Sod installation cost in Missoula, MT
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,550 – $3,400
- Per sq ft
- $1.05 – $2.10
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +4%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #74
- 1 = most expensive
A new sod lawn in Missoula, MT usually costs $1,550 to $3,400 for 1,500 sq ft. That works out to about $1.05 to $2.10 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $85 more. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $21.38 an hour in the Missoula area, 14% above the US median of $18.82.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Missoula, MT, standard level
$2,100 to $2,850
About $1.35 to $1.75 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 51% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $940 | $1,200 |
| Labor | $1,100 | $1,450 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $200 |
| Total | $2,100 | $2,850 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Missoula, MT
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 43% |
| Labor | $840 | $1,250 | $1,700 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $290 | 6% |
| Total | $1,550 | $2,500 | $3,400 | 100% |
What is behind the Missoula 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 $21.38 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Missoula is 1.12 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 51% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Missoula is at 96.0 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 96.4: $0 to $290.
Pick a size, pick a tier: sod installation pricing in Missoula
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Missoula. 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
$1,550 to $2,300
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,100 to $2,850
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,650 to $3,400
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $1,050 – $1,550 | $1,450 – $1,950 | $1,850 – $2,350 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,550 – $2,300 | $2,100 – $2,850 | $2,650 – $3,400 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $4,150 – $5,950 | $5,500 – $7,300 | $6,850 – $8,600 |
Why two Missoula 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.
Is Missoula cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (1,500 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Kennewick is the priciest of the group at $2,650. Idaho Falls is the cheapest at $2,300.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MTthis page | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID120 miles | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | −4% |
| Spokane, WA175 miles | $1,650 – $3,550 | $2,600 | +5% |
| Bozeman, MT185 miles | $1,600 – $3,550 | $2,600 | +4% |
| Kennewick, WA240 miles | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,650 | +6% |
| Idaho Falls, ID255 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −7% |
| Montana (statewide) | $1,550 – $3,450 | $2,500 | +1% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | −3% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Missoula ranks #74 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Missoula is 1% below the Montana figure.
Elsewhere in Montana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | 93,800 jobs | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,450 | −1% |
| Bozeman, MT | 72,210 jobs | $1,600 – $3,550 | $2,600 | +4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Missoula against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction, CO | 67,170 jobs | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | −5% |
| Logan, UT | 66,800 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −7% |
| Morgantown, WV | 67,370 jobs | $1,350 – $2,950 | $2,150 | −13% |
| Flagstaff, AZ | 66,610 jobs | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | −4% |
Missoula 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, Missoula Intl Ap (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 Missoula are May through September: 5 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, April, October, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, April, October, 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 173 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Missoula gets about 14 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 43 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and June (2.1 inches in June). Inside the workable window, July and August are the driest, at 0.8 and 0.8 inches. The station averages about 27 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 | 32 | 18 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Feb | 37 | 21 | 0.9 | Cold |
| Mar | 48 | 27 | 0.9 | Cold |
| Apr | 56 | 32 | 1.4 | Cold |
| May | 66 | 40 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 73 | 46 | 2.1 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 52 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 50 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 73 | 42 | 1.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 56 | 32 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Nov | 40 | 25 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Dec | 31 | 18 | 1.1 | Cold |
Related projects, priced for Missoula
Jobs that often go together with sod lawn are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Missoula wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sprinkler system comes out highest (+5%) and retaining wall lowest (−3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $600 – $2,100 | +1% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,200 – $10,500 | +5% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,850 – $13,000 | −3% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,550 – $10,300 | +1% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $36,400 – $113,500 | +1% |
What local crews earn in Missoula
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 Missoula the blend is 1.12.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $21.38 an hour, 14% above the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $18.63 and $24.51 an hour. About 490 work in the metro. That is 73.1 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 $24.00 an hour, which is 6% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.41 and $26.36 an hour. BLS counts 510 of them working in the area, 76.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (landscaping and groundskeeping workers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $150 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $130. That is a swing of roughly 5.3% to 6.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Missoula has 67,070 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 270th 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% | $18.63 | $21.38 | $24.51 | $18.82 | 1.14 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $21.41 | $24.00 | $26.36 | $22.66 | 1.06 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.12 | |||||
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Sod installation in Missoula: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Missoula?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,550 to $3,400 in the Missoula area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,100 to $2,850. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for sod lawn in Missoula?
About $1.05 to $2.10 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 Missoula or Coeur d'Alene?
Coeur d'Alene is 120 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,350, which is 4% less than Missoula ($2,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Missoula?
About 51% at the midpoint, or $1,250 out of $2,500. Materials are 43% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Missoula?
$1,550 to $3,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Missoula?
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 Missoula area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Missoula expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Montana?
Missoula is 1% below the Montana statewide estimate ($2,500 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in Montana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Missoula?
The BLS median is $21.38 an hour in the Missoula area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.63 to $24.51.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Missoula?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,550 to $2,300 and premium work $2,650 to $3,400. 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 Missoula?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through September. July and August 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 Missoula
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.