Wood fence cost in Des Moines, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $3,000 – $7,450
- Per linear ft
- $19.50 – $49
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $5,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #129
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a wood fence in the Des Moines area: $3,000 to $7,450 for 150 linear ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint lands close to the US figure. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 93.7).
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Des Moines, IA, standard level
$4,350 to $6,100
About $28.50 to $40 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 44% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,250 | $3,350 |
| Labor | $2,000 | $2,650 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $110 |
| Total | $4,350 | $6,100 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Des Moines, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,400 | $2,800 | $4,200 | 54% |
| Labor | $1,550 | $2,300 | $3,100 | 44% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $85 | $140 | 2% |
| Total | $3,000 | $5,200 | $7,450 | 100% |
What is behind the Des Moines number
Labor is 44% of the midpoint bill here, against 42% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is carpenters (60%), construction laborers (40%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Des Moines the blended ratio comes out at 1.03.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Des Moines is at 93.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,000 nationally becomes $2,800 here (midpoint, 150 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 91.7: $35 to $140.
Pick a size, pick a tier: wood fence pricing in Des Moines
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Des Moines. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from backyard (100 linear ft) to full lot (300 linear ft).
Basic
$3,000 to $4,750
Pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft
Standard
$4,350 to $6,100
6-ft cedar or treated privacy fence
Premium
$5,650 to $7,450
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $2,000 – $3,200 | $2,900 – $4,100 | $3,800 – $5,000 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $3,000 – $4,750 | $4,350 – $6,100 | $5,650 – $7,450 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $4,000 – $6,350 | $5,750 – $8,100 | $7,500 – $9,900 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $5,950 – $9,450 | $8,600 – $12,100 | $11,200 – $14,800 |
Who does the work: Des Moines trade wages
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 Des Moines the blend is 1.03.
Carpenters (47-2031), 60% of the weighting: a median of $29.50 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $24.03 and $35.68 an hour. About 1,810 work in the metro. That is 44.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 40%) the local median is $24.03 an hour, which is 6% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.67 and $28.91 an hour. BLS counts 3,510 of them working in the area, 86.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $290 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $250. That is a swing of roughly 4.9% to 5.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Des Moines-West Des Moines has 404,130 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 64th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 60% | $24.03 | $29.50 | $35.68 | $29.12 | 1.01 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $22.67 | $24.03 | $28.91 | $22.66 | 1.06 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.03 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Des Moines?
Jobs that often go together with wood fence are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Des Moines wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, chain-link fence comes out highest (level) and vinyl fence lowest (−4%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,350 – $8,800 | −4% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,500 – $6,200 | level |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,700 – $11,100 | −3% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,350 – $14,800 | −3% |
Add-ons priced for Des Moines
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.98 for Des Moines, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.03) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $150 – $790 |
Wood fence: what moves the price in Des Moines
Composite
A composite wood-look privacy fence is $55-$85 per linear foot installed (HomeGuide).
Wood species
A 6-ft privacy fence is $25-$50 per linear foot installed; an 8-ft one goes up to $75. Tropical hardwood privacy fences run $35-$55 (HomeGuide).
Style
Split-rail and picket styles are cheaper to build than privacy fence, which uses more boards and takes more labor.
How Des Moines compares
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Des Moines. Iowa City is the lowest at about $4,900 (midpoint, 150 linear ft), 110 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IAthis page | $3,000 – $7,450 | $5,200 | |
| Waterloo, IA95 miles | $2,900 – $7,300 | $5,100 | −2% |
| Iowa City, IA110 miles | $2,800 – $7,050 | $4,900 | −6% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA115 miles | $2,950 – $7,350 | $5,150 | −2% |
| Omaha, NE120 miles | $2,850 – $7,150 | $5,000 | −4% |
| Sioux City, IA145 miles | $2,800 – $7,100 | $4,950 | −5% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $2,900 – $7,300 | $5,100 | −2% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | +2% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Des Moines ranks #129 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Des Moines is 2% above the Iowa figure.
Elsewhere in Iowa
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | +1% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $2,950 – $7,350 | $5,150 | −2% |
| Iowa City, IA | 93,760 jobs | $2,800 – $7,050 | $4,900 | −6% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $2,900 – $7,300 | $5,100 | −2% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $2,800 – $7,100 | $4,950 | −5% |
| Dubuque, IA | 58,470 jobs | $2,950 – $7,400 | $5,150 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Des Moines against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport, CT | 404,180 jobs | $3,200 – $7,900 | $5,550 | +6% |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $2,750 – $7,000 | $4,850 | −7% |
| Albuquerque, NM | 404,700 jobs | $2,900 – $7,300 | $5,100 | −3% |
| Charleston, SC | 394,170 jobs | $2,800 – $7,100 | $4,950 | −5% |
The best months for wood fence in Des Moines
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Des Moines Intl Ap (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 Des Moines are March through November: 9 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February 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.
Des Moines gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 37 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 2.2 and 1.9 inches. The station averages about 22 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 | 31 | 14 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Feb | 36 | 18 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Mar | 49 | 30 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 62 | 41 | 4.0 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 52 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 82 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 66 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 64 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 77 | 55 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 43 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 48 | 30 | 1.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 36 | 20 | 1.6 | Cold |
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Detailed wood fence report for Des Moines, IA, $9
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Wood fence in Des Moines: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in Des Moines?
For 150 linear ft, expect $3,000 to $7,450 in the Des Moines area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,350 to $6,100. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for wood fence in Des Moines?
About $19.50 to $49 per linear ft for materials and labor, plus $35 to $140 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $20 to $50.
+Is wood fence cheaper in Des Moines or Waterloo?
Waterloo is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $5,100, which is 2% less than Des Moines ($5,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Des Moines?
About 44% at the midpoint, or $2,300 out of $5,200. Materials are 54% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Des Moines?
$4,000 to $9,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood fence need a permit in Des Moines?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $35 to $140 for fees in the Des Moines area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Des Moines expensive for wood fence compared with the rest of Iowa?
Des Moines is 2% above the Iowa statewide estimate ($5,100 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Iowa; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Des Moines?
The BLS median is $29.50 an hour in the Des Moines area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.03 to $35.68.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in Des Moines?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $3,000 to $4,750 and premium work $5,650 to $7,450. Basic means: pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft. Premium means: premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence.
+When is the best time to install a wood fence in Des Moines?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. March 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 one gate" add in Des Moines?
$150 to $790, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence near Des Moines
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 a Wood Fence Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Vinyl Fence 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