Wood deck cost in Illinois
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (300 sq ft)
- $8,700 – $17,500
- Per sq ft
- $29 – $57.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +15%
- US $11,400
- Metros covered
- 6
Across Illinois, a wood deck costs about $8,700 to $17,500 for 300 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 15% above the US figure of $11,400. Carpenters earn a median $37.98 an hour in Illinois (US: $29.12).
Inside Illinois, the metros we cover range from $11,600 (Champaign) to $13,400 (Chicago) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Illinois (statewide), standard level
$11,300 to $14,800
About $37.50 to $49 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,650 | $7,400 |
| Labor | $5,600 | $7,300 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $11,300 | $14,800 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Illinois
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,350 | $6,550 | $8,700 | 50% |
| Labor | $4,300 | $6,450 | $8,600 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $8,700 | $13,100 | $17,500 | 100% |
Add-ons priced for Illinois
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.17 for Illinois, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.30) and goods price index (1.04). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add stairs (flat) | $1,650 – $3,050 |
Weather windows across Illinois
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and Illinois is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Every Illinois metro on the list has 9 comfortable months, though rainfall ranges from 34 inches a year in Chicago to 40 in Springfield.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 19 | 85 | 34 | 9: March through November |
| Peoria | 18 | 86 | 38 | 9: March through November |
| Rockford | 15 | 84 | 37 | 9: March through November |
| Champaign | 18 | 85 | 37 | 9: March through November |
| Springfield | 19 | 86 | 40 | 9: March through November |
| Bloomington | 16 | 86 | 39 | 9: March through November |
Basic, standard or premium: Illinois prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from 10x12 (120 sq ft) to 20x20 (400 sq ft).
Basic
$8,700 to $12,200
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$11,300 to $14,800
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$14,000 to $17,500
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $3,500 – $4,950 | $4,600 – $6,000 | $5,650 – $7,050 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $4,200 – $5,900 | $5,500 – $7,200 | $6,750 – $8,450 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $9,300 – $13,000 | $12,100 – $15,800 | $14,900 – $18,600 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $11,600 – $16,200 | $15,100 – $19,700 | $18,600 – $23,200 |
Illinois versus the states around it
Illinois ranks 2 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for wood deck, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $14,300 and the cheapest Oklahoma at $9,900, both for 300 sq ft at the midpoint. Illinois sits at $13,100. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 120 miles away | $7,500 – $15,000 | $11,200 | −14% |
| Indiana | 140 miles away | $7,500 – $15,000 | $11,300 | −14% |
| Michigan | 220 miles away | $7,450 – $15,000 | $11,200 | −14% |
| Iowa | 240 miles away | $7,200 – $14,400 | $10,800 | −18% |
| Kentucky | 280 miles away | $7,000 – $14,100 | $10,500 | −19% |
Related projects, priced for Illinois
Each project weights the trades differently, so Illinois's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, concrete patio is +20% and detached garage +19%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $14,400 – $28,900 | +19% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,450 – $4,850 | +20% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,600 – $6,500 | +20% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $34,500 – $69,200 | +19% |
What carpenters and the other trades earn in Illinois
Illinois's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.30 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $37.98 an hour, 30% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $27.00 and $51.42 an hour. About 19,570 work in the state. That is 32.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $29.18 an hour, which is 29% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.14 and $45.79 an hour. BLS counts 35,940 of them working in the state, 58.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($51.42 an hour) would add about $1,850 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($27.00) would take off about $1,500. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 6,098,130 jobs across Illinois (May 2025), which is 3.9% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $27.00 | $37.98 | $51.42 | $29.12 | 1.30 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.14 | $29.18 | $45.79 | $22.66 | 1.29 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.30 | |||||
Illinois metro-by-metro prices
1 of the 6 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $13,100, and the top-to-bottom gap is 15%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (300 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $8,900 – $17,900 | $13,400 | +2% |
| Springfield, IL | $8,200 – $16,400 | $12,300 | −6% |
| Peoria, IL | $8,150 – $16,300 | $12,200 | −6% |
| Bloomington, IL | $8,100 – $16,300 | $12,200 | −7% |
| Rockford, IL | $7,950 – $16,000 | $12,000 | −8% |
| Champaign, IL | $7,750 – $15,500 | $11,600 | −11% |
Why two Illinois quotes can differ
Wood species
Pressure-treated pine is the cheapest at $25-$50 per sq ft installed. Ipe runs $50-$70 and bamboo $27-$52 (HomeGuide).
Height and stairs
A second-story deck needs more structure. New stairs run $1,400-$2,600 installed.
Railing
A wood or vinyl railing adds $20-$60 per linear foot.
Replacement versus new
Deck replacement costs $30-$55 per sq ft because of demolition and haul-away.
Permit
Deck permits average $50-$150. Many cities skip the permit for small, low, freestanding decks.
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 $11,300 to $14,800 for Illinois is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
The report lays out the wood deck numbers for Illinois line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Wood deck in Illinois: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in Illinois?
$8,700 to $17,500 for 300 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Illinois can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Illinois is cheapest for wood deck?
Champaign at about $11,600 (midpoint, 300 sq ft). The priciest is Chicago at $13,400.
+Is wood deck cheaper in Illinois than the US average?
It is 15% more expensive: $13,100 against $11,400 for 300 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Illinois?
About 49% ($6,450). Materials are 50%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.30x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Illinois?
The BLS statewide median is $37.98 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.00 to $51.42.
+Where does Illinois rank for wood deck costs?
2nd most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $13,100 for 300 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in Illinois?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $8,700 to $12,200 and premium work $14,000 to $17,500. Basic means: pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle. Premium means: hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features.
+Does the season matter for wood deck in Illinois?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Illinois metros we cover, Chicago has the most comfortable months (9 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
+What does "add stairs" add in Illinois?
$1,650 to $3,050, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck by city in Illinois
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.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Composite Decking Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020