Wood deck cost in Memphis, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $6,900 – $13,900
- Per sq ft
- $23 – $46
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $11,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #191
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to build a wood deck in Memphis, plan on $6,900 to $13,900 for 300 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $23 to $46 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 8% lower than the national one. Carpenters earn a median of $24.34 an hour in the Memphis area, 16% below the US median of $29.12.
Estimate your wood deck cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Memphis, TN, standard level
$9,000 to $11,800
About $30 to $39 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 41% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,250 | $6,850 |
| Labor | $3,700 | $4,800 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $110 |
| Total | $9,000 | $11,800 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Memphis, TN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $6,050 | $8,100 | 58% |
| Labor | $2,850 | $4,250 | $5,650 | 41% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $90 | $140 | 1% |
| Total | $6,900 | $10,400 | $13,900 | 100% |
Why Memphis prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 80% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $24.34 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Memphis is 0.86 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 41% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Memphis 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 (92.2) and land at $45 to $140.
Related projects, priced for Memphis
Because every project leans on different trades, Memphis's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, paver patio runs −3% and composite deck −10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $10,800 – $21,700 | −10% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,700 | −7% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,900 – $5,300 | −3% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $26,600 – $53,500 | −8% |
How Memphis compares
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Memphis. Jonesboro is the lowest at about $9,650 (midpoint, 300 sq ft), 65 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TNthis page | $6,900 – $13,900 | $10,400 | |
| Jonesboro, AR65 miles | $6,400 – $12,900 | $9,650 | −7% |
| Jackson, TN75 miles | $6,800 – $13,600 | $10,200 | −2% |
| Little Rock, AR145 miles | $6,600 – $13,200 | $9,900 | −5% |
| Decatur, AL160 miles | $6,850 – $13,700 | $10,300 | −1% |
| Clarksville, TN170 miles | $6,800 – $13,700 | $10,200 | −2% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $6,950 – $13,900 | $10,400 | level |
| United States | $7,550 – $15,200 | $11,400 | +9% |
Across 300 US metros, Memphis comes in at #191 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $14,900; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $9,050 (midpoints, 300 sq ft). Statewide, Memphis is 0% 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 | +4% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $6,950 – $13,900 | $10,400 | level |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $6,900 – $13,800 | $10,400 | level |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $6,850 – $13,700 | $10,300 | −1% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $6,800 – $13,700 | $10,200 | −2% |
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $6,800 – $13,600 | $10,200 | −2% |
Cities with a workforce like Memphis's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Memphis against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | 660,350 jobs | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,500 | +1% |
| Hartford, CT | 599,770 jobs | $7,750 – $15,600 | $11,700 | +12% |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 677,680 jobs | $6,650 – $13,400 | $10,000 | −4% |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 598,260 jobs | $7,200 – $14,500 | $10,900 | +4% |
Extras that change the Memphis total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Memphis by the average of the local wage index (0.86) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 0.91. 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 – $2,350 |
Climate in Memphis: timing your wood deck job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Memphis Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through June is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Memphis (10 of 12 months). July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Memphis gets about 55 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 3 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, April and December (5.9 inches in April). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.0 and 4.0 inches. The station averages about 72 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 | 51 | 33 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 56 | 37 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Mar | 64 | 44 | 5.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 73 | 53 | 5.9 | Workable |
| May | 82 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 70 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 4.8 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 3.4 | Hot |
| Sep | 86 | 66 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 75 | 54 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 63 | 43 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 53 | 36 | 5.5 | Workable |
Why two Memphis quotes can differ
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.
Memphis labor market for wood deck
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 Memphis is 0.86 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 80%) the local median is $24.34 an hour, which is 16% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.58 and $28.26 an hour. BLS counts 1,240 of them working in the area, 20.3 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 $21.54 an hour, 5% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.31 and $24.40 an hour. About 3,940 work in the metro. That is 64.4 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 ($28.26 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $530. At the 25th percentile ($22.58) it shrinks by about $240. The total moves by 5.1% or 2.3%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 611,670 jobs in the Memphis area. That makes it the 46th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.39% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $22.58 | $24.34 | $28.26 | $29.12 | 0.84 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.31 | $21.54 | $24.40 | $22.66 | 0.95 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.86 | |||||
Memphis: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Memphis 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
$6,900 to $9,700
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$9,000 to $11,800
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$11,100 to $13,900
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $2,800 – $3,950 | $3,650 – $4,800 | $4,500 – $5,650 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $3,350 – $4,700 | $4,350 – $5,700 | $5,400 – $6,750 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $7,400 – $10,400 | $9,600 – $12,600 | $11,800 – $14,800 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $9,200 – $12,900 | $12,000 – $15,700 | $14,800 – $18,500 |
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 $9,000 to $11,800 for Memphis, TN is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Memphis, TN: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. 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 Memphis: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in Memphis?
For 300 sq ft, expect $6,900 to $13,900 in the Memphis area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,000 to $11,800. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for wood deck in Memphis?
About $23 to $46 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $45 to $140 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $25 to $50.
+Is wood deck cheaper in Memphis or Jonesboro?
Jonesboro is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $9,650, which is 7% less than Memphis ($10,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Memphis?
About 41% at the midpoint, or $4,250 out of $10,400. Materials are 58% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 44%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Memphis?
$7,400 to $14,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood deck need a permit in Memphis?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $140 for fees in the Memphis area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Memphis expensive for wood deck compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Memphis is 0% 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 Memphis?
The BLS median is $24.34 an hour in the Memphis area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.58 to $28.26.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in Memphis?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $6,900 to $9,700 and premium work $11,100 to $13,900. Basic means: pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle. Premium means: hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features.
+When is the best time to build a wood deck in Memphis?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. 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.
+What does "add stairs" add in Memphis?
$1,250 to $2,350, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck near Memphis
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