Sod installation cost in Panama City, FL
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 – $1.85
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #229
- 1 = most expensive
A new sod lawn in Panama City, FL usually costs $1,400 to $3,100 for 1,500 sq ft. That works out to about $0.95 to $1.85 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $150 less. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $17.12 an hour in the Panama City area, 9% below the US median of $18.82.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Panama City, FL, standard level
$1,900 to $2,600
About $1.20 to $1.60 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $940 | $1,250 |
| Labor | $890 | $1,150 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $200 |
| Total | $1,900 | $2,600 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Panama City, FL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 48% |
| Labor | $680 | $1,050 | $1,350 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $150 | $290 | 6% |
| Total | $1,400 | $2,250 | $3,100 | 100% |
Where the Panama City price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: landscaping and groundskeeping workers at 80%, construction laborers at 20%. Weighted together, Panama City wages are 0.91 times the national level. Labor makes up about 45% of the midpoint estimate (47% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Panama City is at 96.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,150 nationally becomes $1,100 here (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 97.3: $0 to $290.
Panama City weather and the sod installation calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Panama City 5N (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 Panama City are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Panama City gets about 61 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are July, August and September (7.4 inches in August). Inside the workable window, May and October are the driest, at 3.3 and 3.5 inches. The station averages about 67 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 | 64 | 43 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Feb | 67 | 46 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Mar | 73 | 52 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 58 | 4.1 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 66 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 73 | 5.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 91 | 75 | 7.4 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 75 | 7.4 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 71 | 7.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 82 | 61 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 73 | 50 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 67 | 45 | 4.3 | Workable |
What local crews earn in Panama City
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 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 Panama City the blend is 0.91.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $17.12 an hour, 9% below the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $16.46 and $19.01 an hour. About 670 work in the metro. That is 73.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $20.79 an hour, which is 8% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.54 and $22.57 an hour. BLS counts 1,130 of them working in the area, 124.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (landscaping and groundskeeping workers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $90 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $30. That is a swing of roughly 1.4% to 4.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Panama City-Panama City Beach has 90,610 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 218th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $16.46 | $17.12 | $19.01 | $18.82 | 0.91 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.54 | $20.79 | $22.57 | $22.66 | 0.92 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.91 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Panama City bid
Permit
Sodding permits cost $40-$300 where required, mostly for large lawns or those next to a public road.
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.
Related projects, priced for Panama City
Jobs that often go together with sod lawn are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Panama City wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (−8%) and sprinkler system lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $550 – $1,950 | −8% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,550 – $8,950 | −11% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,350 – $12,400 | −8% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,300 – $9,350 | −9% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,700 – $102,500 | −9% |
Panama City: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Panama City. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small yard (1,000 sq ft) to large yard (4,000 sq ft).
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
$2,400 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 | $2,400 – $3,100 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,750 – $5,350 | $4,950 – $6,550 | $6,150 – $7,800 |
Panama City against nearby metros and the rest of Florida
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 1,500 sq ft range from $2,150 to $2,300 across Panama City and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panama City, FLthis page | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | |
| Crestview, FL50 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +2% |
| Dothan, AL70 miles | $1,350 – $2,900 | $2,150 | −6% |
| Tallahassee, FL80 miles | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 | −1% |
| Pensacola, FL95 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | +1% |
| Daphne, AL130 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −1% |
| Florida (statewide) | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +3% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +6% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Panama City ranks #229 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Panama City is 3% below the Florida figure.
Elsewhere in Florida
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | 2,819,940 jobs | $1,500 – $3,350 | $2,400 | +7% |
| Tampa, FL | 1,447,120 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +2% |
| Orlando, FL | 1,411,730 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | level |
| Jacksonville, FL | 765,930 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +2% |
| North Port, FL | 339,940 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +2% |
| Cape Coral, FL | 304,790 jobs | $1,400 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Panama City against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | 91,390 jobs | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,650 | +17% |
| St. George, UT | 90,500 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +3% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +20% |
| Medford, OR | 89,060 jobs | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 | +14% |
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Sod installation in Panama City: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Panama City?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,400 to $3,100 in the Panama City 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 Panama City?
About $0.95 to $1.85 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $290 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $1 to $2.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Panama City or Crestview?
Crestview is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,300, which is 2% more than Panama City ($2,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Panama City?
About 45% 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 Panama City?
$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 Panama City?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $290 for fees in the Panama City area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Panama City expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Florida?
Panama City is 3% below the Florida statewide estimate ($2,300 at the midpoint). We cover 19 metros in Florida; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Panama City?
The BLS median is $17.12 an hour in the Panama City area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $16.46 to $19.01.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Panama City?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,400 to $2,100 and premium work $2,400 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 Panama City?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. 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.
Sod installation near Panama City
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.