Wood deck cost in Milwaukee, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $7,600 – $15,200
- Per sq ft
- $25 – $50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $11,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #85
- 1 = most expensive
A wood deck in Milwaukee, WI usually costs $7,600 to $15,200 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $25 to $50 per sq ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Carpenters earn a median of $30.73 an hour in the Milwaukee area, 6% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Milwaukee, WI, standard level
$9,850 to $12,900
About $32.50 to $42.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,100 | $6,700 |
| Labor | $4,650 | $6,100 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $120 |
| Total | $9,850 | $12,900 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Milwaukee, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $3,950 | $5,900 | $7,900 | 52% |
| Labor | $3,600 | $5,400 | $7,200 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $95 | $150 | 1% |
| Total | $7,600 | $11,400 | $15,200 | 100% |
Where the Milwaukee price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 80%, construction laborers at 20%. Weighted together, Milwaukee wages are 1.09 times the national level. Labor makes up about 47% of the midpoint estimate (44% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Milwaukee is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $6,300 nationally becomes $5,900 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 96.9: $50 to $150.
Add-ons priced for Milwaukee
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.01 for Milwaukee, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.09) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add stairs (flat) | $1,400 – $2,650 |
How Milwaukee 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 300 sq ft range from $11,100 to $12,100 across Milwaukee and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WIthis page | $7,600 – $15,200 | $11,400 | |
| Racine, WI10 miles | $7,400 – $14,900 | $11,100 | −2% |
| Kenosha, WI20 miles | $7,850 – $15,700 | $11,800 | +3% |
| Sheboygan, WI55 miles | $7,500 – $15,100 | $11,300 | −1% |
| Janesville, WI65 miles | $8,050 – $16,100 | $12,100 | +6% |
| Rockford, IL70 miles | $7,950 – $16,000 | $12,000 | +5% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $7,500 – $15,000 | $11,200 | −1% |
| United States | $7,550 – $15,200 | $11,400 | level |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Milwaukee ranks #85 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Milwaukee is 1% above the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $7,550 – $15,200 | $11,400 | level |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $7,400 – $14,800 | $11,100 | −3% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $7,550 – $15,100 | $11,300 | −1% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $8,400 – $16,800 | $12,600 | +11% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $7,400 – $14,800 | $11,100 | −3% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $7,400 – $14,800 | $11,100 | −3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Milwaukee against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City, UT | 826,210 jobs | $7,400 – $14,800 | $11,100 | −3% |
| Jacksonville, FL | 765,930 jobs | $6,900 – $13,900 | $10,400 | −9% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $7,400 – $14,900 | $11,200 | −2% |
| Virginia Beach, VA | 763,060 jobs | $6,900 – $13,800 | $10,400 | −9% |
Wood deck: what moves the price in Milwaukee
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.
Planning more than one job in Milwaukee?
Jobs that often go together with wood deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Milwaukee wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+16%) and composite deck lowest (+3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $12,400 – $24,800 | +3% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,300 – $4,500 | +11% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,450 – $6,300 | +16% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $30,200 – $60,500 | +4% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: wood deck pricing in Milwaukee
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Milwaukee. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 10x12 (120 sq ft) to 20x20 (400 sq ft).
Basic
$7,600 to $10,600
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$9,850 to $12,900
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$12,200 to $15,200
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $3,050 – $4,300 | $4,000 – $5,250 | $4,950 – $6,150 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $3,650 – $5,150 | $4,800 – $6,250 | $5,900 – $7,350 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $8,100 – $11,300 | $10,500 – $13,800 | $13,000 – $16,200 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $10,100 – $14,100 | $13,100 – $17,200 | $16,200 – $20,200 |
What local crews earn in Milwaukee
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 Milwaukee the blend is 1.09.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $30.73 an hour, 6% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $26.48 and $39.60 an hour. About 3,310 work in the metro. That is 40.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $27.61 an hour, which is 22% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.17 and $37.52 an hour. BLS counts 4,740 of them working in the area, 57.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $1,200 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $580. That is a swing of roughly 5.1% to 10.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Milwaukee-Waukesha has 820,780 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 38th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $26.48 | $30.73 | $39.60 | $29.12 | 1.06 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.17 | $27.61 | $37.52 | $22.66 | 1.22 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.09 | |||||
Milwaukee weather and the wood deck calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Mt Mary College (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Milwaukee are April through November: 8 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February, March and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Milwaukee gets about 34 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 40 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and June (4.8 inches in June). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 2.7 and 2.0 inches. The station averages about 16 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 | 30 | 14 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 34 | 17 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 44 | 26 | 1.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 56 | 36 | 3.7 | Workable |
| May | 68 | 48 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 78 | 58 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 83 | 63 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 81 | 62 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Sep | 74 | 53 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 61 | 42 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 47 | 30 | 2.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 35 | 21 | 1.7 | Cold |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed wood deck report for Milwaukee, WI, $9
Multi-page report for Milwaukee, WI: 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 Milwaukee: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in Milwaukee?
For 300 sq ft, expect $7,600 to $15,200 in the Milwaukee area. A standard-spec job lands at $9,850 to $12,900. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for wood deck in Milwaukee?
About $25 to $50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $50 to $150 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $25 to $50.
+Is wood deck cheaper in Milwaukee or Racine?
Racine is 10 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $11,100, which is 2% less than Milwaukee ($11,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Milwaukee?
About 47% at the midpoint, or $5,400 out of $11,400. Materials are 52% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 44%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in Milwaukee?
$8,100 to $16,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood deck need a permit in Milwaukee?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $150 for fees in the Milwaukee area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Milwaukee expensive for wood deck compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Milwaukee is 1% above the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($11,200 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Milwaukee?
The BLS median is $30.73 an hour in the Milwaukee area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $26.48 to $39.60.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in Milwaukee?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $7,600 to $10,600 and premium work $12,200 to $15,200. 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 Milwaukee?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. October and November 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 Milwaukee?
$1,400 to $2,650, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck near Milwaukee
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