Sod installation cost in Knoxville, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,400 – $3,100
- Per sq ft
- $0.95 – $1.90
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #206
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a new sod lawn in the Knoxville area: $1,400 to $3,100 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 5% lower than the US figure. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $17.33 an hour in the Knoxville area, 8% below the US median of $18.82.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Knoxville, TN, 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 | $85 | $190 |
| Total | $1,950 | $2,600 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Knoxville, TN
| 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 | $140 | $280 | 6% |
| Total | $1,400 | $2,250 | $3,100 | 100% |
Why Knoxville 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 $17.33 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Knoxville is 0.93 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 46% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Knoxville is at 96.2 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 92.6: $0 to $280.
Pick a size, pick a tier: sod installation pricing in Knoxville
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Knoxville. 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
$1,400 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) | $1,400 – $2,100 | $1,950 – $2,600 | $2,450 – $3,100 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,800 – $5,400 | $5,000 – $6,650 | $6,250 – $7,850 |
The best months for sod lawn in Knoxville
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Ap (10 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 Knoxville 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 67 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Knoxville gets about 52 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 5 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, July and December (5.3 inches in July). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.5 and 2.8 inches. The station averages about 37 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 | 48 | 30 | 4.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 53 | 33 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 61 | 40 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Apr | 71 | 48 | 4.7 | Workable |
| May | 79 | 57 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jun | 86 | 65 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 69 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 88 | 68 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 83 | 61 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 72 | 49 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 60 | 38 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 51 | 33 | 5.0 | Workable |
Related projects, priced for Knoxville
Jobs that often go together with sod lawn are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Knoxville wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, retaining wall comes out highest (−3%) and gravel driveway lowest (−7%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $560 – $2,000 | −6% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,800 – $9,450 | −5% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,800 – $13,000 | −3% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,300 – $9,500 | −7% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $34,200 – $107,000 | −5% |
Who does the work: Knoxville 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 Knoxville the blend is 0.93.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $17.33 an hour, 8% below the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $16.86 and $20.80 an hour. About 3,020 work in the metro. That is 71.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $22.18 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.16 and $25.87 an hour. BLS counts 3,640 of them working in the area, 85.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper 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 $20. That is a swing of roughly 1.0% to 7.3% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Knoxville has 424,600 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 59th 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% | $16.86 | $17.33 | $20.80 | $18.82 | 0.92 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.16 | $22.18 | $25.87 | $22.66 | 0.98 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.93 | |||||
Knoxville against nearby metros and the rest of Tennessee
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Knoxville. Dalton is the lowest at about $2,200 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft), 95 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, TNthis page | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | |
| Asheville, NC95 miles | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +3% |
| Dalton, GA95 miles | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −2% |
| Chattanooga, TN95 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −1% |
| Johnson City, TN100 miles | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 | −1% |
| Kingsport, TN100 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −1% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +1% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +6% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Knoxville ranks #206 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Knoxville is 1% below the Tennessee figure.
Elsewhere in Tennessee
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +2% |
| Memphis, TN | 611,670 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | level |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −1% |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −1% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −1% |
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Knoxville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $1,400 – $3,150 | $2,300 | level |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −3% |
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,200 | −3% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +10% |
Sod installation: what moves the price in Knoxville
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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Multi-page report for Knoxville, TN: 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 Knoxville: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Knoxville?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,400 to $3,100 in the Knoxville 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 Knoxville?
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 Knoxville or Asheville?
Asheville is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,350, which is 3% more than Knoxville ($2,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Knoxville?
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 Knoxville?
$1,400 to $3,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Knoxville?
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 Knoxville area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Knoxville expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Knoxville is 1% below the Tennessee statewide estimate ($2,300 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Tennessee; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Knoxville?
The BLS median is $17.33 an hour in the Knoxville area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $16.86 to $20.80.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Knoxville?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,400 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 Knoxville?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through December. 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 Knoxville
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.