Sod installation cost in Idaho
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,500 – $3,300
- Per sq ft
- $1 – $2
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $2,400
- Metros covered
- 3
What does it cost to lay sod in Idaho? Plan on $1,500 to $3,300 for 1,500 sq ft. Wages (1.05x the US blend), materials (price index 96.3) and permit costs (95.5) put the state above the national midpoint by 0%.
Inside Idaho, the metros we cover range from $2,300 (Idaho Falls) to $2,450 (Boise) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Idaho (statewide), standard level
$2,050 to $2,750
About $1.30 to $1.70 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $940 | $1,250 |
| Labor | $1,000 | $1,350 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $200 |
| Total | $2,050 | $2,750 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Idaho
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 45% |
| Labor | $790 | $1,200 | $1,550 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $290 | 6% |
| Total | $1,500 | $2,400 | $3,300 | 100% |
How Idaho compares with nearby states
Idaho ranks 22 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for sod lawn, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $2,850 and the cheapest Mississippi at $2,100, both for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint. Idaho sits at $2,400. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 270 miles away | $1,550 – $3,450 | $2,500 | +4% |
| Utah | 280 miles away | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | −1% |
| Oregon | 350 miles away | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,600 | +9% |
| Washington | 380 miles away | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +12% |
| Nevada | 460 miles away | $1,450 – $3,250 | $2,350 | −2% |
Idaho labor market for sod lawn
Idaho's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.05 times the national level.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $20.00 an hour, 6% above the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.79 and $22.78 an hour. About 7,980 work in the state. That is 93.1 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 $22.57 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.02 and $26.46 an hour. BLS counts 10,850 of them working in the state, 126.5 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for landscaping and groundskeeping workers ($22.78 an hour) would add about $130 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.79) would take off about $110. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 857,440 jobs across Idaho (May 2025), which is 0.6% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $17.79 | $20.00 | $22.78 | $18.82 | 1.06 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $19.02 | $22.57 | $26.46 | $22.66 | 1.00 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.05 | |||||
Sod installation cost by metro in Idaho
1 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,400, and the top-to-bottom gap is 6%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (1,500 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boise, ID | $1,550 – $3,350 | $2,450 | +2% |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | −1% |
| Idaho Falls, ID | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −4% |
When Idaho weather lets you lay
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and Idaho is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Coeur d'Alene has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Idaho at 7 months (April through October); Idaho Falls has the shortest at 5 (May through September). Rainfall runs from 10 inches a year in Idaho Falls to 25 inches in Coeur d'Alene.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | 26 | 93 | 12 | 6: March through June and September through October |
| Idaho Falls | 12 | 87 | 10 | 5: May through September |
| Coeur d'Alene | 26 | 83 | 25 | 7: April through October |
Basic, standard or premium: Idaho prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from small yard (1,000 sq ft) to large yard (4,000 sq ft).
Basic
$1,500 to $2,250
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
| 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 – $2,250 | $2,050 – $2,750 | $2,600 – $3,300 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $4,000 – $5,750 | $5,300 – $7,050 | $6,600 – $8,350 |
Other Idaho jobs that often go with sod lawn
Each project weights the trades differently, so Idaho's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, French drain is +1% and sprinkler system −5%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $600 – $2,100 | +1% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,800 – $9,450 | −5% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,000 – $13,200 | −2% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $10,100 | −1% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,300 – $110,500 | −2% |
Why two Idaho quotes can differ
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.
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Sod installation in Idaho: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Idaho?
$1,500 to $3,300 for 1,500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Idaho can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Idaho is cheapest for sod lawn?
Idaho Falls at about $2,300 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). The priciest is Boise at $2,450.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Idaho than the US average?
It is 0% more expensive: $2,400 against $2,400 for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Idaho?
About 49% ($1,200). Materials are 45%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.05x the national wage level.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Idaho?
The BLS statewide median is $20.00 an hour, against $18.82 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.79 to $22.78.
+Where does Idaho rank for sod lawn costs?
22nd most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,400 for 1,500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Idaho?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,500 to $2,250 and premium work $2,600 to $3,300. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+Does the season matter for sod lawn in Idaho?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Idaho metros we cover, Coeur d'Alene has the most comfortable months (7 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
Sod installation by city in Idaho
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.