Wood fence cost in Missouri
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (150 linear ft)
- $3,100 – $7,700
- Per linear ft
- $20.50 – $50.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $5,350
- Metros covered
- 6
Missouri prices for wood fence: $3,100 to $7,700 for 150 linear ft, or $20.50 to $50.50 per linear ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 1% above the national one. Local wages for carpenters are $29.25 an hour.
Inside Missouri, the metros we cover range from $4,950 (Joplin) to $5,900 (St. Louis) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Missouri (statewide), standard level
$4,500 to $6,350
About $29.50 to $41.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,300 | $3,450 |
| Labor | $2,100 | $2,750 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $110 |
| Total | $4,500 | $6,350 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Missouri
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,450 | $2,900 | $4,350 | 53% |
| Labor | $1,650 | $2,450 | $3,250 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $85 | $140 | 2% |
| Total | $3,100 | $5,400 | $7,700 | 100% |
Extras that change the Missouri total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.02 for Missouri, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.08) and goods price index (0.96). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $150 – $820 |
Why two Missouri quotes can differ
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.
Slope and soil
Hills, rock, and tree roots slow post digging.
Composite
A composite wood-look privacy fence is $55-$85 per linear foot installed (HomeGuide).
If you are planning more than one job in Missouri
Each project weights the trades differently, so Missouri's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, chain-link fence is +6% and vinyl fence −1%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,500 – $9,100 | −1% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,600 – $6,550 | +6% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,850 – $11,400 | +1% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,550 – $15,100 | level |
When Missouri weather lets you install
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and Missouri is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Springfield has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Missouri at 11 months (February through December); Kansas City has the shortest at 9 (February through June and August through November). Rainfall runs from 38 inches a year in Kansas City to 47 inches in Springfield.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | 25 | 90 | 44 | 10: February through June and August through December |
| Kansas City | 22 | 90 | 38 | 9: February through June and August through November |
| Springfield | 23 | 88 | 47 | 11: February through December |
| Columbia | 23 | 89 | 45 | 10: February through November |
| Joplin | 25 | 90 | 46 | 10: September through June |
| Jefferson City | 23 | 89 | 40 | 11: February through December |
What carpenters and the other trades earn in Missouri
Missouri's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.08 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 60% of the weighting: a median of $29.25 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.85 and $38.74 an hour. About 14,410 work in the state. That is 49.1 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 $27.28 an hour, which is 20% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.93 and $37.30 an hour. BLS counts 17,050 of them working in the state, 58.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($38.74 an hour) would add about $440 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($22.85) would take off about $300. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 2,936,050 jobs across Missouri (May 2025), which is 1.9% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 60% | $22.85 | $29.25 | $38.74 | $29.12 | 1.00 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $21.93 | $27.28 | $37.30 | $22.66 | 1.20 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.08 | |||||
How Missouri compares with nearby states
Missouri ranks 15 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for wood fence, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $6,800 and the cheapest Arkansas at $4,650, both for 150 linear ft at the midpoint. Missouri sits at $5,400. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | 220 miles away | $2,900 – $7,300 | $5,100 | −6% |
| Arkansas | 230 miles away | $2,650 – $6,700 | $4,650 | −14% |
| Kansas | 250 miles away | $2,850 – $7,200 | $5,050 | −7% |
| Nebraska | 270 miles away | $2,800 – $7,050 | $4,950 | −9% |
| Illinois | 310 miles away | $3,550 – $8,700 | $6,150 | +13% |
Basic, standard or premium: Missouri prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from backyard (100 linear ft) to full lot (300 linear ft).
Basic
$3,100 to $4,950
Pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft
Standard
$4,500 to $6,350
6-ft cedar or treated privacy fence
Premium
$5,900 to $7,700
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $2,100 – $3,350 | $3,000 – $4,250 | $3,950 – $5,200 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $3,100 – $4,950 | $4,500 – $6,350 | $5,900 – $7,700 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $4,150 – $6,600 | $5,950 – $8,400 | $7,800 – $10,300 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $6,200 – $9,850 | $8,900 – $12,600 | $11,700 – $15,300 |
Wood fence cost by metro in Missouri
1 of the 6 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $5,400, and the top-to-bottom gap is 19%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (150 linear ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO | $3,400 – $8,400 | $5,900 | +9% |
| Jefferson City, MO | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | −2% |
| Kansas City, MO | $3,000 – $7,500 | $5,250 | −3% |
| Columbia, MO | $3,000 – $7,500 | $5,250 | −3% |
| Springfield, MO | $2,850 – $7,150 | $5,000 | −8% |
| Joplin, MO | $2,800 – $7,100 | $4,950 | −9% |
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Wood fence in Missouri: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in Missouri?
$3,100 to $7,700 for 150 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Missouri can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Missouri is cheapest for wood fence?
Joplin at about $4,950 (midpoint, 150 linear ft). The priciest is St. Louis at $5,900.
+Is wood fence cheaper in Missouri than the US average?
It is 1% more expensive: $5,400 against $5,350 for 150 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Missouri?
About 45% ($2,450). Materials are 53%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.08x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Missouri?
The BLS statewide median is $29.25 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.85 to $38.74.
+Where does Missouri rank for wood fence costs?
15th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $5,400 for 150 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in Missouri?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $3,100 to $4,950 and premium work $5,900 to $7,700. Basic means: pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft. Premium means: premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence.
+Does the season matter for wood fence in Missouri?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Missouri metros we cover, Springfield has the most comfortable months (11 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
+What does "add one gate" add in Missouri?
$150 to $820, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence by city in Missouri
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