.07% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $26.13 | $30.70 | $35.05 | $29.87 | 1.03 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $17.68 | $20.17 | $23.18 | $22.66 | 0.89 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $21.78 | $24.48 | $28.30 | $28.78 | 0.85 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.95 | |||||
Why two Clarksville 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.
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 $8,550 to $11,000 for Clarksville, TN is attached.
Detailed retaining wall report for Clarksville, TN, $9
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Retaining wall in Clarksville: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Clarksville?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,750 to $12,900 in the Clarksville area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,550 to $11,000. 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 Clarksville?
About $33.50 to $62.50 per sq ft of wall face for materials and labor, plus $45 to $410 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $35 to $65.
+Is retaining wall cheaper in Clarksville or Nashville?
Nashville is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $10,100, which is 3% more than Clarksville ($9,800). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Clarksville?
About 46% at the midpoint, or $4,450 out of $9,800. Materials are 52% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Clarksville?
$5,400 to $10,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Clarksville?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $410 for fees in the Clarksville area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Clarksville expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Clarksville is 1% below the Tennessee statewide estimate ($9,900 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Tennessee; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Clarksville?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $30.70 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $26.13 to $35.05.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Clarksville?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,750 to $9,200 and premium work $10,400 to $12,900. 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 Clarksville?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through June and September through November. September and November 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 Clarksville
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.