Sod installation cost in Dayton, OH
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,450 – $3,200
- Per sq ft
- $0.95 – $1.95
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #159
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a new sod lawn in the Dayton area: $1,450 to $3,200 for 1,500 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 3% lower than the US figure. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 93.6).
Estimate your sod installation cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Dayton, OH, standard level
$1,950 to $2,650
About $1.25 to $1.65 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $910 | $1,200 |
| Labor | $970 | $1,250 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $190 |
| Total | $1,950 | $2,650 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Dayton, OH
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $700 | $1,050 | $1,400 | 45% |
| Labor | $750 | $1,100 | $1,500 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $280 | 6% |
| Total | $1,450 | $2,300 | $3,200 | 100% |
Why Dayton prices look the way they do
Labor is 49% 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 Dayton the blended ratio comes out at 1.00.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Dayton is at 93.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,150 nationally becomes $1,050 here (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 92.7: $0 to $280.
Dayton: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Dayton. 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 $2,150
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$1,950 to $2,650
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,500 to $3,200
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $970 – $1,450 | $1,350 – $1,850 | $1,700 – $2,200 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,450 – $2,150 | $1,950 – $2,650 | $2,500 – $3,200 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,850 – $5,550 | $5,100 – $6,750 | $6,350 – $8,000 |
Is Dayton cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Dayton. Lexington is the lowest at about $2,300 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft), 120 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton, OHthis page | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | |
| Cincinnati, OH55 miles | $1,450 – $3,250 | $2,350 | +1% |
| Columbus, OH70 miles | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,400 | +3% |
| Fort Wayne, IN100 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Indianapolis, IN105 miles | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | level |
| Lexington, KY120 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Ohio (statewide) | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +1% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +4% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Dayton ranks #159 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Dayton is 1% below the Ohio figure.
Elsewhere in Ohio
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 1,105,580 jobs | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,400 | +3% |
| Cincinnati, OH | 1,101,030 jobs | $1,450 – $3,250 | $2,350 | +1% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +1% |
| Akron, OH | 319,560 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +1% |
| Toledo, OH | 291,530 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Canton, OH | 163,080 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dayton against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $1,500 – $3,350 | $2,400 | +5% |
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Little Rock, AR | 358,210 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −5% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Dayton bid
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.
Related projects, priced for Dayton
Jobs that often go together with sod lawn are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Dayton wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+6%) and sprinkler system lowest (level); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $640 – $2,250 | +6% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,000 – $10,000 | level |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,200 – $13,400 | level |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,550 – $10,400 | +2% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $36,600 – $114,000 | +1% |
The best months for sod lawn in Dayton
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Dayton Mcd (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 Dayton are April through November: 8 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March 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 107 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Dayton gets about 42 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 12 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and June (4.5 inches in April). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.0 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 39 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 | 36 | 20 | 3.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 40 | 23 | 2.4 | Cold |
| Mar | 51 | 31 | 3.5 | Cold |
| Apr | 64 | 41 | 4.5 | Workable |
| May | 75 | 53 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 62 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 66 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 64 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 56 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 44 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 52 | 33 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 41 | 26 | 3.1 | Cold |
Who does the work: Dayton trade wages
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 Dayton the blend is 1.00.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $18.21 an hour, 3% below the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.49 and $21.80 an hour. About 2,080 work in the metro. That is 55.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $25.48 an hour, which is 12% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.00 and $35.00 an hour. BLS counts 1,390 of them working in the area, 37.3 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 $170 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $35. That is a swing of roughly 1.5% to 7.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek has 372,660 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 70th 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% | $17.49 | $18.21 | $21.80 | $18.82 | 0.97 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.00 | $25.48 | $35.00 | $22.66 | 1.12 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $1,950 to $2,650 for Dayton, OH is attached.
Take this estimate with you: PDF report, $9
Multi-page report for Dayton, OH: 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 Dayton: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Dayton?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,450 to $3,200 in the Dayton 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 Dayton?
About $0.95 to $1.95 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 Dayton or Cincinnati?
Cincinnati is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,350, which is 1% more than Dayton ($2,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dayton?
About 49% at the midpoint, or $1,100 out of $2,300. Materials are 45% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Dayton?
$1,450 to $3,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Dayton?
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 Dayton area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dayton expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Ohio?
Dayton is 1% below the Ohio statewide estimate ($2,350 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Ohio; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Dayton?
The BLS median is $18.21 an hour in the Dayton area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.49 to $21.80.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Dayton?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,450 to $2,150 and premium work $2,500 to $3,200. 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 Dayton?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. September 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 Dayton
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.