Retaining wall cost in Memphis, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,900 – $13,100
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $34.50 – $63.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #160
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a retaining wall in the Memphis area: $6,900 to $13,100 for 200 sq ft of wall face. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint lands close to the US figure. Building materials run about 4% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 96.2).
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Memphis, TN, standard level
$8,750 to $11,200
About $43 to $54.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,150 | $6,050 |
| Labor | $4,450 | $4,850 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $300 |
| Total | $8,750 | $11,200 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Memphis, TN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $5,100 | $7,500 | 51% |
| Labor | $4,150 | $4,650 | $5,150 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $230 | $410 | 2% |
| Total | $6,900 | $10,000 | $13,100 | 100% |
Where the Memphis price comes from
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, Memphis wages are 0.99 times the national level. Labor makes up about 47% of the midpoint estimate (46% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Memphis is at 96.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $5,100 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 92.2: $45 to $410.
The best months for retaining wall in Memphis
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Memphis Intl Ap (5 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 Memphis are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Memphis gets about 55 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 3 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, April and December (5.9 inches in April). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.0 and 4.0 inches. The station averages about 72 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 | 51 | 33 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 56 | 37 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Mar | 64 | 44 | 5.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 73 | 53 | 5.9 | Workable |
| May | 82 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 70 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 4.8 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 3.4 | Hot |
| Sep | 86 | 66 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 75 | 54 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 63 | 43 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 53 | 36 | 5.5 | Workable |
Who does the work: Memphis trade wages
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 Memphis the blend is 0.99.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 50%) the local median is $31.42 an hour, which is 5% above the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $25.37 and $33.44 an hour. BLS counts 90 of them working in the area, 1.5 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.4), so the local bench is thinner than average.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $21.54 an hour, which is 5% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.31 and $24.40 an hour. BLS counts 3,940 of them working in the area, 64.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 20% of the weighting: a median of $25.90 an hour, 10% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.88 and $29.88 an hour. About 1,140 work in the metro. That is 18.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (brickmasons and blockmasons) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $160 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $480. That is a swing of roughly 4.8% to 1.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Memphis has 611,670 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 46th 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% | $25.37 | $31.42 | $33.44 | $29.87 | 1.05 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $18.31 | $21.54 | $24.40 | $22.66 | 0.95 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $21.88 | $25.90 | $29.88 | $28.78 | 0.90 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.99 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Memphis?
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Memphis wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (−3%) and concrete driveway lowest (−8%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $570 – $2,000 | −5% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,900 – $5,300 | −3% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,350 – $8,400 | −8% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −5% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,800 – $9,450 | −6% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,600 – $108,000 | −4% |
Why two Memphis 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.
Memphis: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Memphis. 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
$6,900 to $9,350
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,750 to $11,200
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$10,600 to $13,100
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,450 – $4,800 | $4,450 – $5,750 | $5,450 – $6,750 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,800 – $3,850 | $3,600 – $4,650 | $4,400 – $5,500 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,550 – $7,550 | $7,050 – $9,050 | $8,550 – $10,500 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $8,250 – $11,200 | $10,500 – $13,400 | $12,700 – $15,600 |
How Memphis compares
Same job, same size (200 sq ft of wall face), priced for the nearest metros. Memphis is the priciest of the group. Jonesboro is the cheapest at $8,900.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TNthis page | $6,900 – $13,100 | $10,000 | |
| Jonesboro, AR65 miles | $5,950 – $11,800 | $8,900 | −11% |
| Jackson, TN75 miles | $6,750 – $12,900 | $9,800 | −2% |
| Little Rock, AR145 miles | $6,300 – $12,200 | $9,250 | −8% |
| Decatur, AL160 miles | $6,100 – $12,100 | $9,100 | −9% |
| Clarksville, TN170 miles | $6,750 – $12,900 | $9,800 | −2% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $6,850 – $13,000 | $9,900 | −1% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +3% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Memphis ranks #160 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Memphis is 1% above the Tennessee figure.
Elsewhere in Tennessee
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $7,000 – $13,200 | $10,100 | +1% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $6,800 – $13,000 | $9,900 | −1% |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $6,950 – $13,100 | $10,000 | level |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $6,700 – $12,800 | $9,750 | −3% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $6,750 – $12,900 | $9,800 | −2% |
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $6,750 – $12,900 | $9,800 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Memphis against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | 660,350 jobs | $6,400 – $12,500 | $9,450 | −5% |
| Hartford, CT | 599,770 jobs | $8,300 – $14,900 | $11,600 | +16% |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 677,680 jobs | $6,150 – $12,000 | $9,100 | −9% |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 598,260 jobs | $7,100 – $13,200 | $10,100 | +1% |
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Retaining wall in Memphis: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Memphis?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,900 to $13,100 in the Memphis area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,750 to $11,200. 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 Memphis?
About $34.50 to $63.50 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 Memphis or Jonesboro?
Jonesboro is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $8,900, which is 11% less than Memphis ($10,000). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Memphis?
About 47% at the midpoint, or $4,650 out of $10,000. Materials are 51% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Memphis?
$5,550 to $10,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Memphis?
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 Memphis area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Memphis expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Memphis is 1% above 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 Memphis?
The BLS median is $31.42 an hour in the Memphis area, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $25.37 to $33.44.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Memphis?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,900 to $9,350 and premium work $10,600 to $13,100. 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 Memphis?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. 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 Memphis
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.