Sod installation cost: national prices and local ranges
Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- US range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,500 – $3,300
- Per sq ft
- $1 – $2
- materials and labor
- Cheapest metro
- $2,000
- Brownsville, TX
- Priciest metro
- $2,900
- Kahului, HI
A new sod lawn runs $1,500 to $3,300 nationally for 1,500 sq ft, or $1 to $2 per sq ft for materials and labor. Where you live moves that number a lot: across 300 metros the midpoint runs from $2,000 in Brownsville, TX to $2,900 in Kahului, HI.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in the US average, standard level
$2,050 to $2,750
About $1.30 to $1.70 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $980 | $1,300 |
| Labor | $980 | $1,300 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $210 |
| Total | $2,050 | $2,750 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in the US
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $750 | $1,150 | $1,500 | 47% |
| Labor | $750 | $1,150 | $1,500 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $150 | $300 | 6% |
| Total | $1,500 | $2,400 | $3,300 | 100% |
What basic, standard and premium mean
Basic
$1,500 to $2,200
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,050 to $2,750
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,600 to $3,300
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
Cost by size and quality level
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $1,000 – $1,500 | $1,400 – $1,900 | $1,800 – $2,300 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,500 – $2,200 | $2,050 – $2,750 | $2,600 – $3,300 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $4,000 – $5,700 | $5,300 – $7,000 | $6,600 – $8,300 |
How a sod lawn job goes, step by step
- Prepare the soil. Old grass is stripped or tilled, soil is graded, and compost or topsoil is added where needed.
- Lay the sod the day it arrives. Rolls are laid in staggered rows, tight to each other, and trimmed around beds.
- Roll and water immediately. A roller presses roots to the soil. Newly laid sod needs daily watering for the first couple of weeks.
- Stay off it while it roots. Light foot traffic only for roughly two weeks; first mowing once roots have taken hold.
What changes the price of a new sod lawn
Old grass removal
Removing an old lawn first adds $0.50-$2.00 per sq ft, and a full remove-and-resod runs $1.50-$4.00 per sq ft (HomeGuide).
Sod type
Sod alone costs $0.30-$0.80 per sq ft, or $130-$360 per pallet; delivery is $50-$250 per load.
Site prep
The cost listed here assumes leveled, cleared ground. Grading and soil amendments are extra.
Permit
Sodding permits cost $40-$300 where required, mostly for large lawns or those next to a public road.
Wages behind the national estimate
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) do the largest share of the work, about 80% of the weighting. Their national median is $18.82 an hour. Among 300 metros with a published figure, the median runs from $13.51 in Brownsville, TX to $23.57 in Boston, MA, and the middle metro sits at $18.20. That ratio between the high and low end is 1.74 to 1, and it feeds straight into the labor line of the estimate.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $17.40 | $18.82 | $22.52 | $18.82 | 1.00 | US |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.57 | $22.66 | $28.72 | $22.66 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Does the season matter for sod lawn?
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen. Using NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals for 300 metros, 25 have a comfortable season that lasts all year. A typical metro has 8 comfortable months. At the other end, Anchorage, AK, Bozeman, MT, Flagstaff, AZ and Grand Junction, CO have the fewest (5 to 5).
Local pages show a month-by-month table for each metro. We do not change prices by month, because there is no reliable published seasonal price series.
How much the price varies by city
The national midpoint of $2,400 hides a wide spread. 29 of 300 metros come in at least 10% higher and 18 at least 10% lower; 253 land in between. The cheapest, Brownsville, is at $2,000, and the dearest, Kahului, at $2,900. Half of all metros are above $2,300.
