Retaining wall cost in La Crosse, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $7,950 – $14,300
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $39.50 – $69.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +8%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #74
- 1 = most expensive
A retaining wall in La Crosse, WI usually costs $7,950 to $14,300 for 200 sq ft of wall face. That works out to about $39.50 to $69.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $870 more. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $38.52 an hour in the La Crosse area, 29% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in La Crosse, WI, standard level
$9,850 to $12,400
About $48.50 to $60.50 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 53% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $5,900 |
| Labor | $5,650 | $6,150 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $300 |
| Total | $9,850 | $12,400 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in La Crosse, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,650 | $4,950 | $7,300 | 45% |
| Labor | $5,300 | $5,900 | $6,550 | 53% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $230 | $410 | 2% |
| Total | $7,950 | $11,100 | $14,300 | 100% |
Where the La Crosse price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on brickmasons and blockmasons, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $38.52 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for La Crosse is 1.26 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 53% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. La Crosse 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 91.8: $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 La Crosse. The wage table below marks each row.
Specs and site conditions that change a La Crosse bid
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.
La Crosse weather and the retaining wall calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, La Crosse Wfo (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 La Crosse are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, 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 148 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
La Crosse gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 54 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 4.0 and 2.9 inches. The station averages about 3 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 | 24 | 8 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Feb | 29 | 13 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 41 | 24 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Apr | 55 | 36 | 4.0 | Workable |
| May | 67 | 48 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 76 | 58 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 80 | 62 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 78 | 60 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 71 | 52 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 58 | 40 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 42 | 28 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 29 | 15 | 1.5 | Cold |
Cost by quality level and size in La Crosse
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to La Crosse. 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
$7,950 to $10,500
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$9,850 to $12,400
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$11,700 to $14,300
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $4,000 – $5,350 | $5,000 – $6,350 | $6,000 – $7,350 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,200 – $4,300 | $4,050 – $5,150 | $4,850 – $5,950 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $6,400 – $8,450 | $7,900 – $9,950 | $9,450 – $11,500 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $9,550 – $12,500 | $11,800 – $14,800 | $14,000 – $17,000 |
What local crews earn in La Crosse
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 La Crosse the blend is 1.26.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the La Crosse metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median: $38.52 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $29.59 and $46.62 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $28.32 an hour, which is 25% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.49 and $35.41 an hour. BLS counts 610 of them working in the area, 72.3 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 $34.34 an hour, 19% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $28.40 and $44.77 an hour. About 120 work in the metro. That is 14.2 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 $640 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $700. That is a swing of roughly 6.3% to 5.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
La Crosse-Onalaska has 84,380 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 228th 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% | $29.59 | $38.52 | $46.62 | $29.87 | 1.29 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.49 | $28.32 | $35.41 | $22.66 | 1.25 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $28.40 | $34.34 | $44.77 | $28.78 | 1.19 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.26 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in La Crosse
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same La Crosse wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+15%) and sod installation lowest (−2%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $690 – $2,400 | +15% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,300 – $6,000 | +10% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,850 – $9,850 | +7% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,400 – $11,000 | +10% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $39,700 – $124,000 | +10% |
Is La Crosse cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than La Crosse. Dubuque is the lowest at about $10,200 (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face), 85 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse, WIthis page | $7,950 – $14,300 | $11,100 | |
| Rochester, MN65 miles | $8,550 – $15,100 | $11,800 | +6% |
| Dubuque, IA85 miles | $7,200 – $13,300 | $10,200 | −8% |
| Eau Claire, WI85 miles | $8,050 – $14,400 | $11,200 | +1% |
| Madison, WI85 miles | $8,150 – $14,500 | $11,300 | +2% |
| Waterloo, IA105 miles | $7,700 – $14,000 | $10,800 | −2% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $7,950 – $14,300 | $11,100 | level |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | −8% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, La Crosse ranks #74 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, La Crosse is 0% below the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $8,550 – $15,100 | $11,800 | +6% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $8,150 – $14,500 | $11,300 | +2% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $7,600 – $13,800 | $10,700 | −4% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $8,100 – $14,500 | $11,300 | +2% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $7,850 – $14,100 | $11,000 | −1% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $8,050 – $14,400 | $11,200 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is La Crosse against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $6,750 – $12,900 | $9,800 | −12% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $7,700 – $14,000 | $10,800 | −2% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $8,050 – $14,400 | $11,200 | +1% |
| Houma, LA | 83,440 jobs | $6,300 – $12,200 | $9,200 | −17% |
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Retaining wall in La Crosse: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in La Crosse?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $7,950 to $14,300 in the La Crosse area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,850 to $12,400. 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 La Crosse?
About $39.50 to $69.50 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 La Crosse or Rochester?
Rochester is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $11,800, which is 6% more than La Crosse ($11,100). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in La Crosse?
About 53% at the midpoint, or $5,900 out of $11,100. Materials are 45% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in La Crosse?
$6,400 to $11,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in La Crosse?
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 La Crosse area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is La Crosse expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
La Crosse is 0% 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 La Crosse?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $38.52 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $29.59 to $46.62.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in La Crosse?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $7,950 to $10,500 and premium work $11,700 to $14,300. 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 La Crosse?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. 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 La Crosse
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.