Sod installation cost in Texas
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide 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
- Metros covered
- 21
Texas prices for sod lawn: $1,450 to $3,150 for 1,500 sq ft, or $0.95 to $1.90 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 5% below the national one. Local wages for landscaping and groundskeeping workers are $17.66 an hour.
Inside Texas, the metros we cover range from $2,000 (Brownsville) to $2,400 (Dallas) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Texas (statewide), standard level
$1,950 to $2,650
About $1.25 to $1.60 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $960 | $1,250 |
| Labor | $900 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $200 |
| Total | $1,950 | $2,650 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Texas
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $740 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 48% |
| Labor | $690 | $1,050 | $1,400 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $150 | $290 | 6% |
| Total | $1,450 | $2,300 | $3,150 | 100% |
Texas metro-by-metro prices
2 of the 21 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,300, and the top-to-bottom gap is 20%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (1,500 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +4% |
| Houston, TX | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +1% |
| Austin, TX | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | level |
| Midland, TX | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −2% |
| Odessa, TX | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −3% |
| Killeen, TX | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −3% |
| Tyler, TX | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −3% |
| Waco, TX | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −4% |
| San Antonio, TX | $1,350 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −4% |
| Beaumont, TX | $1,400 – $3,000 | $2,200 | −4% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,200 | −5% |
| Abilene, TX | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 | −5% |
| Amarillo, TX | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 | −5% |
| Longview, TX | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 | −5% |
| Lubbock, TX | $1,350 – $2,950 | $2,150 | −6% |
| College Station, TX | $1,350 – $2,950 | $2,150 | −6% |
| Laredo, TX | $1,300 – $2,850 | $2,100 | −9% |
| El Paso, TX | $1,300 – $2,850 | $2,050 | −10% |
| Texarkana, TX | $1,250 – $2,800 | $2,050 | −11% |
| McAllen, TX | $1,250 – $2,750 | $2,000 | −12% |
| Brownsville, TX | $1,250 – $2,750 | $2,000 | −13% |
Basic, standard or premium: Texas prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid 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) | $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 | $6,250 – $7,900 |
Texas seasons and sod lawn
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and Texas is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Texarkana has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Texas at 10 months (September through June); Amarillo has the shortest at 6 (March through May and September through November). Rainfall runs from 9 inches a year in El Paso to 65 inches in Beaumont.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas | 38 | 97 | 38 | 8: October through May |
| Houston | 46 | 93 | 56 | 9: September through May |
| Austin | 42 | 97 | 36 | 8: October through May |
| San Antonio | 41 | 95 | 32 | 8: October through May |
| El Paso | 35 | 96 | 9 | 9: September through May |
| McAllen | 53 | 99 | 22 | 7: October through April |
| Corpus Christi | 52 | 92 | 35 | 8: October through May |
| Lubbock | 30 | 93 | 19 | 6: March through May and September through November |
| Beaumont | 43 | 92 | 65 | 9: September through May |
| Brownsville | 53 | 95 | 27 | 7: October through April |
| Killeen | 36 | 96 | 35 | 8: October through May |
| College Station | 41 | 95 | 42 | 8: October through May |
| Waco | 36 | 97 | 36 | 8: October through May |
| Amarillo | 25 | 93 | 20 | 6: March through May and September through November |
| Midland | 33 | 96 | 14 | 9: September through May |
| Longview | 36 | 95 | 51 | 8: October through May |
| Tyler | 39 | 93 | 48 | 9: September through May |
| Laredo | 47 | 100 | 20 | 7: October through April |
| Odessa | 32 | 94 | 12 | 8: February through May and September through December |
| Abilene | 34 | 96 | 25 | 9: September through May |
| Texarkana | 33 | 93 | 52 | 10: September through June |
Related projects, priced for Texas
Each project weights the trades differently, so Texas's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, retaining wall is −7% and gravel driveway −8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $550 – $1,950 | −8% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,750 – $9,350 | −7% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,500 – $12,700 | −7% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,300 – $9,350 | −8% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $33,400 – $104,500 | −8% |
Why two Texas quotes can differ
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.
Permit
Sodding permits cost $40-$300 where required, mostly for large lawns or those next to a public road.
How Texas compares with nearby states
Texas ranks 40 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for sod lawn, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $2,850 and the cheapest Mississippi at $2,100, both for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint. Texas sits at $2,300. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 330 miles away | $1,400 – $3,000 | $2,200 | −4% |
| Louisiana | 360 miles away | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 | −5% |
| Arkansas | 390 miles away | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,200 | −4% |
| Mississippi | 450 miles away | $1,350 – $2,900 | $2,100 | −7% |
| Kansas | 490 miles away | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +1% |
Texas labor market for sod lawn
Texas's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.92 times the national level.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $17.66 an hour, 6% below the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $15.68 and $19.84 an hour. About 63,430 work in the state. That is 45.1 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 $19.53 an hour, which is 14% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.66 and $22.57 an hour. BLS counts 123,250 of them working in the state, 87.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for landscaping and groundskeeping workers ($19.84 an hour) would add about $100 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($15.68) would take off about $95. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 14,071,160 jobs across Texas (May 2025), which is 9.0% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $15.68 | $17.66 | $19.84 | $18.82 | 0.94 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.66 | $19.53 | $22.57 | $22.66 | 0.86 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.92 | |||||
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Sod installation in Texas: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Texas?
$1,450 to $3,150 for 1,500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Texas can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Texas is cheapest for sod lawn?
Brownsville at about $2,000 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). The priciest is Dallas at $2,400.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Texas than the US average?
It is 5% cheaper: $2,300 against $2,400 for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Texas?
About 45% ($1,050). Materials are 48%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.92x the national wage level.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Texas?
The BLS statewide median is $17.66 an hour, against $18.82 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $15.68 to $19.84.
+Where does Texas rank for sod lawn costs?
40th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,300 for 1,500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Texas?
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.
+Does the season matter for sod lawn in Texas?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Texas metros we cover, Texarkana has the most comfortable months (10 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
Sod installation by city in Texas
- Dallas, TX$2,400 midpoint
- Houston, TX$2,300 midpoint
- Austin, TX$2,300 midpoint
- Midland, TX$2,250 midpoint
- Odessa, TX$2,200 midpoint
- Killeen, TX$2,200 midpoint
- Tyler, TX$2,200 midpoint
- Waco, TX$2,200 midpoint
- San Antonio, TX$2,200 midpoint
- Beaumont, TX$2,200 midpoint
- Corpus Christi, TX$2,200 midpoint
- Abilene, TX$2,150 midpoint
- Amarillo, TX$2,150 midpoint
- Longview, TX$2,150 midpoint
- Lubbock, TX$2,150 midpoint
- College Station, TX$2,150 midpoint
- Laredo, TX$2,100 midpoint
- El Paso, TX$2,050 midpoint
- Texarkana, TX$2,050 midpoint
- McAllen, TX$2,000 midpoint
- Brownsville, TX$2,000 midpoint
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.