Retaining wall cost in Green Bay, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $7,600 – $13,800
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $37.50 – $67
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +4%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #98
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to build a retaining wall in Green Bay, plan on $7,600 to $13,800 for 200 sq ft of wall face, all in. Per sq ft of wall face, that is $37.50 to $67 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 4% higher than the national one. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $33.64 an hour in the Green Bay area, 13% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Green Bay, WI, standard level
$9,450 to $11,900
About $46.50 to $58 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 51% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $5,900 |
| Labor | $5,250 | $5,700 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $310 |
| Total | $9,450 | $11,900 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Green Bay, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,650 | $4,950 | $7,300 | 46% |
| Labor | $4,900 | $5,500 | $6,050 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $230 | $420 | 2% |
| Total | $7,600 | $10,700 | $13,800 | 100% |
What is behind the Green Bay 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, Green Bay wages are 1.17 times the national level. Labor makes up about 51% of the midpoint estimate (46% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Green Bay metro is 93.8 (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 (93.1) and land at $45 to $420.
Pick a size, pick a tier: retaining wall pricing in Green Bay
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Green Bay 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
$7,600 to $10,100
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$9,450 to $11,900
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$11,300 to $13,800
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,800 – $5,150 | $4,800 – $6,100 | $5,800 – $7,100 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,050 – $4,150 | $3,850 – $4,950 | $4,700 – $5,750 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $6,050 – $8,100 | $7,600 – $9,600 | $9,100 – $11,100 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $9,100 – $12,000 | $11,300 – $14,300 | $13,500 – $16,500 |
Climate in Green Bay: timing your retaining wall job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Green Bay (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
April through October is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Green Bay (7 of 12 months). January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
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 152 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Green Bay gets about 32 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 56 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, July and August (4.1 inches in June). Inside the workable window, April and October are the driest, at 3.0 and 2.7 inches. The station averages about 6 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 | 26 | 11 | 1.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 29 | 13 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Mar | 40 | 24 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Apr | 54 | 35 | 3.0 | Workable |
| May | 67 | 46 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 77 | 56 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jul | 81 | 60 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 79 | 58 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Sep | 72 | 50 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 58 | 40 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 44 | 29 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Dec | 31 | 18 | 1.8 | Cold |
Planning more than one job in Green Bay?
Because every project leans on different trades, Green Bay's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, French drain runs +15% and sod installation −2%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $690 – $2,400 | +15% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,150 – $5,700 | +5% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,850 – $9,950 | +8% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,250 | −2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,500 – $11,200 | +12% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $39,100 – $122,000 | +8% |
How Green Bay compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 200 sq ft of wall face range from $9,950 to $11,300 across Green Bay and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay, WIthis page | $7,600 – $13,800 | $10,700 | |
| Appleton, WI20 miles | $8,100 – $14,500 | $11,300 | +6% |
| Oshkosh, WI45 miles | $7,850 – $14,100 | $11,000 | +3% |
| Sheboygan, WI50 miles | $7,800 – $14,100 | $10,900 | +2% |
| Wausau, WI90 miles | $8,050 – $14,400 | $11,200 | +5% |
| Muskegon, MI105 miles | $6,900 – $13,000 | $9,950 | −7% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $7,950 – $14,300 | $11,100 | +4% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | −4% |
Across 300 US metros, Green Bay comes in at #98 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, Green Bay is 4% below the Wisconsin figure.
Other Wisconsin metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $8,550 – $15,100 | $11,800 | +10% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $8,150 – $14,500 | $11,300 | +6% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $8,100 – $14,500 | $11,300 | +6% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $7,850 – $14,100 | $11,000 | +3% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $8,050 – $14,400 | $11,200 | +5% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $7,950 – $14,300 | $11,100 | +4% |
Cities with a workforce like Green Bay's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Green Bay against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA | 174,670 jobs | $7,400 – $13,900 | $10,700 | level |
| Naples, FL | 173,880 jobs | $6,700 – $12,800 | $9,750 | −9% |
| Anchorage, AK | 177,050 jobs | $7,750 – $14,600 | $11,200 | +5% |
| Mobile, AL | 172,550 jobs | $6,050 – $12,000 | $9,050 | −15% |
Green Bay 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 Green Bay is 1.17 times the national level.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021), 50% of the weighting: a median of $33.64 an hour, 13% above the US median of $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $25.94 and $43.23 an hour. About 70 work in the metro. That is 4.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 3.4 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $26.39 an hour, 16% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.53 and $31.63 an hour. About 1,160 work in the metro. That is 66.5 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 $36.68 an hour, which is 27% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.32 and $45.65 an hour. BLS counts 420 of them working in the area, 24.1 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 ($43.23 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $750. At the 25th percentile ($25.94) it shrinks by about $610. The total moves by 7.1% or 5.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 174,550 jobs in the Green Bay area. That makes it the 133rd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.11% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 50% | $25.94 | $33.64 | $43.23 | $29.87 | 1.13 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.53 | $26.39 | $31.63 | $22.66 | 1.16 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $29.32 | $36.68 | $45.65 | $28.78 | 1.27 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.17 | |||||
Why two Green Bay quotes can differ
Rebuilding
Replacing an old wall adds $15-$30 per linear foot for demolition plus disposal.
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).
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 $9,450 to $11,900 for Green Bay, WI is attached.
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Multi-page report for Green Bay, WI: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Retaining wall in Green Bay: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Green Bay?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $7,600 to $13,800 in the Green Bay area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,450 to $11,900. 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 Green Bay?
About $37.50 to $67 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 Green Bay or Appleton?
Appleton is 20 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $11,300, which is 6% more than Green Bay ($10,700). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Green Bay?
About 51% at the midpoint, or $5,500 out of $10,700. Materials are 46% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Green Bay?
$6,050 to $11,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Green Bay?
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 Green Bay area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Green Bay expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Green Bay is 4% below the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($11,100 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Green Bay?
The BLS median is $33.64 an hour in the Green Bay area, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $25.94 to $43.23.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Green Bay?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $7,600 to $10,100 and premium work $11,300 to $13,800. 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 Green Bay?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. April 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 Green Bay
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.