Sod installation cost in Racine, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,500 – $3,250
- Per sq ft
- $1 – $2
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −1%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #114
- 1 = most expensive
A new sod lawn in Racine, WI usually costs $1,500 to $3,250 for 1,500 sq ft. That works out to about $1 to $2 per sq ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. 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 Racine, WI, standard level
$2,000 to $2,700
About $1.30 to $1.70 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $910 | $1,200 |
| Labor | $1,000 | $1,350 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $200 |
| Total | $2,000 | $2,700 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Racine, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $700 | $1,050 | $1,400 | 45% |
| Labor | $780 | $1,150 | $1,550 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $290 | 6% |
| Total | $1,500 | $2,350 | $3,250 | 100% |
Why Racine prices look the way they do
Labor is 49% 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 Racine the blended ratio comes out at 1.04.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Racine 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 96.0: $0 to $290.
How Racine compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 1,500 sq ft range from $2,350 to $2,700 across Racine and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Racine, WIthis page | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | |
| Milwaukee, WI10 miles | $1,550 – $3,450 | $2,500 | +5% |
| Kenosha, WI15 miles | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,650 | +11% |
| Sheboygan, WI65 miles | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +2% |
| Janesville, WI65 miles | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | −2% |
| Chicago, IL70 miles | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +14% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +2% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +1% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Racine ranks #114 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Racine is 2% below the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $1,550 – $3,450 | $2,500 | +5% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +5% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $1,450 – $3,250 | $2,350 | −1% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +5% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | −2% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Racine against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | 77,860 jobs | $1,700 – $3,800 | $2,750 | +16% |
| Warner Robins, GA | 76,050 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −5% |
| Chico, CA | 78,220 jobs | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,650 | +11% |
| Kenosha, WI | 75,450 jobs | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,650 | +11% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Racine bid
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.
What local crews earn in Racine
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 Racine the blend is 1.04.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $19.04 an hour, in line with the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.35 and $21.96 an hour. About 640 work in the metro. That is 83.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $26.11 an hour, which is 15% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.83 and $33.66 an hour. BLS counts 540 of them working in the area, 70.8 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 $140 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $80. That is a swing of roughly 3.4% to 5.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Racine-Mount Pleasant has 76,280 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 243rd 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% | $17.35 | $19.04 | $21.96 | $18.82 | 1.01 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $21.83 | $26.11 | $33.66 | $22.66 | 1.15 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.04 | |||||
Racine: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Racine. 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
$1,500 to $2,200
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,000 to $2,700
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,550 to $3,250
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $990 – $1,500 | $1,350 – $1,900 | $1,750 – $2,250 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,500 – $2,200 | $2,000 – $2,700 | $2,550 – $3,250 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,950 – $5,650 | $5,250 – $6,950 | $6,500 – $8,200 |
Racine weather and the sod installation calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Racine Batten 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 Racine are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, 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 126 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Racine gets about 32 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are April, May and June (4.0 inches in June). Inside the workable window, July and October are the driest, at 2.9 and 2.9 inches. The station averages about 7 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 | 31 | 16 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Feb | 34 | 19 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 43 | 28 | 2.1 | Cold |
| Apr | 54 | 37 | 3.7 | Workable |
| May | 66 | 46 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 76 | 57 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 81 | 63 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 80 | 63 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Sep | 73 | 55 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 61 | 43 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 47 | 32 | 2.2 | Cold |
| Dec | 36 | 22 | 1.6 | Cold |
Related projects, priced for Racine
Jobs that often go together with sod lawn are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Racine wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+17%) and sprinkler system lowest (+10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $700 – $2,450 | +17% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,400 – $11,000 | +10% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $8,100 – $14,500 | +10% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,850 – $11,500 | +13% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $40,600 – $126,500 | +12% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Sod installation in Racine: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Racine?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,500 to $3,250 in the Racine 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 Racine?
About $1 to $2 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $290 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $1 to $2.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Racine or Milwaukee?
Milwaukee is 10 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,500, which is 5% more than Racine ($2,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Racine?
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 Racine?
$1,500 to $3,250. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Racine?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $290 for fees in the Racine area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Racine expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Racine is 2% 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 Racine?
The BLS median is $19.04 an hour in the Racine area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.35 to $21.96.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Racine?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,500 to $2,200 and premium work $2,550 to $3,250. 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 Racine?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. July 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 Racine
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.