Wood fence cost in Iowa City, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $2,800 – $7,050
- Per linear ft
- $18.50 – $46
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $5,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #211
- 1 = most expensive
A wood fence in Iowa City, IA usually costs $2,800 to $7,050 for 150 linear ft. That works out to about $18.50 to $46 per linear ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $420 less. Carpenters earn a median of $23.89 an hour in the Iowa City area, 18% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Iowa City, IA, standard level
$4,050 to $5,750
About $26.50 to $38 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 41% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,250 | $3,350 |
| Labor | $1,750 | $2,300 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $110 |
| Total | $4,050 | $5,750 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Iowa City, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,400 | $2,800 | $4,200 | 57% |
| Labor | $1,350 | $2,000 | $2,700 | 41% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $85 | $140 | 2% |
| Total | $2,800 | $4,900 | $7,050 | 100% |
What is behind the Iowa City number
Labor is 41% 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 Iowa City the blended ratio comes out at 0.90.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Iowa City 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 91.5: $35 to $140.
Iowa City weather and the wood fence calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Iowa City Muni 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 Iowa City 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.
Iowa City gets about 36 inches of precipitation in a normal year. 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 2.2 inches. The station averages about 19 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 | 15 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Feb | 36 | 19 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Mar | 50 | 30 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 63 | 40 | 3.8 | Workable |
| May | 73 | 52 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 66 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 63 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Sep | 78 | 54 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 64 | 42 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 30 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 36 | 20 | 1.4 | Cold |
Pick a size, pick a tier: wood fence pricing in Iowa City
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Iowa City. 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
$2,800 to $4,500
Pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft
Standard
$4,050 to $5,750
6-ft cedar or treated privacy fence
Premium
$5,350 to $7,050
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $1,850 – $3,000 | $2,750 – $3,900 | $3,600 – $4,750 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $2,800 – $4,500 | $4,050 – $5,750 | $5,350 – $7,050 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $3,700 – $5,950 | $5,400 – $7,650 | $7,100 – $9,350 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $5,550 – $8,900 | $8,050 – $11,400 | $10,600 – $14,000 |
Extras that change the Iowa City total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.92 for Iowa City, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.90) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $140 – $730 |
Wood fence: what moves the price in Iowa City
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.
Height and permits
Fences over about 6 ft often need a permit and a setback check. Permits run $40-$150.
What local crews earn in Iowa City
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 Iowa City the blend is 0.90.
Carpenters (47-2031), 60% of the weighting: a median of $23.89 an hour, 18% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.98 and $29.70 an hour. About 360 work in the metro. That is 38.4 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 $23.05 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.87 and $28.74 an hour. BLS counts 800 of them working in the area, 85.3 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 $270 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $90. That is a swing of roughly 1.8% to 5.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Iowa City has 93,760 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 214th 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% | $21.98 | $23.89 | $29.70 | $29.12 | 0.82 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $21.87 | $23.05 | $28.74 | $22.66 | 1.02 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.90 | |||||
How Iowa City compares
Same job, same size (150 linear ft), priced for the nearest metros. Davenport is the priciest of the group at $5,300.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IAthis page | $2,800 – $7,050 | $4,900 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA40 miles | $2,950 – $7,350 | $5,150 | +4% |
| Davenport, IA60 miles | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | +8% |
| Dubuque, IA75 miles | $2,950 – $7,400 | $5,150 | +5% |
| Waterloo, IA80 miles | $2,900 – $7,300 | $5,100 | +3% |
| Des Moines, IA110 miles | $3,000 – $7,450 | $5,200 | +6% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $2,900 – $7,300 | $5,100 | +4% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | +9% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Iowa City ranks #211 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Iowa City is 4% below the Iowa figure.
Elsewhere in Iowa
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $3,000 – $7,450 | $5,200 | +6% |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | +8% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $2,950 – $7,350 | $5,150 | +4% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $2,900 – $7,300 | $5,100 | +3% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $2,800 – $7,100 | $4,950 | +1% |
| Dubuque, IA | 58,470 jobs | $2,950 – $7,400 | $5,150 | +5% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Iowa City against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | 93,800 jobs | $3,000 – $7,450 | $5,200 | +6% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $3,350 – $8,150 | $5,750 | +17% |
| Barnstable, MA | 94,110 jobs | $3,300 – $8,150 | $5,700 | +16% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $3,300 – $8,200 | $5,750 | +17% |
Related projects, priced for Iowa City
Jobs that often go together with wood fence are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Iowa City wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, aluminum fence comes out highest (−6%) and wood deck lowest (−10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,250 – $8,550 | −7% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,450 – $5,750 | −6% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,550 – $10,700 | −6% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,800 – $13,700 | −10% |
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Wood fence in Iowa City: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in Iowa City?
For 150 linear ft, expect $2,800 to $7,050 in the Iowa City area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,050 to $5,750. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for wood fence in Iowa City?
About $18.50 to $46 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 Iowa City or Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $5,150, which is 4% more than Iowa City ($4,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Iowa City?
About 41% at the midpoint, or $2,000 out of $4,900. Materials are 57% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Iowa City?
$3,700 to $9,350. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood fence need a permit in Iowa City?
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 Iowa City area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Iowa City expensive for wood fence compared with the rest of Iowa?
Iowa City is 4% below 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 Iowa City?
The BLS median is $23.89 an hour in the Iowa City area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.98 to $29.70.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in Iowa City?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $2,800 to $4,500 and premium work $5,350 to $7,050. 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 Iowa City?
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 Iowa City?
$140 to $730, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence near Iowa 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 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