Wood fence cost in North Carolina
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (150 linear ft)
- $2,800 – $7,100
- Per linear ft
- $18.50 – $46.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $5,350
- Metros covered
- 11
Across North Carolina, a wood fence costs about $2,800 to $7,100 for 150 linear ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 8% below the US figure of $5,350. Carpenters earn a median $23.61 an hour in North Carolina (US: $29.12).
Inside North Carolina, the metros we cover range from $4,850 (Greenville) to $5,050 (Asheville) 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 North Carolina (statewide), standard level
$4,100 to $5,800
About $26.50 to $38 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 39% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,300 | $3,500 |
| Labor | $1,700 | $2,200 |
| Permits and fees | $70 | $110 |
| Total | $4,100 | $5,800 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in North Carolina
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,450 | $2,900 | $4,350 | 59% |
| Labor | $1,300 | $1,950 | $2,600 | 39% |
| Permits and fees | $40 | $90 | $140 | 2% |
| Total | $2,800 | $4,950 | $7,100 | 100% |
When North Carolina weather lets you install
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and North Carolina 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.
Greensboro has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in North Carolina at 12 months; Burlington has the shortest at 11 (August through June). Rainfall runs from 41 inches a year in Asheville to 60 inches in Wilmington.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 32 | 90 | 44 | 11: August through June |
| Raleigh | 32 | 91 | 46 | 11: August through June |
| Greensboro | 30 | 89 | 46 | 12: all year |
| Durham | 32 | 91 | 46 | 11: August through June |
| Winston | 31 | 88 | 43 | 12: all year |
| Wilmington | 36 | 90 | 60 | 11: August through June |
| Asheville | 29 | 86 | 41 | 12: all year |
| Hickory | 30 | 87 | 47 | 12: all year |
| Fayetteville | 34 | 91 | 45 | 11: August through June |
| Greenville | 33 | 90 | 53 | 11: August through June |
| Burlington | 30 | 91 | 43 | 11: August through June |
Why two North Carolina 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).
North Carolina versus the states around it
North Carolina ranks 40 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. North Carolina sits at $4,950. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 120 miles away | $2,800 – $7,100 | $4,950 | level |
| Virginia | 180 miles away | $2,950 – $7,450 | $5,200 | +5% |
| West Virginia | 240 miles away | $2,750 – $7,000 | $4,900 | −1% |
| District of Columbia | 260 miles away | $3,200 – $8,050 | $5,650 | +14% |
| Georgia | 270 miles away | $2,750 – $7,050 | $4,900 | −1% |
Add-ons priced for North Carolina
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.92 for North Carolina, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.87) and goods price index (0.97). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $140 – $730 |
Wages behind the North Carolina number
North Carolina'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 0.87 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 60% of the weighting: a median of $23.61 an hour, 19% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $20.27 and $28.27 an hour. About 13,480 work in the state. That is 27.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 40%) the local median is $21.50 an hour, which is 5% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.97 and $23.59 an hour. BLS counts 35,620 of them working in the state, 72.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($28.27 an hour) would add about $220 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($20.27) would take off about $150. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 4,941,820 jobs across North Carolina (May 2025), which is 3.2% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 60% | $20.27 | $23.61 | $28.27 | $29.12 | 0.81 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $17.97 | $21.50 | $23.59 | $22.66 | 0.95 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.87 | |||||
Basic, standard or premium: North Carolina 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
$2,800 to $4,500
Pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft
Standard
$4,100 to $5,800
6-ft cedar or treated privacy fence
Premium
$5,350 to $7,100
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $1,850 – $3,050 | $2,750 – $3,900 | $3,600 – $4,750 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $2,800 – $4,500 | $4,100 – $5,800 | $5,350 – $7,100 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $3,700 – $6,000 | $5,400 – $7,700 | $7,100 – $9,400 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $5,550 – $8,950 | $8,100 – $11,500 | $10,600 – $14,000 |
North Carolina metro-by-metro prices
5 of the 11 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $4,950, and the top-to-bottom gap is 4%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville, NC | $2,850 – $7,250 | $5,050 | +2% |
| Durham, NC | $2,850 – $7,200 | $5,050 | +2% |
| Wilmington, NC | $2,850 – $7,200 | $5,000 | +1% |
| Charlotte, NC | $2,850 – $7,150 | $5,000 | +1% |
| Raleigh, NC | $2,800 – $7,150 | $5,000 | +1% |
| Hickory, NC | $2,750 – $7,050 | $4,900 | −1% |
| Winston, NC | $2,750 – $7,050 | $4,900 | −1% |
| Burlington, NC | $2,750 – $7,050 | $4,900 | −1% |
| Greensboro, NC | $2,750 – $7,000 | $4,850 | −1% |
| Fayetteville, NC | $2,750 – $7,000 | $4,850 | −1% |
| Greenville, NC | $2,700 – $6,950 | $4,850 | −2% |
Other North Carolina jobs that often go with wood fence
Each project weights the trades differently, so North Carolina's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, vinyl fence is −5% and wood deck −9%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,300 – $8,650 | −5% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,450 – $5,650 | −8% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,500 – $10,600 | −7% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,850 – $13,800 | −9% |
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Wood fence in North Carolina: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in North Carolina?
$2,800 to $7,100 for 150 linear ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside North Carolina can sit above or below that.
+Which city in North Carolina is cheapest for wood fence?
Greenville at about $4,850 (midpoint, 150 linear ft). The priciest is Asheville at $5,050.
+Is wood fence cheaper in North Carolina than the US average?
It is 8% cheaper: $4,950 against $5,350 for 150 linear ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in North Carolina?
About 39% ($1,950). Materials are 59%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.87x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in North Carolina?
The BLS statewide median is $23.61 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.27 to $28.27.
+Where does North Carolina rank for wood fence costs?
40th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $4,950 for 150 linear ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in North Carolina?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $2,800 to $4,500 and premium work $5,350 to $7,100. 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 North Carolina?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the North Carolina metros we cover, Greensboro has the most comfortable months (12 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 North Carolina?
$140 to $730, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence by city in North Carolina
- Asheville, NC$5,050 midpoint
- Durham, NC$5,050 midpoint
- Wilmington, NC$5,000 midpoint
- Charlotte, NC$5,000 midpoint
- Raleigh, NC$5,000 midpoint
- Hickory, NC$4,900 midpoint
- Winston, NC$4,900 midpoint
- Burlington, NC$4,900 midpoint
- Greensboro, NC$4,850 midpoint
- Fayetteville, NC$4,850 midpoint
- Greenville, NC$4,850 midpoint
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