Wood fence cost in Altoona, PA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $3,000 – $7,550
- Per linear ft
- $19.50 – $49.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $5,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #120
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a wood fence in Altoona, plan on $3,000 to $7,550 for 150 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $19.50 to $49.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint lands close to the national one. Carpenters earn a median of $27.58 an hour in the Altoona area, 5% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Altoona, PA, standard level
$4,350 to $6,150
About $28.50 to $40.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 41% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,400 | $3,600 |
| Labor | $1,850 | $2,450 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $100 |
| Total | $4,350 | $6,150 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Altoona, PA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,500 | $3,000 | $4,550 | 57% |
| Labor | $1,450 | $2,150 | $2,850 | 41% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $85 | $130 | 2% |
| Total | $3,000 | $5,250 | $7,550 | 100% |
Why Altoona prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 60%, construction laborers at 40%. Weighted together, Altoona wages are 0.96 times the national level. Labor makes up about 41% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Altoona metro is 100.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 150 linear ft comes to $3,000, compared with $3,000 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (89.5) and land at $35 to $130.
Specs and site conditions that change a Altoona bid
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.
Cost by quality level and size in Altoona
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Altoona wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$3,000 to $4,800
Pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft
Standard
$4,350 to $6,150
6-ft cedar or treated privacy fence
Premium
$5,700 to $7,550
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $2,000 – $3,250 | $2,900 – $4,150 | $3,850 – $5,050 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $3,000 – $4,800 | $4,350 – $6,150 | $5,700 – $7,550 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $3,950 – $6,400 | $5,800 – $8,200 | $7,600 – $10,000 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $5,950 – $9,550 | $8,650 – $12,200 | $11,300 – $14,900 |
Extras that change the Altoona total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Altoona by the average of the local wage index (0.96) and goods index (1.01), a factor of 0.98. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $150 – $790 |
Related projects, priced for Altoona
Because every project leans on different trades, Altoona's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, vinyl fence runs −1% and chain-link fence −2%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,550 – $9,100 | −1% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,500 – $6,000 | −2% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,750 – $11,300 | −1% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,400 – $14,900 | −2% |
Climate in Altoona: timing your wood fence job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Altoona 3 W (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through November is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Altoona (9 of 12 months). 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.
Altoona gets about 45 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 38 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and September (4.4 inches in May). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 3.5 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 6 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34 | 19 | 2.9 | Cold |
| Feb | 37 | 20 | 2.6 | Cold |
| Mar | 46 | 28 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Apr | 60 | 39 | 3.8 | Workable |
| May | 70 | 49 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 77 | 57 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 81 | 61 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Aug | 80 | 60 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Sep | 73 | 53 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 61 | 42 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 33 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Dec | 38 | 24 | 3.4 | Cold |
Altoona labor market for wood fence
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Altoona is 0.96 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 60%) the local median is $27.58 an hour, which is 5% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.09 and $36.73 an hour. BLS counts 360 of them working in the area, 61.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 40% of the weighting: a median of $22.03 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.45 and $24.02 an hour. About 350 work in the metro. That is 59.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($36.73 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $420. At the 25th percentile ($22.09) it shrinks by about $250. The total moves by 8.1% or 4.8%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 58,650 jobs in the Altoona area. That makes it the 291st largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 60% | $22.09 | $27.58 | $36.73 | $29.12 | 0.95 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $18.45 | $22.03 | $24.02 | $22.66 | 0.97 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.96 | |||||
Altoona against nearby metros and the rest of Pennsylvania
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 150 linear ft range from $5,050 to $5,450 across Altoona and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona, PAthis page | $3,000 – $7,550 | $5,250 | |
| State College, PA35 miles | $3,050 – $7,700 | $5,350 | +2% |
| Chambersburg, PA50 miles | $2,850 – $7,300 | $5,100 | −3% |
| Harrisburg, PA65 miles | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | +2% |
| Hagerstown, MD65 miles | $2,850 – $7,250 | $5,050 | −4% |
| Pittsburgh, PA80 miles | $3,100 – $7,800 | $5,450 | +3% |
| Pennsylvania (statewide) | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | +2% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | +2% |
Across 300 US metros, Altoona comes in at #120 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $7,050; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $4,350 (midpoints, 150 linear ft). Statewide, Altoona is 2% below the Pennsylvania figure.
Other Pennsylvania metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | 2,897,830 jobs | $3,100 – $7,750 | $5,450 | +3% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,114,490 jobs | $3,100 – $7,800 | $5,450 | +3% |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $3,050 – $7,700 | $5,400 | +2% |
| Harrisburg, PA | 335,010 jobs | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | +2% |
| Scranton, PA | 255,620 jobs | $3,050 – $7,700 | $5,350 | +2% |
| Lancaster, PA | 252,230 jobs | $3,000 – $7,550 | $5,300 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Altoona's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Altoona against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston, NY | 59,140 jobs | $3,050 – $7,700 | $5,400 | +3% |
| Dubuque, IA | 58,470 jobs | $2,950 – $7,400 | $5,150 | −2% |
| Niles, MI | 59,970 jobs | $2,850 – $7,150 | $5,000 | −5% |
| Albany, GA | 58,390 jobs | $2,500 – $6,500 | $4,500 | −14% |
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Wood fence in Altoona: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in Altoona?
For 150 linear ft, expect $3,000 to $7,550 in the Altoona area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,350 to $6,150. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for wood fence in Altoona?
About $19.50 to $49.50 per linear ft for materials and labor, plus $35 to $130 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $20 to $50.
+Is wood fence cheaper in Altoona or State College?
State College is 35 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $5,350, which is 2% more than Altoona ($5,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Altoona?
About 41% at the midpoint, or $2,150 out of $5,250. Materials are 57% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Altoona?
$3,950 to $10,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood fence need a permit in Altoona?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $35 to $130 for fees in the Altoona area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Altoona expensive for wood fence compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
Altoona is 2% below the Pennsylvania statewide estimate ($5,350 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Pennsylvania; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Altoona?
The BLS median is $27.58 an hour in the Altoona area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.09 to $36.73.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in Altoona?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $3,000 to $4,800 and premium work $5,700 to $7,550. 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 Altoona?
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 Altoona?
$150 to $790, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence near Altoona
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