Retaining wall cost in Wausau, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $8,050 – $14,400
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $40 – $70
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +10%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #65
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to build a retaining wall in Wausau, plan on $8,050 to $14,400 for 200 sq ft of wall face, all in. Per sq ft of wall face, that is $40 to $70 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 10% higher than the national one. Brickmasons and blockmasons earn a median of $38.52 an hour in the Wausau area, 29% above the US median of $29.87.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Wausau, WI, standard level
$9,950 to $12,500
About $49 to $61 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 54% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $5,900 |
| Labor | $5,800 | $6,300 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $310 |
| Total | $9,950 | $12,500 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Wausau, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,650 | $4,950 | $7,300 | 44% |
| Labor | $5,400 | $6,050 | $6,650 | 54% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $230 | $420 | 2% |
| Total | $8,050 | $11,200 | $14,400 | 100% |
What is behind the Wausau number
Labor is 54% 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 Wausau the blended ratio comes out at 1.28. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Wausau 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 (92.7) and land at $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 Wausau. The wage table below marks each row.
Wausau against nearby metros and the rest of Wisconsin
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 $10,700 to $11,300 across Wausau and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WIthis page | $8,050 – $14,400 | $11,200 | |
| Eau Claire, WI75 miles | $8,050 – $14,400 | $11,200 | level |
| Oshkosh, WI80 miles | $7,850 – $14,100 | $11,000 | −2% |
| Appleton, WI80 miles | $8,100 – $14,500 | $11,300 | +1% |
| Green Bay, WI90 miles | $7,600 – $13,800 | $10,700 | −5% |
| La Crosse, WI105 miles | $7,950 – $14,300 | $11,100 | −1% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $7,950 – $14,300 | $11,100 | −1% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | −9% |
Across 300 US metros, Wausau comes in at #65 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, Wausau is 1% above the Wisconsin figure.
Other Wisconsin metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $8,550 – $15,100 | $11,800 | +5% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $8,150 – $14,500 | $11,300 | +1% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $7,600 – $13,800 | $10,700 | −5% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $8,100 – $14,500 | $11,300 | +1% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $7,850 – $14,100 | $11,000 | −2% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $8,050 – $14,400 | $11,200 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Wausau's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Wausau against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $7,800 – $14,100 | $10,900 | −3% |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $6,650 – $12,800 | $9,700 | −13% |
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $6,900 – $13,300 | $10,100 | −10% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $7,500 – $14,000 | $10,800 | −4% |
Wausau: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Wausau 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
$8,050 to $10,600
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$9,950 to $12,500
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$11,900 to $14,400
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $4,050 – $5,400 | $5,050 – $6,400 | $6,050 – $7,400 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $3,250 – $4,350 | $4,100 – $5,200 | $4,900 – $6,000 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $6,450 – $8,500 | $8,000 – $10,100 | $9,550 – $11,600 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $9,650 – $12,700 | $11,900 – $14,900 | $14,200 – $17,200 |
Why two Wausau 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.
Climate in Wausau: timing your retaining wall job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Wausau Dwtn Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
May through October is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Wausau (6 of 12 months). January, February, March, April, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, April, 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 163 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Wausau gets about 34 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 64 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, July and August (4.7 inches in June). Inside the workable window, May and October are the driest, at 3.8 and 3.1 inches. The station averages about 5 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 | 23 | 7 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 27 | 10 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 40 | 21 | 1.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 54 | 32 | 3.1 | Cold |
| May | 67 | 45 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 76 | 55 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 80 | 59 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 78 | 57 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 70 | 49 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 56 | 37 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 40 | 25 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 28 | 14 | 1.5 | Cold |
Wausau 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 Wausau is 1.28 times the national level.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Wausau 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.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $25.30 an hour, 12% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.07 and $30.00 an hour. About 510 work in the metro. That is 73.3 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 $43.70 an hour, which is 52% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $30.94 and $45.52 an hour. BLS counts 200 of them working in the area, 28.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is about average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the brickmasons and blockmasons on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($46.62 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $640. At the 25th percentile ($29.59) it shrinks by about $700. The total moves by 5.7% or 6.3%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 69,530 jobs in the Wausau area. That makes it the 261st largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| 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% | $22.07 | $25.30 | $30.00 | $22.66 | 1.12 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $30.94 | $43.70 | $45.52 | $28.78 | 1.52 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.28 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Wausau
Because every project leans on different trades, Wausau's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, French drain runs +16% and sod installation −3%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $700 – $2,450 | +16% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,200 – $5,750 | +6% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,800 – $9,800 | +6% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −3% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,500 – $11,200 | +12% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $40,600 – $126,500 | +12% |
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 $9,950 to $12,500 for Wausau, WI is attached.
Detailed retaining wall report for Wausau, WI, $9
The report lays out the retaining wall numbers for Wausau, WI line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. 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 Wausau: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Wausau?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $8,050 to $14,400 in the Wausau area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,950 to $12,500. 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 Wausau?
About $40 to $70 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 Wausau or Eau Claire?
Eau Claire is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $11,200, which is 0% less than Wausau ($11,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Wausau?
About 54% at the midpoint, or $6,050 out of $11,200. Materials are 44% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Wausau?
$6,450 to $11,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Wausau?
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 Wausau area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Wausau expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Wausau is 1% above 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 Wausau?
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 Wausau?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $8,050 to $10,600 and premium work $11,900 to $14,400. 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 Wausau?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through October. May 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 Wausau
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.