Retaining wall cost in Yakima, WA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $8,100 – $15,000
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $40.50 – $72.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +13%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #39
- 1 = most expensive
Yakima homeowners pay roughly $8,100 to $15,000 to build a retaining wall at 200 sq ft of wall face, or $40.50 to $72.50 per sq ft of wall face (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Yakima is 13% higher. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $40.00 an hour in the Yakima area, 34% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Yakima, WA, standard level
$10,200 to $12,900
About $50 to $63 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 50% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $6,600 |
| Labor | $5,500 | $6,000 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $320 |
| Total | $10,200 | $12,900 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Yakima, WA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,950 | $5,550 | $8,200 | 48% |
| Labor | $5,100 | $5,750 | $6,350 | 50% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $240 | $430 | 2% |
| Total | $8,100 | $11,500 | $15,000 | 100% |
Why Yakima prices look the way they do
Labor is 50% 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 Yakima the blended ratio comes out at 1.22. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Washington statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Yakima metro is 105.0 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 200 sq ft of wall face comes to $5,550, compared with $5,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (95.5) and land at $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 Yakima. The wage table below marks each row.
Cost by quality level and size in Yakima
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Yakima 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
$8,100 to $10,900
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$10,200 to $12,900
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$12,200 to $15,000
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $4,100 – $5,550 | $5,150 – $6,600 | $6,250 – $7,700 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,250 – $4,450 | $4,150 – $5,350 | $5,050 – $6,250 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $6,500 – $8,700 | $8,150 – $10,400 | $9,850 – $12,100 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $9,750 – $13,000 | $12,200 – $15,400 | $14,600 – $17,900 |
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 Yakima is 1.22 times the national level.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Yakima metro, so we used the Washington statewide median: $40.00 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $35.14 and $49.11 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $23.47 an hour, 4% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.25 and $29.70 an hour. About 590 work in the metro. That is 60.8 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 $34.52 an hour, which is 20% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.42 and $39.41 an hour. BLS counts 190 of them working in the area, 19.6 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 ($49.11 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $720. At the 25th percentile ($35.14) it shrinks by about $380. The total moves by 6.2% or 3.3%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 97,010 jobs in the Yakima area. That makes it the 208th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.06% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $35.14 | $40.00 | $49.11 | $29.87 | 1.34 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $21.25 | $23.47 | $29.70 | $22.66 | 1.04 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $29.42 | $34.52 | $39.41 | $28.78 | 1.20 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.22 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Yakima
Because every project leans on different trades, Yakima's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, concrete driveway runs +22% and sprinkler system +4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $680 – $2,400 | +14% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,300 – $5,950 | +10% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,400 – $11,300 | +22% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,600 – $3,450 | +5% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,150 – $10,400 | +4% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $39,600 – $123,500 | +10% |
Why two Yakima quotes can differ
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.
When to schedule retaining wall in Yakima
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Yakima Air Terminal (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
April through June and August through October are the stretches where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Yakima (6 of 12 months). January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F); July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
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 147 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Yakima gets about 8 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 20 inches of snow. The wettest months are January, November and December (1.4 inches in December). Inside the workable window, August and September are the driest, at 0.2 and 0.2 inches. The station averages about 40 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 | 40 | 24 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 47 | 26 | 0.8 | Cold |
| Mar | 57 | 30 | 0.6 | Cold |
| Apr | 65 | 35 | 0.6 | Workable |
| May | 74 | 44 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 81 | 50 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Jul | 90 | 55 | 0.2 | Hot |
| Aug | 89 | 53 | 0.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 45 | 0.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 64 | 35 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 27 | 0.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 38 | 23 | 1.4 | Cold |
Yakima against nearby metros and the rest of Washington
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Yakima. Portland comes closest at about $11,800.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima, WAthis page | $8,100 – $15,000 | $11,500 | |
| Kennewick, WA70 miles | $8,400 – $15,300 | $11,900 | +3% |
| Seattle, WA90 miles | $9,200 – $16,300 | $12,800 | +11% |
| Portland, OR100 miles | $8,300 – $15,300 | $11,800 | +2% |
| Olympia, WA105 miles | $8,650 – $15,700 | $12,200 | +6% |
| Bremerton, WA120 miles | $8,350 – $15,300 | $11,800 | +3% |
| Washington (statewide) | $8,500 – $15,400 | $12,000 | +4% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | −11% |
Across 300 US metros, Yakima comes in at #39 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, Yakima is 3% below the Washington figure.
Other Washington metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | 2,086,210 jobs | $9,200 – $16,300 | $12,800 | +11% |
| Spokane, WA | 255,820 jobs | $8,050 – $14,900 | $11,500 | −1% |
| Olympia, WA | 130,300 jobs | $8,650 – $15,700 | $12,200 | +6% |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $8,400 – $15,300 | $11,900 | +3% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $8,350 – $15,300 | $11,800 | +3% |
| Bellingham, WA | 91,390 jobs | $8,650 – $15,700 | $12,200 | +5% |
Cities with a workforce like Yakima's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Yakima against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binghamton, NY | 97,030 jobs | $7,900 – $14,500 | $11,200 | −3% |
| Athens, GA | 95,800 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | −22% |
| Lynchburg, VA | 97,190 jobs | $6,250 – $12,300 | $9,250 | −20% |
| Fort Smith, AR | 95,560 jobs | $6,100 – $11,900 | $9,000 | −22% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed retaining wall report for Yakima, WA, $9
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Retaining wall in Yakima: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Yakima?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $8,100 to $15,000 in the Yakima area. A standard-spec job lands at $10,200 to $12,900. 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 Yakima?
About $40.50 to $72.50 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 Yakima or Kennewick?
Kennewick is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $11,900, which is 3% more than Yakima ($11,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Yakima?
About 50% at the midpoint, or $5,750 out of $11,500. 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 Yakima?
$6,500 to $12,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Yakima?
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 Yakima area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Yakima expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Washington?
Yakima is 3% below the Washington statewide estimate ($12,000 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Washington; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Yakima?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $40.00 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $35.14 to $49.11.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Yakima?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $8,100 to $10,900 and premium work $12,200 to $15,000. 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 Yakima?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through June and August through October. August and September 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 Yakima
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.