Retaining wall cost in Odessa, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,400 – $12,300
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $31.50 – $59.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #226
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a retaining wall in the Odessa area: $6,400 to $12,300 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 runs 9% lower than the US figure. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $27.12 an hour in the Odessa area, 9% below the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Odessa, TX, standard level
$8,150 to $10,500
About $40 to $51 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 44% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $5,900 |
| Labor | $4,000 | $4,350 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $310 |
| Total | $8,150 | $10,500 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Odessa, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,650 | $4,950 | $7,300 | 53% |
| Labor | $3,700 | $4,150 | $4,600 | 44% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $230 | $420 | 3% |
| Total | $6,400 | $9,350 | $12,300 | 100% |
Why Odessa prices look the way they do
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, Odessa wages are 0.88 times the national level. Labor makes up about 44% of the midpoint estimate (46% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Texas statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Odessa is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $4,950 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 93.9: $45 to $420.
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 Odessa. The wage table below marks each row.
Pick a size, pick a tier: retaining wall pricing in Odessa
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Odessa. 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
$6,400 to $8,750
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,150 to $10,500
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$9,950 to $12,300
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,200 – $4,500 | $4,150 – $5,450 | $5,100 – $6,400 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,600 – $3,600 | $3,350 – $4,400 | $4,150 – $5,200 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,100 – $7,050 | $6,550 – $8,500 | $8,000 – $9,950 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $7,650 – $10,500 | $9,750 – $12,600 | $11,900 – $14,700 |
Retaining wall: what moves the price in Odessa
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.
How Odessa compares
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Odessa. El Paso is the lowest at about $8,850 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face), 175 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odessa, TXthis page | $6,400 – $12,300 | $9,350 | |
| Midland, TX35 miles | $6,450 – $12,400 | $9,450 | +1% |
| Lubbock, TX115 miles | $6,000 – $11,800 | $8,900 | −5% |
| Abilene, TX170 miles | $6,300 – $12,200 | $9,250 | −1% |
| El Paso, TX175 miles | $5,900 – $11,700 | $8,850 | −6% |
| Amarillo, TX235 miles | $6,300 – $12,200 | $9,250 | −1% |
| Texas (statewide) | $6,500 – $12,700 | $9,600 | +2% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +10% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Odessa ranks #226 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Odessa is 2% below the Texas figure.
Elsewhere in Texas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $6,850 – $13,300 | $10,100 | +8% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $6,600 – $12,900 | $9,750 | +4% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $6,600 – $12,600 | $9,600 | +3% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $6,300 – $12,300 | $9,300 | −1% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $5,900 – $11,700 | $8,850 | −6% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $6,050 – $11,900 | $8,950 | −4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Odessa against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson City, TN | 81,690 jobs | $6,650 – $12,800 | $9,700 | +4% |
| Greenville, NC | 80,770 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | −3% |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 81,840 jobs | $7,200 – $13,400 | $10,300 | +10% |
| Jefferson City, MO | 80,220 jobs | $7,200 – $13,300 | $10,300 | +10% |
Related projects, priced for Odessa
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Odessa wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sod installation comes out highest (−8%) and concrete driveway lowest (−13%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $540 – $1,900 | −10% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,700 – $4,850 | −11% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,200 – $8,000 | −13% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,050 | −8% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,650 – $9,150 | −8% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,800 – $102,500 | −9% |
The best months for retaining wall in Odessa
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Odessa (in the city). 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 Odessa are February through May and September through December: 8 of 12. Outside them, January has an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F), and June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 44 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Odessa gets about 12 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, August and September (1.6 inches in May). Inside the workable window, February and December are the driest, at 0.5 and 0.6 inches. The station averages about 106 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 | 57 | 32 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Feb | 62 | 36 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Mar | 71 | 44 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 51 | 0.7 | Workable |
| May | 87 | 61 | 1.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 94 | 68 | 1.0 | Hot |
| Jul | 94 | 71 | 1.5 | Hot |
| Aug | 93 | 70 | 1.6 | Hot |
| Sep | 85 | 62 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 77 | 53 | 1.3 | Workable |
| Nov | 66 | 41 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Dec | 58 | 33 | 0.6 | Workable |
Who does the work: Odessa 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 Odessa the blend is 0.88.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Odessa metro, so we used the Texas statewide median: $27.12 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.31 and $28.57 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $18.45 an hour, which is 19% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.34 and $22.12 an hour. BLS counts 970 of them working in the area, 119.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 20% of the weighting: a median of $26.65 an hour, 7% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $23.13 and $29.64 an hour. About 670 work in the metro. That is 82.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of 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 $110 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $300. That is a swing of roughly 3.2% to 1.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Odessa has 80,910 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 235th 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% | $23.31 | $27.12 | $28.57 | $29.87 | 0.91 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $17.34 | $18.45 | $22.12 | $22.66 | 0.81 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $23.13 | $26.65 | $29.64 | $28.78 | 0.93 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
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Retaining wall in Odessa: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Odessa?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,400 to $12,300 in the Odessa area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,150 to $10,500. 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 Odessa?
About $31.50 to $59.50 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 Odessa or Midland?
Midland is 35 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $9,450, which is 1% more than Odessa ($9,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Odessa?
About 44% at the midpoint, or $4,150 out of $9,350. Materials are 53% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Odessa?
$5,100 to $9,950. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Odessa?
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 Odessa area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Odessa expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Texas?
Odessa is 2% below the Texas statewide estimate ($9,600 at the midpoint). We cover 21 metros in Texas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Odessa?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $27.12 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.31 to $28.57.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Odessa?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,400 to $8,750 and premium work $9,950 to $12,300. 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 Odessa?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through May and September through December. February and December 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 Odessa
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.