Sod installation cost in Hickory, NC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,450 – $3,100
- Per sq ft
- $0.95 – $1.90
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #205
- 1 = most expensive
A new sod lawn in Hickory, NC usually costs $1,450 to $3,100 for 1,500 sq ft. That works out to about $0.95 to $1.90 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $130 less. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $17.57 an hour in the Hickory area, 7% below the US median of $18.82.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Hickory, NC, standard level
$1,950 to $2,600
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 | $910 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $190 |
| Total | $1,950 | $2,600 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Hickory, NC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 48% |
| Labor | $700 | $1,050 | $1,400 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $130 | $270 | 6% |
| Total | $1,450 | $2,250 | $3,100 | 100% |
What is behind the Hickory number
Labor is 46% of the midpoint bill here, against 47% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is landscaping and groundskeeping workers (80%), construction laborers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Hickory the blended ratio comes out at 0.94.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Hickory is at 96.6 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 88.5: $0 to $270.
What nearby projects cost in Hickory
Jobs that often go together with sod lawn are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Hickory wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (−8%) and retaining wall lowest (−9%); 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 | $3,650 – $9,100 | −9% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,300 – $12,300 | −9% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,300 – $9,350 | −8% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,800 – $102,500 | −9% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Hickory bid
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.
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).
Hickory 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, Hickory Faa 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 Hickory are February through December: 11 of 12. Outside them, 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 69 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Hickory gets about 47 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (4.6 inches in August). Inside the workable window, February and October are the driest, at 3.2 and 3.5 inches. The station averages about 33 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 | 49 | 30 | 3.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 53 | 33 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Mar | 61 | 40 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Apr | 70 | 48 | 4.1 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 56 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 64 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 68 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 67 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 80 | 61 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Oct | 70 | 49 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 60 | 39 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Dec | 52 | 33 | 3.9 | Workable |
What local crews earn in Hickory
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 Hickory the blend is 0.94.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $17.57 an hour, 7% below the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $16.52 and $20.52 an hour. About 790 work in the metro. That is 51.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $21.42 an hour, which is 5% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.03 and $24.58 an hour. BLS counts 800 of them working in the area, 51.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (landscaping and groundskeeping workers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $140 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $50. That is a swing of roughly 2.2% to 6.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has 154,090 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 152nd 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% | $16.52 | $17.57 | $20.52 | $18.82 | 0.93 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.03 | $21.42 | $24.58 | $22.66 | 0.95 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.94 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Hickory
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Hickory. 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
$1,450 to $2,100
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$1,950 to $2,600
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,450 to $3,100
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 – $2,150 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,450 – $2,100 | $1,950 – $2,600 | $2,450 – $3,100 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,800 – $5,450 | $5,050 – $6,650 | $6,250 – $7,850 |
Is Hickory cheap or dear? The local comparison
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 $2,250 to $2,350 across Hickory and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory, NCthis page | $1,450 – $3,100 | $2,250 | |
| Johnson City, TN60 miles | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 | −2% |
| Charlotte, NC60 miles | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +3% |
| Asheville, NC65 miles | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +3% |
| Winston, NC65 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +1% |
| Spartanburg, SC70 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | level |
| North Carolina (statewide) | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +2% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +6% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Hickory ranks #205 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Hickory is 2% below the North Carolina figure.
Elsewhere in North Carolina
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 1,358,370 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +3% |
| Raleigh, NC | 743,120 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +3% |
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +1% |
| Durham, NC | 344,020 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +3% |
| Winston, NC | 271,980 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +1% |
| Wilmington, NC | 191,280 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Hickory against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville, TX | 157,450 jobs | $1,250 – $2,750 | $2,000 | −12% |
| Roanoke, VA | 153,980 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −2% |
| Eugene, OR | 157,710 jobs | $1,600 – $3,550 | $2,550 | +13% |
| Gainesville, FL | 152,670 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −1% |
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Detailed sod installation report for Hickory, NC, $9
Multi-page report for Hickory, NC: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Sod installation in Hickory: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Hickory?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,450 to $3,100 in the Hickory area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,950 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 Hickory?
About $0.95 to $1.90 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $270 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $1 to $2.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Hickory or Johnson City?
Johnson City is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,250, which is 2% less than Hickory ($2,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Hickory?
About 46% 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 Hickory?
$1,450 to $3,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Hickory?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $270 for fees in the Hickory area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Hickory expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of North Carolina?
Hickory is 2% 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 Hickory?
The BLS median is $17.57 an hour in the Hickory area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $16.52 to $20.52.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Hickory?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,450 to $2,100 and premium work $2,450 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 Hickory?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through December. February 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 Hickory
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.