Sod installation cost in Abilene, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,350 – $3,000
- Per sq ft
- $0.90 – $1.80
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #277
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a new sod lawn in the Abilene area: $1,350 to $3,000 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 9% lower than the US figure. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $16.73 an hour in the Abilene area, 11% below the US median of $18.82.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Abilene, TX, standard level
$1,850 to $2,500
About $1.20 to $1.55 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $910 | $1,200 |
| Labor | $850 | $1,100 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $190 |
| Total | $1,850 | $2,500 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Abilene, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $700 | $1,050 | $1,400 | 49% |
| Labor | $650 | $980 | $1,300 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $270 | 6% |
| Total | $1,350 | $2,150 | $3,000 | 100% |
What is behind the Abilene number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: landscaping and groundskeeping workers at 80%, construction laborers at 20%. Weighted together, Abilene wages are 0.87 times the national level. Labor makes up about 45% of the midpoint estimate (47% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Abilene is at 93.8 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 90.4: $0 to $270.
What nearby projects cost in Abilene
Jobs that often go together with sod lawn are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Abilene wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, retaining wall comes out highest (−10%) and sprinkler system lowest (−13%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $530 – $1,850 | −11% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,500 – $8,750 | −13% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,300 – $12,200 | −10% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,200 – $8,950 | −12% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $31,900 – $99,700 | −12% |
Sod installation: what moves the price in Abilene
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).
Sod type
Sod alone costs $0.30-$0.80 per sq ft, or $130-$360 per pallet; delivery is $50-$250 per load.
Pick a size, pick a tier: sod installation pricing in Abilene
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Abilene. 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
$1,350 to $2,000
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$1,850 to $2,500
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,350 to $3,000
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $910 – $1,400 | $1,250 – $1,750 | $1,600 – $2,100 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,350 – $2,000 | $1,850 – $2,500 | $2,350 – $3,000 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,600 – $5,200 | $4,800 – $6,350 | $5,950 – $7,500 |
The best months for sod lawn in Abilene
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Abilene Rgnl 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 Abilene are September through May: 9 of 12. Outside them, June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Abilene gets about 25 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 4 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and October (3.4 inches in June). Inside the workable window, January and December are the driest, at 1.1 and 1.3 inches. The station averages about 102 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 | 59 | 34 | 1.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 63 | 37 | 1.3 | Workable |
| Mar | 71 | 45 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 53 | 1.9 | Workable |
| May | 86 | 62 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 93 | 70 | 3.4 | Hot |
| Jul | 96 | 73 | 1.9 | Hot |
| Aug | 96 | 72 | 2.5 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 65 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 55 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 68 | 43 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 59 | 35 | 1.3 | Workable |
How Abilene compares
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Abilene. Lubbock is the lowest at about $2,150 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft), 145 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene, TXthis page | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 | |
| Midland, TX135 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | +4% |
| Killeen, TX140 miles | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | +2% |
| Lubbock, TX145 miles | $1,350 – $2,950 | $2,150 | −1% |
| Waco, TX155 miles | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | +2% |
| Dallas, TX160 miles | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +10% |
| Texas (statewide) | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +5% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +10% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Abilene ranks #277 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Abilene is 5% below the Texas figure.
Elsewhere in Texas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +10% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +6% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +6% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $1,350 – $3,050 | $2,200 | +1% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $1,300 – $2,850 | $2,050 | −5% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $1,250 – $2,750 | $2,000 | −7% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Abilene against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenosha, WI | 75,450 jobs | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,650 | +21% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +6% |
| Warner Robins, GA | 76,050 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | +4% |
| Blacksburg, VA | 74,070 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 | +3% |
Who does the work: Abilene 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 Abilene the blend is 0.87.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $16.73 an hour, 11% below the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $14.57 and $17.89 an hour. About 320 work in the metro. That is 42.6 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 $18.35 an hour, which is 19% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.82 and $22.01 an hour. BLS counts 570 of them working in the area, 75.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (landscaping and groundskeeping workers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $55 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $100. That is a swing of roughly 4.8% to 2.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Abilene has 75,070 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 246th 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% | $14.57 | $16.73 | $17.89 | $18.82 | 0.89 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $16.82 | $18.35 | $22.01 | $22.66 | 0.81 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.87 | |||||
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Sod installation in Abilene: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Abilene?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,350 to $3,000 in the Abilene area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,850 to $2,500. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for sod lawn in Abilene?
About $0.90 to $1.80 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 Abilene or Midland?
Midland is 135 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,250, which is 4% more than Abilene ($2,150). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Abilene?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $980 out of $2,150. Materials are 49% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Abilene?
$1,350 to $3,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Abilene?
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 Abilene area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Abilene expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Texas?
Abilene is 5% below the Texas statewide estimate ($2,300 at the midpoint). We cover 21 metros in Texas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Abilene?
The BLS median is $16.73 an hour in the Abilene area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $14.57 to $17.89.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Abilene?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,350 to $2,000 and premium work $2,350 to $3,000. 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 Abilene?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. January and December 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 Abilene
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.