Sod installation cost in New Hampshire
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,600 – $3,500
- Per sq ft
- $1.05 – $2.10
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +6%
- US $2,400
- Metros covered
- 1
New Hampshire prices for sod lawn: $1,600 to $3,500 for 1,500 sq ft, or $1.05 to $2.10 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 6% above the national one. Local wages for landscaping and groundskeeping workers are $21.58 an hour.
New Hampshire has one metro in our dataset, Manchester, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in New Hampshire (statewide), standard level
$2,150 to $2,900
About $1.35 to $1.80 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 50% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $960 | $1,250 |
| Labor | $1,100 | $1,450 |
| Permits and fees | $95 | $220 |
| Total | $2,150 | $2,900 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in New Hampshire
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $740 | $1,100 | $1,500 | 44% |
| Labor | $850 | $1,250 | $1,700 | 50% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $160 | $310 | 6% |
| Total | $1,600 | $2,550 | $3,500 | 100% |
Which New Hampshire city is cheapest for sod lawn?
New Hampshire has one metro in our dataset, Manchester, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester, NH | $1,550 – $3,450 | $2,500 | −1% |
Quality levels and sizes in New Hampshire
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide New Hampshire wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$1,600 to $2,350
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,150 to $2,900
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,750 to $3,500
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $1,050 – $1,600 | $1,450 – $2,000 | $1,900 – $2,450 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,600 – $2,350 | $2,150 – $2,900 | $2,750 – $3,500 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $4,250 – $6,050 | $5,600 – $7,400 | $6,950 – $8,750 |
New Hampshire seasons and sod lawn
Season matters for sod lawn. For each New Hampshire metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Manchester has 8 comfortable months (April through November), with about 40 inches of precipitation a year.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | 17 | 84 | 40 | 8: April through November |
Wages behind the New Hampshire number
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 1.13 for New Hampshire.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 80%) the local median is $21.58 an hour, which is 15% above the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $18.39 and $24.27 an hour. BLS counts 6,050 of them working in the state, 88.5 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $24.03 an hour, 6% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.61 and $28.32 an hour. About 4,330 work in the state. That is 63.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for landscaping and groundskeeping workers ($24.27 an hour) would add about $130 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($18.39) would take off about $150. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 683,290 jobs across New Hampshire (May 2025), which is 0.4% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $18.39 | $21.58 | $24.27 | $18.82 | 1.15 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $21.61 | $24.03 | $28.32 | $22.66 | 1.06 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.13 | |||||
Related projects, priced for New Hampshire
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide New Hampshire wages and prices. Against national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+3%) and gravel driveway lowest (+2%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $620 – $2,150 | +3% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,100 – $10,200 | +2% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,300 – $13,700 | +2% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,550 – $10,400 | +2% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $36,900 – $115,500 | +2% |
New Hampshire versus the states around it
New Hampshire ranks 16 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. New Hampshire sits at $2,550. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 40 miles away | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +6% |
| Rhode Island | 90 miles away | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 | level |
| Maine | 110 miles away | $1,600 – $3,450 | $2,500 | −1% |
| Connecticut | 110 miles away | $1,600 – $3,550 | $2,600 | +2% |
| Vermont | 140 miles away | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 | level |
Sod installation: what moves the price in New Hampshire
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 New Hampshire: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in New Hampshire?
$1,600 to $3,500 for 1,500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside New Hampshire can sit above or below that.
+Which city in New Hampshire is cheapest for sod lawn?
Manchester at about $2,500 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft).
+Is sod lawn cheaper in New Hampshire than the US average?
It is 6% more expensive: $2,550 against $2,400 for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in New Hampshire?
About 50% ($1,250). Materials are 44%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.13x the national wage level.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in New Hampshire?
The BLS statewide median is $21.58 an hour, against $18.82 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.39 to $24.27.
+Where does New Hampshire rank for sod lawn costs?
16th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,550 for 1,500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in New Hampshire?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,600 to $2,350 and premium work $2,750 to $3,500. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+Does the season matter for sod lawn in New Hampshire?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the New Hampshire metros we cover, Manchester has the most comfortable months (8 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 New Hampshire
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.