Retaining wall cost in Cheyenne, WY
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft of wall face)
- $6,800 – $12,900
- Per sq ft of wall face
- $33.50 – $62.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $10,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #176
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a retaining wall in the Cheyenne area: $6,800 to $12,900 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 4% lower than the US figure. Building materials run about 5% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 95.4).
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft of wall face in Cheyenne, WY, standard level
$8,650 to $11,100
About $42.50 to $54 per sq ft of wall face before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,100 | $6,000 |
| Labor | $4,350 | $4,750 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $320 |
| Total | $8,650 | $11,100 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft of wall face in Cheyenne, WY
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,650 | $5,050 | $7,450 | 51% |
| Labor | $4,100 | $4,550 | $5,050 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $240 | $430 | 2% |
| Total | $6,800 | $9,850 | $12,900 | 100% |
Where the Cheyenne price comes from
Labor is 46% 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 Cheyenne the blended ratio comes out at 0.97. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Wyoming statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Cheyenne is at 95.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,300 nationally becomes $5,050 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft of wall face). Permits follow the all-items index of 96.5: $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 Cheyenne. The wage table below marks each row.
How Cheyenne compares
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Cheyenne. Greeley comes closest at about $10,100.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne, WYthis page | $6,800 – $12,900 | $9,850 | |
| Greeley, CO55 miles | $6,950 – $13,200 | $10,100 | +2% |
| Fort Collins, CO60 miles | $7,200 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +5% |
| Boulder, CO90 miles | $7,250 – $13,500 | $10,400 | +5% |
| Denver, CO130 miles | $7,600 – $14,200 | $10,900 | +11% |
| Colorado Springs, CO170 miles | $7,050 – $13,300 | $10,200 | +3% |
| Wyoming (statewide) | $6,850 – $13,000 | $9,900 | +1% |
| United States | $7,050 – $13,500 | $10,300 | +4% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Cheyenne ranks #176 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Cheyenne is 1% below the Wyoming figure.
Cheyenne is the only Wyoming metro we cover, so the statewide page is the only in-state comparison. It uses statewide wages, which include rural areas.
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Cheyenne against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Havasu City, AZ | 56,490 jobs | $6,600 – $12,700 | $9,700 | −2% |
| Pittsfield, MA | 56,810 jobs | $8,050 – $14,500 | $11,300 | +14% |
| Punta Gorda, FL | 57,530 jobs | $6,450 – $12,500 | $9,500 | −4% |
| Texarkana, TX | 57,580 jobs | $6,200 – $12,100 | $9,150 | −7% |
The best months for retaining wall in Cheyenne
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Cheyenne (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 Cheyenne are May through October: 6 of 12. Outside them, 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 170 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Cheyenne gets about 15 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 63 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and July (2.4 inches in May). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 1.5 and 1.0 inches. The station averages about 15 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 | 40 | 18 | 0.3 | Cold |
| Feb | 41 | 18 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 49 | 25 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Apr | 55 | 31 | 1.8 | Cold |
| May | 64 | 40 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 77 | 49 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 84 | 56 | 2.1 | Workable |
| Aug | 82 | 54 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 73 | 46 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 59 | 34 | 1.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 48 | 25 | 0.6 | Cold |
| Dec | 39 | 18 | 0.5 | Cold |
What nearby projects cost in Cheyenne
Jobs that often go together with retaining wall are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Cheyenne wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, concrete driveway comes out highest (level) and sod installation lowest (−4%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $580 – $2,050 | −3% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,900 – $5,250 | −4% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,650 – $9,250 | level |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,150 | −4% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,850 – $9,650 | −4% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,800 – $108,500 | −4% |
Cheyenne: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Cheyenne. 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
$6,800 to $9,250
Short block wall, easy access
Standard
$8,650 to $11,100
Standard segmental block wall with drainage
Premium
$10,500 to $12,900
Tall or stone wall, engineered, hard access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short garden wall (4x25 ft), 100 sq ft of wall face | $3,400 – $4,750 | $4,400 – $5,700 | $5,400 – $6,700 |
| 20 ft x 4 ft (80 sq ft of wall face) | $2,750 – $3,800 | $3,550 – $4,650 | $4,350 – $5,450 |
| 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) | $5,450 – $7,450 | $6,950 – $8,950 | $8,450 – $10,400 |
| 40 ft x 6 ft (240 sq ft of wall face) | $8,150 – $11,100 | $10,300 – $13,200 | $12,500 – $15,400 |
Who does the work: Cheyenne 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 Cheyenne the blend is 0.97.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Cheyenne metro, so we used the Wyoming statewide median: $28.87 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $27.12 and $35.00 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $22.23 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.67 and $23.46 an hour. BLS counts 420 of them working in the area, 86.7 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 $27.87 an hour, 3% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $24.03 and $29.54 an hour. About 270 work in the metro. That is 55.7 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 $480 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $140. That is a swing of roughly 1.4% to 4.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Cheyenne has 48,470 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 300th 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% | $27.12 | $28.87 | $35.00 | $29.87 | 0.97 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $18.67 | $22.23 | $23.46 | $22.66 | 0.98 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 20% | $24.03 | $27.87 | $29.54 | $28.78 | 0.97 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.97 | |||||
Why two Cheyenne quotes can differ
Drainage
Every wall needs drainage behind it. A French drain adds $10-$85+ per linear foot.
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.
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed retaining wall report for Cheyenne, WY, $9
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Retaining wall in Cheyenne: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a retaining wall in Cheyenne?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, expect $6,800 to $12,900 in the Cheyenne area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,650 to $11,100. 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 Cheyenne?
About $33.50 to $62.50 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 Cheyenne or Greeley?
Greeley is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft of wall face there is $10,100, which is 2% more than Cheyenne ($9,850). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Cheyenne?
About 46% at the midpoint, or $4,550 out of $9,850. Materials are 51% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 46%.
+What would 40 ft x 4 ft (160 sq ft of wall face) cost in Cheyenne?
$5,450 to $10,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does retaining wall need a permit in Cheyenne?
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 Cheyenne area (our national range of $50 to $450 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Cheyenne expensive for retaining wall compared with the rest of Wyoming?
Cheyenne is 1% below the Wyoming statewide estimate ($9,900 at the midpoint).
+What do brickmasons and blockmasons earn in Cheyenne?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $28.87 an hour, compared with $29.87 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.12 to $35.00.
+What do basic and premium retaining wall work cost in Cheyenne?
For 200 sq ft of wall face, basic work runs $6,800 to $9,250 and premium work $10,500 to $12,900. 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 Cheyenne?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May 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 Cheyenne
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.