Sod installation cost in Yuma, AZ
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,400 – $3,100
- Per sq ft
- $0.95 – $1.90
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #219
- 1 = most expensive
Yuma homeowners pay roughly $1,400 to $3,100 to lay sod at 1,500 sq ft, or $0.95 to $1.90 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Yuma is 6% lower. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $17.36 an hour in the Yuma area, 8% below the US median of $18.82.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Yuma, AZ, standard level
$1,900 to $2,600
About $1.20 to $1.60 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $940 | $1,250 |
| Labor | $900 | $1,150 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $190 |
| Total | $1,900 | $2,600 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Yuma, AZ
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 48% |
| Labor | $690 | $1,050 | $1,400 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $280 | 6% |
| Total | $1,400 | $2,250 | $3,100 | 100% |
What is behind the Yuma number
The wage side of the estimate leans on landscaping and groundskeeping workers, who do 80% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $17.36 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Yuma is 0.92 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 46% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Yuma metro is 96.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 1,500 sq ft comes to $1,100, compared with $1,150 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (92.7) and land at $0 to $280.
When to schedule sod lawn in Yuma
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Yuma Mcas (10 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
November through April is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Yuma (6 of 12 months). May, June, July, August, September and October have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Yuma gets about 3 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, September and December (0.7 inches in September). Inside the workable window, April and November are the driest, at 0.1 and 0.2 inches. The station averages about 181 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 | 70 | 48 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 73 | 50 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Mar | 80 | 55 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 86 | 60 | 0.1 | Workable |
| May | 94 | 67 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Jun | 103 | 75 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Jul | 107 | 83 | 0.2 | Hot |
| Aug | 106 | 83 | 0.2 | Hot |
| Sep | 101 | 78 | 0.7 | Hot |
| Oct | 90 | 66 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Nov | 78 | 54 | 0.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 68 | 47 | 0.4 | Workable |
Yuma: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Yuma 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 3 common sizes.
Basic
$1,400 to $2,100
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$1,900 to $2,600
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,450 to $3,100
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $940 – $1,450 | $1,300 – $1,800 | $1,650 – $2,150 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,400 – $2,100 | $1,900 – $2,600 | $2,450 – $3,100 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,750 – $5,400 | $5,000 – $6,600 | $6,200 – $7,800 |
How Yuma compares
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Yuma. Tucson comes closest at about $2,300.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yuma, AZthis page | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | |
| El Centro, CA85 miles | $1,650 – $3,550 | $2,600 | +15% |
| Phoenix, AZ110 miles | $1,450 – $3,250 | $2,350 | +4% |
| Tucson, AZ130 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +1% |
| Prescott Valley, AZ150 miles | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +3% |
| San Diego, CA165 miles | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +20% |
| Arizona (statewide) | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +4% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +6% |
Across 300 US metros, Yuma comes in at #219 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $2,900; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $2,000 (midpoints, 1,500 sq ft). Statewide, Yuma is 4% below the Arizona figure.
Other Arizona metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 2,375,760 jobs | $1,450 – $3,250 | $2,350 | +4% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +1% |
| Prescott Valley, AZ | 72,300 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +3% |
| Flagstaff, AZ | 66,610 jobs | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +6% |
| Lake Havasu City, AZ | 56,490 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Yuma's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Yuma against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WI | 69,530 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +3% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +7% |
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +3% |
| Traverse City, MI | 68,440 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +2% |
Planning more than one job in Yuma?
Because every project leans on different trades, Yuma's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, French drain runs −2% and gravel driveway −6%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $590 – $2,050 | −2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,750 – $9,400 | −6% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,650 – $12,800 | −5% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,350 – $9,550 | −6% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,000 – $106,000 | −6% |
Why two Yuma quotes can differ
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.
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Yuma is 0.92 times the national level.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 80%) the local median is $17.36 an hour, which is 8% below the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $15.99 and $18.56 an hour. BLS counts 460 of them working in the area, 66.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), so the local bench is about average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $20.80 an hour, 8% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.60 and $22.84 an hour. About 570 work in the metro. That is 82.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the landscaping and groundskeeping workers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($18.56 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $55. At the 25th percentile ($15.99) it shrinks by about $65. The total moves by 2.5% or 2.9%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 68,880 jobs in the Yuma area. That makes it the 262nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $15.99 | $17.36 | $18.56 | $18.82 | 0.92 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.60 | $20.80 | $22.84 | $22.66 | 0.92 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.92 | |||||
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Sod installation in Yuma: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Yuma?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,400 to $3,100 in the Yuma area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,900 to $2,600. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for sod lawn in Yuma?
About $0.95 to $1.90 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $280 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $1 to $2.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Yuma or El Centro?
El Centro is 85 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,600, which is 15% more than Yuma ($2,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Yuma?
About 46% at the midpoint, or $1,050 out of $2,250. Materials are 48% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Yuma?
$1,400 to $3,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Yuma?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $280 for fees in the Yuma area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Yuma expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Arizona?
Yuma is 4% below the Arizona statewide estimate ($2,350 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Arizona; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Yuma?
The BLS median is $17.36 an hour in the Yuma area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $15.99 to $18.56.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Yuma?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,400 to $2,100 and premium work $2,450 to $3,100. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+When is the best time to lay sod in Yuma?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are November through April. April and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Sod installation near Yuma
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.