Sod installation cost in Greensboro, NC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,450 – $3,150
- Per sq ft
- $0.95 – $1.90
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #191
- 1 = most expensive
Greensboro homeowners pay roughly $1,450 to $3,150 to lay sod at 1,500 sq ft, or $0.95 to $1.90 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Greensboro is 5% lower. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $18.19 an hour in the Greensboro area, 3% below the US median of $18.82.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Greensboro, NC, standard level
$1,950 to $2,650
About $1.25 to $1.60 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $940 | $1,250 |
| Labor | $920 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $200 |
| Total | $1,950 | $2,650 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Greensboro, NC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 48% |
| Labor | $710 | $1,050 | $1,400 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $280 | 6% |
| Total | $1,450 | $2,300 | $3,150 | 100% |
Why Greensboro prices look the way they do
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 $18.19 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Greensboro is 0.94 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 46% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Greensboro metro is 96.6 (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 (92.9) and land at $0 to $280.
Pick a size, pick a tier: sod installation pricing in Greensboro
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Greensboro 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
$1,450 to $2,100
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$1,950 to $2,650
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,450 to $3,150
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $950 – $1,450 | $1,300 – $1,800 | $1,700 – $2,200 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,450 – $2,100 | $1,950 – $2,650 | $2,450 – $3,150 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,800 – $5,450 | $5,050 – $6,700 | $6,300 – $7,900 |
Greensboro against nearby metros and the rest of North Carolina
Same job, same size (1,500 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Durham is the priciest of the group at $2,350. Burlington is the cheapest at $2,300.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro, NCthis page | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | |
| Burlington, NC20 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | level |
| Winston, NC30 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | level |
| Durham, NC40 miles | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +2% |
| Raleigh, NC75 miles | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +2% |
| Charlotte, NC80 miles | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +2% |
| North Carolina (statewide) | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +1% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +5% |
Across 300 US metros, Greensboro comes in at #191 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, Greensboro is 1% below the North Carolina figure.
Other North Carolina metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 1,358,370 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +2% |
| Raleigh, NC | 743,120 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +2% |
| Durham, NC | 344,020 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +2% |
| Winston, NC | 271,980 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | level |
| Wilmington, NC | 191,280 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | level |
| Asheville, NC | 180,620 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +2% |
Cities with a workforce like Greensboro's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Greensboro against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton, OH | 372,660 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +1% |
| Little Rock, AR | 358,210 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −4% |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $1,500 – $3,350 | $2,400 | +6% |
| Worcester, MA | 349,880 jobs | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,650 | +15% |
When to schedule sod lawn in Greensboro
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Greensboro Wtp (in the city). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
February through December is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Greensboro (11 of 12 months). January has an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 62 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Greensboro gets about 46 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (5.8 inches in July). Inside the workable window, February and November are the driest, at 2.5 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 42 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 | 50 | 30 | 3.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 54 | 33 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Mar | 62 | 39 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 71 | 48 | 3.6 | Workable |
| May | 79 | 58 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 85 | 65 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Jul | 89 | 71 | 5.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 87 | 68 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 81 | 61 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 71 | 49 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Nov | 61 | 39 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 53 | 33 | 3.4 | Workable |
Sod installation: what moves the price in Greensboro
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.
Related projects, priced for Greensboro
Because every project leans on different trades, Greensboro's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, French drain runs −9% and retaining wall −10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $550 – $1,900 | −9% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,650 – $9,150 | −9% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,200 – $12,200 | −10% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,250 – $9,200 | −10% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,500 – $101,500 | −10% |
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 Greensboro is 0.94 times the national level.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 80%) the local median is $18.19 an hour, which is 3% below the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.17 and $19.73 an hour. BLS counts 1,730 of them working in the area, 47.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $19.28 an hour, 15% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.65 and $23.22 an hour. About 2,190 work in the metro. That is 59.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer 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 ($19.73 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $75. At the 25th percentile ($17.17) it shrinks by about $50. The total moves by 3.2% or 2.1%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 365,410 jobs in the Greensboro-High Point area. That makes it the 71st largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.23% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $17.17 | $18.19 | $19.73 | $18.82 | 0.97 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.65 | $19.28 | $23.22 | $22.66 | 0.85 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.94 | |||||
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Sod installation in Greensboro: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Greensboro?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,450 to $3,150 in the Greensboro area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,950 to $2,650. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for sod lawn in Greensboro?
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 Greensboro or Burlington?
Burlington is 20 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,300, which is 0% less than Greensboro ($2,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Greensboro?
About 46% at the midpoint, or $1,050 out of $2,300. Materials are 48% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Greensboro?
$1,450 to $3,150. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Greensboro?
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 Greensboro area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Greensboro expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of North Carolina?
Greensboro is 1% below the North Carolina statewide estimate ($2,300 at the midpoint). We cover 11 metros in North Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Greensboro?
The BLS median is $18.19 an hour in the Greensboro area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.17 to $19.73.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Greensboro?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,450 to $2,100 and premium work $2,450 to $3,150. 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 Greensboro?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through December. February 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 Greensboro
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.