Wood fence cost in Philadelphia, PA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $3,100 – $7,750
- Per linear ft
- $20.50 – $50.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +2%
- US $5,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #78
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a wood fence in the Philadelphia area: $3,100 to $7,750 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. Carpenters earn a median of $29.70 an hour in the Philadelphia area, 2% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Philadelphia, PA, 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 | $3,500 |
| Labor | $2,100 | $2,750 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $120 |
| Total | $4,500 | $6,350 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Philadelphia, PA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,450 | $2,900 | $4,350 | 53% |
| Labor | $1,600 | $2,450 | $3,250 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $40 | $95 | $150 | 2% |
| Total | $3,100 | $5,450 | $7,750 | 100% |
Where the Philadelphia price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 60%, construction laborers at 40%. Weighted together, Philadelphia wages are 1.08 times the national level. Labor makes up about 45% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Philadelphia is at 96.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,000 nationally becomes $2,900 here (midpoint, 150 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 102.6: $40 to $150.
Related projects, priced for Philadelphia
Jobs that often go together with wood fence are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Philadelphia wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, chain-link fence comes out highest (+6%) and vinyl fence lowest (level); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,500 – $9,150 | level |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,600 – $6,550 | +6% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,900 – $11,600 | +2% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,600 – $15,200 | level |
The best months for wood fence in Philadelphia
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Philadelphia Ne Ap (10 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 Philadelphia are February through December: 11 of 12. Outside them, January has an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January 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.
Philadelphia gets about 45 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are July, August and September (4.5 inches in September). Inside the workable window, February and November are the driest, at 2.6 and 3.2 inches. The station averages about 29 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 | 42 | 27 | 3.3 | Cold |
| Feb | 45 | 28 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Mar | 53 | 35 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 65 | 44 | 3.8 | Workable |
| May | 75 | 54 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 64 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 69 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 68 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 60 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 68 | 48 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 57 | 38 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 47 | 31 | 4.0 | Workable |
Who does the work: Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia the blend is 1.08.
Carpenters (47-2031), 60% of the weighting: a median of $29.70 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.17 and $36.83 an hour. About 14,260 work in the metro. That is 49.2 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 $26.50 an hour, which is 17% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.43 and $34.37 an hour. BLS counts 14,580 of them working in the area, 50.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $330 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $300. That is a swing of roughly 5.6% to 6.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has 2,897,830 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 7th 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% | $23.17 | $29.70 | $36.83 | $29.12 | 1.02 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $22.43 | $26.50 | $34.37 | $22.66 | 1.17 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.08 | |||||
Philadelphia against nearby metros and the rest of Pennsylvania
Same job, same size (150 linear ft), priced for the nearest metros. Vineland is the priciest of the group at $6,100. Reading is the cheapest at $5,250.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PAthis page | $3,100 – $7,750 | $5,450 | |
| Vineland, NJ40 miles | $3,550 – $8,650 | $6,100 | +12% |
| Trenton, NJ40 miles | $3,450 – $8,450 | $5,950 | +9% |
| Reading, PA50 miles | $3,000 – $7,550 | $5,250 | −3% |
| Lancaster, PA50 miles | $3,000 – $7,550 | $5,300 | −3% |
| Atlantic City, NJ50 miles | $3,150 – $7,850 | $5,500 | +1% |
| Pennsylvania (statewide) | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | −2% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | −2% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Philadelphia ranks #78 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Philadelphia is 2% above the Pennsylvania figure.
Elsewhere in Pennsylvania
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,114,490 jobs | $3,100 – $7,800 | $5,450 | level |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $3,050 – $7,700 | $5,400 | −1% |
| Harrisburg, PA | 335,010 jobs | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | −2% |
| Scranton, PA | 255,620 jobs | $3,050 – $7,700 | $5,350 | −1% |
| Lancaster, PA | 252,230 jobs | $3,000 – $7,550 | $5,300 | −3% |
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $3,100 – $7,750 | $5,400 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Philadelphia against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | 3,136,190 jobs | $3,100 – $7,900 | $5,500 | +1% |
| Atlanta, GA | 2,889,670 jobs | $2,850 – $7,250 | $5,050 | −7% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $2,800 – $7,200 | $5,000 | −8% |
| Miami, FL | 2,819,940 jobs | $2,950 – $7,500 | $5,250 | −4% |
Extras that change the Philadelphia total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.02 for Philadelphia, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.08) and goods price index (0.97). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $150 – $820 |
Wood fence: what moves the price in Philadelphia
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).
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).
Pick a size, pick a tier: wood fence pricing in Philadelphia
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Philadelphia. 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
$3,100 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 $7,750
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $2,100 – $3,350 | $3,050 – $4,300 | $3,950 – $5,200 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $3,100 – $4,950 | $4,500 – $6,350 | $5,900 – $7,750 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $4,150 – $6,600 | $6,000 – $8,450 | $7,800 – $10,300 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $6,200 – $9,850 | $8,950 – $12,600 | $11,700 – $15,300 |
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Multi-page report for Philadelphia, PA: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Wood fence in Philadelphia: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in Philadelphia?
For 150 linear ft, expect $3,100 to $7,750 in the Philadelphia area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,500 to $6,350. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for wood fence in Philadelphia?
About $20.50 to $50.50 per linear ft for materials and labor, plus $40 to $150 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $20 to $50.
+Is wood fence cheaper in Philadelphia or Vineland?
Vineland is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $6,100, which is 12% more than Philadelphia ($5,450). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Philadelphia?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $2,450 out of $5,450. Materials are 53% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Philadelphia?
$4,150 to $10,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood fence need a permit in Philadelphia?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $40 to $150 for fees in the Philadelphia area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Philadelphia expensive for wood fence compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
Philadelphia is 2% above 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 Philadelphia?
The BLS median is $29.70 an hour in the Philadelphia area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.17 to $36.83.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in Philadelphia?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $3,100 to $4,950 and premium work $5,900 to $7,750. 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 Philadelphia?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through December. February 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 Philadelphia?
$150 to $820, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence near Philadelphia
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