Wood deck cost in Johnson City, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $6,750 – $13,500
- Per sq ft
- $22.50 – $44.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $11,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #247
- 1 = most expensive
Johnson City homeowners pay roughly $6,750 to $13,500 to build a wood deck at 300 sq ft, or $22.50 to $44.50 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Johnson City is 11% lower. Carpenters earn a median of $23.04 an hour in the Johnson City area, 21% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Johnson City, TN, standard level
$8,800 to $11,500
About $29 to $38 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 39% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,250 | $6,850 |
| Labor | $3,450 | $4,550 |
| Permits and fees | $70 | $110 |
| Total | $8,800 | $11,500 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Johnson City, TN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $6,050 | $8,100 | 60% |
| Labor | $2,650 | $4,000 | $5,350 | 39% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $90 | $130 | 1% |
| Total | $6,750 | $10,100 | $13,500 | 100% |
Why Johnson City prices look the way they do
Labor is 39% of the midpoint bill here, against 44% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is carpenters (80%), construction laborers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Johnson City the blended ratio comes out at 0.81.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Johnson City metro is 96.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 300 sq ft comes to $6,050, compared with $6,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (87.9) and land at $45 to $130.
Is Johnson City cheap or dear? The local comparison
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 300 sq ft range from $10,100 to $10,500 across Johnson City and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson City, TNthis page | $6,750 – $13,500 | $10,100 | |
| Kingsport, TN25 miles | $6,850 – $13,700 | $10,300 | +1% |
| Asheville, NC45 miles | $7,000 – $14,100 | $10,500 | +4% |
| Hickory, NC60 miles | $6,850 – $13,700 | $10,300 | +1% |
| Knoxville, TN100 miles | $6,950 – $13,900 | $10,400 | +3% |
| Spartanburg, SC105 miles | $6,950 – $13,900 | $10,400 | +3% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $6,950 – $13,900 | $10,400 | +3% |
| United States | $7,550 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +12% |
Across 300 US metros, Johnson City comes in at #247 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $14,900; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $9,050 (midpoints, 300 sq ft). Statewide, Johnson City is 3% below the Tennessee figure.
Other Tennessee metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $7,150 – $14,400 | $10,800 | +6% |
| Memphis, TN | 611,670 jobs | $6,900 – $13,900 | $10,400 | +3% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $6,950 – $13,900 | $10,400 | +3% |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $6,900 – $13,800 | $10,400 | +2% |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $6,850 – $13,700 | $10,300 | +1% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $6,800 – $13,700 | $10,200 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like Johnson City's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Johnson City against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls, ID | 81,840 jobs | $7,000 – $14,100 | $10,500 | +4% |
| Odessa, TX | 80,910 jobs | $6,800 – $13,600 | $10,200 | +1% |
| Hilton Head, SC | 81,920 jobs | $6,850 – $13,800 | $10,300 | +2% |
| Greenville, NC | 80,770 jobs | $6,750 – $13,500 | $10,100 | level |
Local wages behind the labor line
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 Johnson City is 0.81 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 80%) the local median is $23.04 an hour, which is 21% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.81 and $26.92 an hour. BLS counts 160 of them working in the area, 19.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $19.79 an hour, 13% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.74 and $22.37 an hour. About 580 work in the metro. That is 71.0 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 carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($26.92 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $530. At the 25th percentile ($21.81) it shrinks by about $170. The total moves by 5.2% or 1.6%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 81,690 jobs in the Johnson City area. That makes it the 234th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $21.81 | $23.04 | $26.92 | $29.12 | 0.79 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.74 | $19.79 | $22.37 | $22.66 | 0.87 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.81 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Johnson City
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Johnson City 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 4 common sizes.
Basic
$6,750 to $9,450
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$8,800 to $11,500
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$10,800 to $13,500
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $2,750 – $3,850 | $3,550 – $4,650 | $4,400 – $5,500 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $3,250 – $4,600 | $4,250 – $5,600 | $5,250 – $6,550 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $7,200 – $10,100 | $9,350 – $12,300 | $11,500 – $14,400 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $9,000 – $12,600 | $11,700 – $15,300 | $14,400 – $18,000 |
Wood deck: what moves the price in Johnson City
Permit
Deck permits average $50-$150. Many cities skip the permit for small, low, freestanding decks.
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.
What nearby projects cost in Johnson City
Because every project leans on different trades, Johnson City's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, paver patio runs −6% and composite deck −13%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $10,500 – $21,000 | −13% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,550 | −11% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,850 – $5,100 | −6% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $25,800 – $51,800 | −11% |
Extras that change the Johnson City total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Johnson City by the average of the local wage index (0.81) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 0.89. 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) | $1,250 – $2,300 |
When to schedule wood deck in Johnson City
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Bristol Tri City Ap (10 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
Weather is not a serious constraint for exterior installation in Johnson City: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average daytime high under 45°F) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Johnson City gets about 44 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 9 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, June and July (5.0 inches in July). The station averages about 23 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 | 47 | 26 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Feb | 51 | 29 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 59 | 35 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 69 | 43 | 3.8 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 52 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 61 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 65 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 63 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 81 | 56 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 70 | 44 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 59 | 34 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 50 | 29 | 3.8 | Workable |
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 $8,800 to $11,500 for Johnson City, TN is attached.
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Wood deck in Johnson City: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in Johnson City?
For 300 sq ft, expect $6,750 to $13,500 in the Johnson City area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,800 to $11,500. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for wood deck in Johnson City?
About $22.50 to $44.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $45 to $130 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $25 to $50.
+Is wood deck cheaper in Johnson City or Kingsport?
Kingsport is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $10,300, which is 1% more than Johnson City ($10,100). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Johnson City?
About 39% at the midpoint, or $4,000 out of $10,100. Materials are 60% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 44%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Johnson City?
$7,200 to $14,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood deck need a permit in Johnson City?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $130 for fees in the Johnson City area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Johnson City expensive for wood deck compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Johnson City is 3% below the Tennessee statewide estimate ($10,400 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Tennessee; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Johnson City?
The BLS median is $23.04 an hour in the Johnson City area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.81 to $26.92.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in Johnson City?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $6,750 to $9,450 and premium work $10,800 to $13,500. Basic means: pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle. Premium means: hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features.
+Is there a bad season to build a wood deck in Johnson City?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
+What does "add stairs" add in Johnson City?
$1,250 to $2,300, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck near Johnson City
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