Sod installation cost in Amarillo, 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
- −10%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #280
- 1 = most expensive
Amarillo homeowners pay roughly $1,350 to $3,000 to lay sod at 1,500 sq ft, or $0.90 to $1.80 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Amarillo is 10% lower. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $16.59 an hour in the Amarillo area, 12% below the US median of $18.82.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Amarillo, TX, standard level
$1,850 to $2,500
About $1.15 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 | $85 | $190 |
| Total | $1,850 | $2,500 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Amarillo, 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 | $280 | 6% |
| Total | $1,350 | $2,150 | $3,000 | 100% |
Where the Amarillo price comes from
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 $16.59 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Amarillo is 0.87 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 45% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Amarillo metro is 93.8 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 1,500 sq ft comes to $1,050, compared with $1,150 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (91.8) and land at $0 to $280.
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Amarillo is 0.87 times the national level.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 80%) the local median is $16.59 an hour, which is 12% below the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $14.12 and $18.05 an hour. BLS counts 530 of them working in the area, 42.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $18.35 an hour, 19% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.77 and $21.85 an hour. About 970 work in the metro. That is 78.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the landscaping and groundskeeping workers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($18.05 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $70. At the 25th percentile ($14.12) it shrinks by about $120. The total moves by 3.2% or 5.4%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 123,930 jobs in the Amarillo area. That makes it the 175th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.08% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $14.12 | $16.59 | $18.05 | $18.82 | 0.88 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $16.77 | $18.35 | $21.85 | $22.66 | 0.81 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.87 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Amarillo 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).
Related projects, priced for Amarillo
Because every project leans on different trades, Amarillo's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, retaining wall runs −10% and gravel driveway −12%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $530 – $1,850 | −12% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,550 – $8,850 | −11% |
| 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 | $32,000 – $99,900 | −11% |
When to schedule sod lawn in Amarillo
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Amarillo (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through May and September through November are the stretches where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Amarillo (6 of 12 months). January, February and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F); June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January, February 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 108 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Amarillo gets about 20 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 17 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, July and August (2.9 inches in August). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 1.3 and 0.8 inches. The station averages about 72 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52 | 25 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Feb | 56 | 28 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 65 | 35 | 1.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 72 | 43 | 1.4 | Workable |
| May | 81 | 53 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 90 | 62 | 2.9 | Hot |
| Jul | 93 | 66 | 2.8 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 65 | 2.9 | Hot |
| Sep | 84 | 58 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 73 | 45 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 61 | 34 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 52 | 26 | 0.7 | Cold |
Amarillo against nearby metros and the rest of Texas
Same job, same size (1,500 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Santa Fe is the priciest of the group at $2,400. Lubbock is the cheapest at $2,150.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo, TXthis page | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 | |
| Lubbock, TX125 miles | $1,350 – $2,950 | $2,150 | level |
| Midland, TX220 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | +4% |
| Santa Fe, NM230 miles | $1,500 – $3,350 | $2,400 | +12% |
| Abilene, TX230 miles | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 | level |
| Odessa, TX235 miles | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | +2% |
| Texas (statewide) | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +6% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +11% |
Across 300 US metros, Amarillo comes in at #280 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $2,900; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $2,000 (midpoints, 1,500 sq ft). Statewide, Amarillo is 5% below the Texas figure.
Other Texas metros
| 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 | +7% |
| 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 | +2% |
| 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% |
Cities with a workforce like Amarillo's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Amarillo against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +15% |
| Rochester, MN | 122,980 jobs | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 | +17% |
| Duluth, MN | 124,710 jobs | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,400 | +10% |
| Midland, TX | 122,180 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | +4% |
Amarillo: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Amarillo wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
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) | $900 – $1,350 | $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 – $5,150 | $4,750 – $6,350 | $5,950 – $7,500 |
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Multi-page report for Amarillo, TX: 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 Amarillo: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Amarillo?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,350 to $3,000 in the Amarillo 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 Amarillo?
About $0.90 to $1.80 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 Amarillo or Lubbock?
Lubbock is 125 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,150, which is 0% less than Amarillo ($2,150). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Amarillo?
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 Amarillo?
$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 Amarillo?
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 Amarillo area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Amarillo expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Texas?
Amarillo 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 Amarillo?
The BLS median is $16.59 an hour in the Amarillo area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $14.12 to $18.05.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Amarillo?
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 Amarillo?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through May and September through November. March and November 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 Amarillo
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.