Sod installation cost in La Crosse, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,450 – $3,200
- Per sq ft
- $1 – $1.95
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #130
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to lay sod in La Crosse, plan on $1,450 to $3,200 for 1,500 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $1 to $1.95 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint lands close to the national one. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 93.8).
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in La Crosse, WI, standard level
$2,000 to $2,700
About $1.25 to $1.65 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $910 | $1,200 |
| Labor | $1,000 | $1,300 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $190 |
| Total | $2,000 | $2,700 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in La Crosse, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $700 | $1,050 | $1,400 | 45% |
| Labor | $770 | $1,150 | $1,550 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $280 | 6% |
| Total | $1,450 | $2,350 | $3,200 | 100% |
Where the La Crosse 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 $18.18 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for La Crosse is 1.02 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 49% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the La Crosse 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.
Why two La Crosse 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.
La Crosse 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 La Crosse is 1.02 times the national level.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 80%) the local median is $18.18 an hour, which is 3% below the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $16.67 and $21.66 an hour. BLS counts 510 of them working in the area, 60.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), so the local bench is about average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $28.32 an hour, 25% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.49 and $35.41 an hour. About 610 work in the metro. That is 72.3 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 ($21.66 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $170. At the 25th percentile ($16.67) it shrinks by about $70. The total moves by 7.1% or 3.1%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 84,380 jobs in the La Crosse-Onalaska area. That makes it the 228th 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% | $16.67 | $18.18 | $21.66 | $18.82 | 0.97 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.49 | $28.32 | $35.41 | $22.66 | 1.25 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.02 | |||||
Pick a size, pick a tier: sod installation pricing in La Crosse
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for La Crosse 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
$1,450 to $2,150
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,000 to $2,700
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,500 to $3,200
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $980 – $1,500 | $1,350 – $1,850 | $1,750 – $2,250 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,450 – $2,150 | $2,000 – $2,700 | $2,500 – $3,200 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,900 – $5,600 | $5,200 – $6,850 | $6,450 – $8,100 |
How La Crosse compares
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than La Crosse. Waterloo is the lowest at about $2,300 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft), 105 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse, WIthis page | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | |
| Rochester, MN65 miles | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 | +8% |
| Dubuque, IA85 miles | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | +1% |
| Eau Claire, WI85 miles | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | +1% |
| Madison, WI85 miles | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +6% |
| Waterloo, IA105 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +3% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +2% |
Across 300 US metros, La Crosse comes in at #130 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, La Crosse is 3% below the Wisconsin figure.
Other Wisconsin metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $1,550 – $3,450 | $2,500 | +7% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +6% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $1,450 – $3,250 | $2,350 | level |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +7% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | −1% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like La Crosse's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is La Crosse against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 | −5% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | +1% |
| Houma, LA | 83,440 jobs | $1,350 – $2,950 | $2,150 | −8% |
What nearby projects cost in La Crosse
Because every project leans on different trades, La Crosse's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, French drain runs +15% and gravel driveway +8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $690 – $2,400 | +15% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,400 – $11,000 | +10% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,950 – $14,300 | +8% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,700 – $11,000 | +8% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $39,700 – $124,000 | +10% |
Climate in La Crosse: timing your sod lawn job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for La Crosse Wfo (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
April through October is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in La Crosse (7 of 12 months). January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, November 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 148 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
La Crosse gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 54 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 4.0 and 2.9 inches. The station averages about 3 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 | 24 | 8 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Feb | 29 | 13 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 41 | 24 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Apr | 55 | 36 | 4.0 | Workable |
| May | 67 | 48 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 76 | 58 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 80 | 62 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 78 | 60 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 71 | 52 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 58 | 40 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 42 | 28 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 29 | 15 | 1.5 | Cold |
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Detailed sod installation report for La Crosse, WI, $9
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Sod installation in La Crosse: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in La Crosse?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,450 to $3,200 in the La Crosse area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,000 to $2,700. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for sod lawn in La Crosse?
About $1 to $1.95 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 La Crosse or Rochester?
Rochester is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,550, which is 8% more than La Crosse ($2,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in La Crosse?
About 49% at the midpoint, or $1,150 out of $2,350. Materials are 45% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in La Crosse?
$1,450 to $3,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in La Crosse?
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 La Crosse area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is La Crosse expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
La Crosse is 3% below the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($2,400 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in La Crosse?
The BLS median is $18.18 an hour in the La Crosse area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $16.67 to $21.66.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in La Crosse?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,450 to $2,150 and premium work $2,500 to $3,200. 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 La Crosse?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. 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 La Crosse
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.