Sod installation cost in Odessa, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,400 – $3,050
- Per sq ft
- $0.90 – $1.85
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #259
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to lay sod in Odessa, plan on $1,400 to $3,050 for 1,500 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $0.90 to $1.85 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 8% lower than the national one. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $17.50 an hour in the Odessa area, 7% below the US median of $18.82.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Odessa, TX, standard level
$1,900 to $2,550
About $1.20 to $1.55 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $910 | $1,200 |
| Labor | $880 | $1,150 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $200 |
| Total | $1,900 | $2,550 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Odessa, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $700 | $1,050 | $1,400 | 48% |
| Labor | $680 | $1,000 | $1,350 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $280 | 6% |
| Total | $1,400 | $2,200 | $3,050 | 100% |
Why Odessa prices look the way they do
Labor is 46% of the midpoint bill here, against 47% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is landscaping and groundskeeping workers (80%), construction laborers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Odessa the blended ratio comes out at 0.91.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Odessa 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 (93.9) and land at $0 to $280.
Cost by quality level and size in Odessa
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Odessa 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
$1,400 to $2,050
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$1,900 to $2,550
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,400 to $3,050
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $920 – $1,400 | $1,300 – $1,750 | $1,650 – $2,150 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,400 – $2,050 | $1,900 – $2,550 | $2,400 – $3,050 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,700 – $5,300 | $4,900 – $6,450 | $6,050 – $7,650 |
Climate in Odessa: timing your sod lawn job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Odessa (in the city). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
February through May and September through December are the stretches where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Odessa (8 of 12 months). January has 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 the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 44 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Odessa gets about 12 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, August and September (1.6 inches in May). Inside the workable window, February and December are the driest, at 0.5 and 0.6 inches. The station averages about 106 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 | 57 | 32 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Feb | 62 | 36 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Mar | 71 | 44 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 51 | 0.7 | Workable |
| May | 87 | 61 | 1.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 94 | 68 | 1.0 | Hot |
| Jul | 94 | 71 | 1.5 | Hot |
| Aug | 93 | 70 | 1.6 | Hot |
| Sep | 85 | 62 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 77 | 53 | 1.3 | Workable |
| Nov | 66 | 41 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Dec | 58 | 33 | 0.6 | Workable |
Odessa labor market for sod lawn
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 Odessa is 0.91 times the national level.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 80%) the local median is $17.50 an hour, which is 7% below the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $15.32 and $19.08 an hour. BLS counts 160 of them working in the area, 19.8 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 $18.45 an hour, 19% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.34 and $22.12 an hour. About 970 work in the metro. That is 119.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the landscaping and groundskeeping workers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($19.08 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $75. At the 25th percentile ($15.32) it shrinks by about $100. The total moves by 3.4% or 4.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 80,910 jobs in the Odessa area. That makes it the 235th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.05% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $15.32 | $17.50 | $19.08 | $18.82 | 0.93 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.34 | $18.45 | $22.12 | $22.66 | 0.81 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.91 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Odessa bid
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.
Related projects, priced for Odessa
Because every project leans on different trades, Odessa's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sprinkler system runs −8% and French drain −10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $540 – $1,900 | −10% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,650 – $9,150 | −8% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,400 – $12,300 | −9% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,250 – $9,250 | −10% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,800 – $102,500 | −9% |
Odessa against nearby metros and the rest of Texas
Same job, same size (1,500 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Midland is the priciest of the group at $2,250. El Paso is the cheapest at $2,050.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odessa, TXthis page | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | |
| Midland, TX35 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | +2% |
| Lubbock, TX115 miles | $1,350 – $2,950 | $2,150 | −3% |
| Abilene, TX170 miles | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 | −2% |
| El Paso, TX175 miles | $1,300 – $2,850 | $2,050 | −7% |
| Amarillo, TX235 miles | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 | −2% |
| Texas (statewide) | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +3% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +8% |
Across 300 US metros, Odessa comes in at #259 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, Odessa is 3% 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 | +8% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +4% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +4% |
| 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 | −7% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $1,250 – $2,750 | $2,000 | −9% |
Cities with a workforce like Odessa's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Odessa against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson City, TN | 81,690 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 | +1% |
| Greenville, NC | 80,770 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | +1% |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 81,840 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +4% |
| Jefferson City, MO | 80,220 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +5% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $1,900 to $2,550 for Odessa, TX is attached.
Detailed sod installation report for Odessa, TX, $9
Multi-page report for Odessa, 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 Odessa: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Odessa?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,400 to $3,050 in the Odessa area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,900 to $2,550. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for sod lawn in Odessa?
About $0.90 to $1.85 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 Odessa or Midland?
Midland is 35 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,250, which is 2% more than Odessa ($2,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Odessa?
About 46% at the midpoint, or $1,000 out of $2,200. Materials are 48% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Odessa?
$1,400 to $3,050. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Odessa?
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 Odessa area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Odessa expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Texas?
Odessa is 3% 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 Odessa?
The BLS median is $17.50 an hour in the Odessa area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $15.32 to $19.08.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Odessa?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,400 to $2,050 and premium work $2,400 to $3,050. 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 Odessa?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through May and September through December. February 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 Odessa
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.