Wood deck cost in Minnesota
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (300 sq ft)
- $7,950 – $15,900
- Per sq ft
- $26.50 – $52.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +5%
- US $11,400
- Metros covered
- 4
Minnesota prices for wood deck: $7,950 to $15,900 for 300 sq ft, or $26.50 to $52.50 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 5% above the national one. Local wages for carpenters are $31.22 an hour.
Inside Minnesota, the metros we cover range from $11,300 (St. Cloud) to $12,700 (Minneapolis) 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 Minnesota (statewide), standard level
$10,300 to $13,500
About $34 to $44.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,500 | $7,200 |
| Labor | $4,800 | $6,250 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $10,300 | $13,500 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Minnesota
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,200 | $6,350 | $8,450 | 53% |
| Labor | $3,650 | $5,500 | $7,350 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $100 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $7,950 | $11,900 | $15,900 | 100% |
How Minnesota compares with nearby states
Minnesota ranks 9 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. Minnesota sits at $11,900. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | 240 miles away | $7,200 – $14,400 | $10,800 | −10% |
| Wisconsin | 260 miles away | $7,500 – $15,000 | $11,200 | −6% |
| North Dakota | 270 miles away | $7,250 – $14,600 | $10,900 | −8% |
| South Dakota | 290 miles away | $6,800 – $13,600 | $10,200 | −15% |
| Nebraska | 320 miles away | $6,850 – $13,700 | $10,300 | −14% |
Which Minnesota city is cheapest for wood deck?
1 of the 4 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $11,900, and the top-to-bottom gap is 13%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | $8,500 – $17,000 | $12,700 | +7% |
| Rochester, MN | $7,650 – $15,400 | $11,500 | −4% |
| Duluth, MN | $7,550 – $15,100 | $11,300 | −5% |
| St. Cloud, MN | $7,500 – $15,100 | $11,300 | −6% |
Quality levels and sizes in Minnesota
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Minnesota wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$7,950 to $11,100
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$10,300 to $13,500
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$12,700 to $15,900
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $3,200 – $4,500 | $4,200 – $5,500 | $5,150 – $6,450 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $3,850 – $5,400 | $5,000 – $6,550 | $6,150 – $7,750 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $8,450 – $11,900 | $11,000 – $14,400 | $13,600 – $17,000 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $10,600 – $14,800 | $13,800 – $18,000 | $17,000 – $21,200 |
Other Minnesota jobs that often go with wood deck
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Minnesota wages and prices. Against national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+20%) and composite deck lowest (+7%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $12,900 – $25,800 | +7% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,350 – $4,450 | +11% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,600 – $6,550 | +20% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $31,500 – $63,200 | +9% |
Wood deck: what moves the price in Minnesota
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.
Minnesota labor market for wood deck
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 1.11 for Minnesota.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 80%) the local median is $31.22 an hour, which is 7% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $26.56 and $40.58 an hour. BLS counts 14,930 of them working in the state, 50.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $28.97 an hour, 28% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.28 and $38.32 an hour. About 28,530 work in the state. That is 96.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($40.58 an hour) would add about $1,250 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($26.56) would take off about $630. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 2,949,820 jobs across Minnesota (May 2025), which is 1.9% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $26.56 | $31.22 | $40.58 | $29.12 | 1.07 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $23.28 | $28.97 | $38.32 | $22.66 | 1.28 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.11 | |||||
When Minnesota weather lets you build
Season matters for wood deck. For each Minnesota metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for exterior installation.
Every Minnesota metro on the list has 7 comfortable months, though rainfall ranges from 28 inches a year in St. Cloud to 35 in Rochester.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | 8 | 83 | 34 | 7: April through October |
| Duluth | 2 | 78 | 31 | 7: April through October |
| Rochester | 7 | 80 | 35 | 7: April through October |
| St. Cloud | 3 | 82 | 28 | 7: April through October |
Add-ons priced for Minnesota
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Minnesota by the average of the local wage index (1.11) and goods index (1.01), a factor of 1.06. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add stairs (flat) | $1,500 – $2,750 |
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Wood deck in Minnesota: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in Minnesota?
$7,950 to $15,900 for 300 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Minnesota can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Minnesota is cheapest for wood deck?
St. Cloud at about $11,300 (midpoint, 300 sq ft). The priciest is Minneapolis at $12,700.
+Is wood deck cheaper in Minnesota than the US average?
It is 5% more expensive: $11,900 against $11,400 for 300 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Minnesota?
About 46% ($5,500). Materials are 53%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.11x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Minnesota?
The BLS statewide median is $31.22 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $26.56 to $40.58.
+Where does Minnesota rank for wood deck costs?
9th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $11,900 for 300 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in Minnesota?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $7,950 to $11,100 and premium work $12,700 to $15,900. 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 Minnesota?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Minnesota metros we cover, Minneapolis has the most comfortable months (7 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 Minnesota?
$1,500 to $2,750, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck by city in Minnesota
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