Most expensive metros for sod lawn
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Kahului, HI | $1,850 – $4,000 | $2,900 |
| San Francisco, CA | $1,800 – $3,900 | $2,850 |
| Honolulu, HI | $1,750 – $3,850 | $2,800 |
| San Jose, CA | $1,750 – $3,850 | $2,800 |
| Napa, CA | $1,700 – $3,800 | $2,750 |
| New York, NY | $1,700 – $3,800 | $2,750 |
| Seattle, WA | $1,700 – $3,750 | $2,750 |
| Anchorage, AK | $1,700 – $3,750 | $2,700 |
| Poughkeepsie, NY | $1,700 – $3,750 | $2,700 |
| Boston, MA | $1,700 – $3,750 | $2,700 |
Least expensive metros for sod lawn
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Brownsville, TX | $1,250 – $2,750 | $2,000 |
| McAllen, TX | $1,250 – $2,750 | $2,000 |
| Monroe, LA | $1,250 – $2,750 | $2,000 |
| Texarkana, TX | $1,250 – $2,800 | $2,050 |
| El Paso, TX | $1,300 – $2,850 | $2,050 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $1,300 – $2,850 | $2,050 |
| Lafayette, LA | $1,300 – $2,850 | $2,050 |
| Laredo, TX | $1,300 – $2,850 | $2,100 |
| Albany, GA | $1,300 – $2,850 | $2,100 |
| Jackson, MS | $1,300 – $2,900 | $2,100 |
Sod installation cost by state
| State | Range (1,500 sq ft) | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 |
| Alaska | $1,700 – $3,750 | $2,700 |
| Arizona | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 |
| Arkansas | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,200 |
| California | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 |
| Colorado | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 |
| Connecticut | $1,600 – $3,550 | $2,600 |
| Delaware | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 |
| District of Columbia | $1,700 – $3,750 | $2,700 |
| Florida | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 |
| Georgia | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 |
| Hawaii | $1,800 – $3,900 | $2,850 |
| Idaho | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 |
| Illinois | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,600 |
| Indiana | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 |
| Iowa | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 |
| Kansas | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 |
| Kentucky | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 |
| Louisiana | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 |
| Maine | $1,600 – $3,450 | $2,500 |
| Maryland | $1,500 – $3,350 | $2,450 |
| Massachusetts | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 |
| Michigan | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 |
| Minnesota | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,650 |
| Mississippi | $1,350 – $2,900 | $2,100 |
| Missouri | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,400 |
| Montana | $1,550 – $3,450 | $2,500 |
| Nebraska | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 |
| Nevada | $1,450 – $3,250 | $2,350 |
| New Hampshire | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 |
| New Jersey | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,600 |
| New Mexico | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 |
| New York | $1,650 – $3,650 | $2,650 |
| North Carolina | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 |
| North Dakota | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,400 |
| Ohio | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 |
| Oklahoma | $1,400 – $3,000 | $2,200 |
| Oregon | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 |
| Rhode Island | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 |
| South Carolina | $1,400 – $3,150 | $2,250 |
| South Dakota | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 |
| Tennessee | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 |
| Texas | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 |
| Utah | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 |
| Vermont | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 |
| Virginia | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 |
| Washington | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 |
| West Virginia | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 |
| Wisconsin | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 |
| Wyoming | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 |
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Sod installation cost: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod?
$1,500 to $3,300 for 1,500 sq ft at national prices, including a permit of $0 to $300.
+What is the average cost per sq ft?
$1 to $2 per sq ft, materials and labor. The mid-range is about $1.50.
+How much does the price vary by city?
A lot. The most expensive metro we cover is 46% above the cheapest for the same 1,500 sq ft job. The cheapest is Brownsville, TX; the priciest is Kahului, HI.
+How much of the cost is labor?
About 47% at the national midpoint ($1,150). Materials are 47%.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn on a sod installation job?
The national BLS median is $18.82 an hour for landscaping and groundskeeping workers, with the middle half earning $17.40 to $22.52. Local wages are what move this estimate from town to town.
+How much more does a premium sod lawn job cost than a basic one?
At the national level, basic runs $1,500 to $2,200 and premium $2,600 to $3,300 for 1,500 sq ft. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+Can sod lawn work be done in winter?
It depends on where you are. Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen. Using NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals for 300 metros, 25 have a comfortable season that lasts all year. A typical metro has 8 comfortable months. At the other end, Anchorage, AK, Bozeman, MT, Flagstaff, AZ and Grand Junction, CO have the fewest (5 to 5).
Related projects
Largest metros: Sod installation prices
- New York, NY$2,750 midpoint
- Los Angeles, CA$2,700 midpoint
- Chicago, IL$2,700 midpoint
- Dallas, TX$2,400 midpoint
- Houston, TX$2,300 midpoint
- Washington, DC$2,550 midpoint
- Philadelphia, PA$2,500 midpoint
- Atlanta, GA$2,350 midpoint
- Miami, FL$2,400 midpoint
- Boston, MA$2,700 midpoint
- Phoenix, AZ$2,350 midpoint
- San Francisco, CA$2,850 midpoint
- Seattle, WA$2,750 midpoint
- Minneapolis, MN$2,700 midpoint
- Detroit, MI$2,450 midpoint
- Riverside, CA$2,600 midpoint
- Denver, CO$2,600 midpoint
- San Diego, CA$2,700 midpoint
- Tampa, FL$2,300 midpoint
- Orlando, FL$2,250 midpoint
- Charlotte, NC$2,350 midpoint
- Baltimore, MD$2,450 midpoint
- St. Louis, MO$2,450 midpoint
- Austin, TX$2,300 midpoint
- Portland, OR$2,650 midpoint
- Las Vegas, NV$2,350 midpoint
- San Jose, CA$2,800 midpoint
- San Antonio, TX$2,200 midpoint
- Pittsburgh, PA$2,400 midpoint
- Columbus, OH$2,400 midpoint
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.