Sod installation cost in Sioux Falls, SD
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
- −4%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #182
- 1 = most expensive
A new sod lawn in Sioux Falls, SD usually costs $1,450 to $3,150 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 $110 less. Building materials run about 5% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 95.5).
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Sioux Falls, SD, standard level
$1,950 to $2,650
About $1.25 to $1.65 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $930 | $1,200 |
| Labor | $940 | $1,250 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $190 |
| Total | $1,950 | $2,650 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Sioux Falls, SD
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $720 | $1,050 | $1,450 | 47% |
| Labor | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $270 | 6% |
| Total | $1,450 | $2,300 | $3,150 | 100% |
Why Sioux Falls 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 $17.98 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Sioux Falls is 0.96 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 47% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Sioux Falls is at 95.5 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 90.6: $0 to $270.
Is Sioux Falls cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (1,500 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. St. Cloud is the priciest of the group at $2,500. Lincoln is the cheapest at $2,300.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls, SDthis page | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | |
| Sioux City, IA75 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +1% |
| Omaha, NE160 miles | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +8% |
| St. Cloud, MN185 miles | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +8% |
| Lincoln, NE185 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | level |
| Des Moines, IA210 miles | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,450 | +8% |
| South Dakota (statewide) | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 | −2% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +5% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Sioux Falls ranks #182 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Sioux Falls is 2% above the South Dakota figure.
Elsewhere in South Dakota
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City, SD | 73,820 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 | −3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Sioux Falls against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $1,300 – $2,850 | $2,050 | −10% |
| Anchorage, AK | 177,050 jobs | $1,700 – $3,750 | $2,700 | +19% |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +1% |
| Reading, PA | 174,670 jobs | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +5% |
What local crews earn in Sioux Falls
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 Sioux Falls the blend is 0.96.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $17.98 an hour, 4% below the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $16.38 and $22.00 an hour. About 1,090 work in the metro. That is 61.0 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 $22.53 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.79 and $23.83 an hour. BLS counts 700 of them working in the area, 39.2 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 $190 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $75. That is a swing of roughly 3.3% to 8.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Sioux Falls has 178,590 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 130th 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% | $16.38 | $17.98 | $22.00 | $18.82 | 0.96 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.79 | $22.53 | $23.83 | $22.66 | 0.99 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.96 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Sioux Falls
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Sioux Falls. 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 $2,650
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) | $960 – $1,450 | $1,350 – $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) | $3,850 – $5,500 | $5,050 – $6,700 | $6,300 – $7,950 |
Related projects, priced for Sioux Falls
Jobs that often go together with sod lawn are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Sioux Falls wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (−2%) and sprinkler system lowest (−5%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $590 – $2,050 | −2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,800 – $9,500 | −5% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,900 – $13,000 | −3% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $10,000 | −2% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,100 – $109,500 | −3% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Sioux Falls 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).
Sioux Falls 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, Sioux Falls (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 Sioux Falls are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, 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 162 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Sioux Falls gets about 28 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 45 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (4.2 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 2.7 and 2.4 inches. The station averages about 15 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 | 27 | 9 | 0.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 32 | 13 | 0.8 | Cold |
| Mar | 45 | 24 | 1.6 | Cold |
| Apr | 59 | 36 | 3.0 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 48 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 81 | 59 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 63 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 83 | 61 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Sep | 76 | 52 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 61 | 38 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Nov | 45 | 25 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Dec | 32 | 13 | 0.8 | Cold |
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Sod installation in Sioux Falls: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Sioux Falls?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,450 to $3,150 in the Sioux Falls 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 Sioux Falls?
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 Sioux Falls or Sioux City?
Sioux City is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,300, which is 1% more than Sioux Falls ($2,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Sioux Falls?
About 47% at the midpoint, or $1,100 out of $2,300. Materials are 47% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Sioux Falls?
$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 Sioux Falls?
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 Sioux Falls area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Sioux Falls expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of South Dakota?
Sioux Falls is 2% above the South Dakota statewide estimate ($2,250 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in South Dakota; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Sioux Falls?
The BLS median is $17.98 an hour in the Sioux Falls area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $16.38 to $22.00.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Sioux Falls?
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 Sioux Falls?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. 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 Sioux Falls
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.