Wood fence cost in Scranton, PA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $3,050 – $7,700
- Per linear ft
- $20 – $50.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $5,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #92
- 1 = most expensive
Scranton homeowners pay roughly $3,050 to $7,700 to install a wood fence at 150 linear ft, or $20 to $50.50 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Scranton is almost level. Building materials run about 1% above the US average here (BEA goods price index 100.7).
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Scranton, PA, standard level
$4,450 to $6,300
About $29 to $41.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 42% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,400 | $3,600 |
| Labor | $1,950 | $2,550 |
| Permits and fees | $70 | $110 |
| Total | $4,450 | $6,300 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Scranton, PA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,500 | $3,000 | $4,550 | 56% |
| Labor | $1,500 | $2,250 | $3,000 | 42% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $90 | $140 | 2% |
| Total | $3,050 | $5,350 | $7,700 | 100% |
Where the Scranton price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 60% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $28.96 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Scranton is 1.01 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 42% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Scranton 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 (93.6) and land at $35 to $140.
Wood fence: what moves the price in Scranton
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.
How Scranton compares
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 $5,250 to $5,450 across Scranton and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton, PAthis page | $3,050 – $7,700 | $5,350 | |
| Allentown, PA45 miles | $3,050 – $7,700 | $5,400 | level |
| Binghamton, NY60 miles | $3,100 – $7,750 | $5,450 | +1% |
| Reading, PA65 miles | $3,000 – $7,550 | $5,250 | −2% |
| Lancaster, PA90 miles | $3,000 – $7,550 | $5,300 | −2% |
| Harrisburg, PA90 miles | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | level |
| Pennsylvania (statewide) | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | −1% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | −1% |
Across 300 US metros, Scranton comes in at #92 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $7,050; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $4,350 (midpoints, 150 linear ft). Statewide, Scranton is 1% above the Pennsylvania figure.
Other Pennsylvania metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | 2,897,830 jobs | $3,100 – $7,750 | $5,450 | +1% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,114,490 jobs | $3,100 – $7,800 | $5,450 | +1% |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $3,050 – $7,700 | $5,400 | level |
| Harrisburg, PA | 335,010 jobs | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | level |
| Lancaster, PA | 252,230 jobs | $3,000 – $7,550 | $5,300 | −2% |
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $3,100 – $7,750 | $5,400 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like Scranton's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Scranton against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane, WA | 255,820 jobs | $3,200 – $8,000 | $5,600 | +4% |
| Lancaster, PA | 252,230 jobs | $3,000 – $7,550 | $5,300 | −2% |
| Lakeland, FL | 265,280 jobs | $2,650 – $6,850 | $4,750 | −11% |
| Palm Bay, FL | 245,170 jobs | $2,750 – $7,050 | $4,900 | −9% |
Planning more than one job in Scranton?
Because every project leans on different trades, Scranton's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, aluminum fence runs +1% and wood deck level.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,550 – $9,200 | +1% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,550 – $6,200 | +1% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,850 – $11,500 | +1% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,600 – $15,200 | level |
Scranton: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Scranton 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
$3,050 to $4,900
Pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft
Standard
$4,450 to $6,300
6-ft cedar or treated privacy fence
Premium
$5,850 to $7,700
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $2,050 – $3,300 | $3,000 – $4,250 | $3,900 – $5,150 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $3,050 – $4,900 | $4,450 – $6,300 | $5,850 – $7,700 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $4,050 – $6,500 | $5,900 – $8,350 | $7,750 – $10,200 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $6,100 – $9,750 | $8,850 – $12,500 | $11,600 – $15,200 |
When to schedule wood fence in Scranton
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Wilkes-Barre Intl Ap (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 Scranton (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.
Scranton gets about 39 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 45 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, August and September (4.2 inches in September). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 2.8 and 2.9 inches. The station averages about 12 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 | 36 | 20 | 2.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 39 | 22 | 2.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 48 | 29 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Apr | 61 | 39 | 3.3 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 50 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 80 | 58 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 63 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 82 | 61 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Sep | 75 | 54 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 43 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 51 | 34 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 40 | 26 | 2.8 | Cold |
Add-ons priced for Scranton
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Scranton by the average of the local wage index (1.01) and goods index (1.01), a factor of 1.01. 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 – $810 |
Local wages behind the labor line
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 Scranton is 1.01 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 60%) the local median is $28.96 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.00 and $35.74 an hour. BLS counts 1,070 of them working in the area, 41.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is about average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 40% of the weighting: a median of $23.22 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.53 and $28.89 an hour. About 1,450 work in the metro. That is 56.7 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 ($35.74 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $310. At the 25th percentile ($23.00) it shrinks by about $280. The total moves by 5.8% or 5.1%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 255,620 jobs in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre area. That makes it the 102nd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.16% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 60% | $23.00 | $28.96 | $35.74 | $29.12 | 0.99 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $19.53 | $23.22 | $28.89 | $22.66 | 1.02 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.01 | |||||
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Wood fence in Scranton: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in Scranton?
For 150 linear ft, expect $3,050 to $7,700 in the Scranton area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,450 to $6,300. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for wood fence in Scranton?
About $20 to $50.50 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 Scranton or Allentown?
Allentown is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $5,400, which is 0% more than Scranton ($5,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Scranton?
About 42% at the midpoint, or $2,250 out of $5,350. Materials are 56% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Scranton?
$4,050 to $10,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood fence need a permit in Scranton?
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 Scranton area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Scranton expensive for wood fence compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
Scranton is 1% 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 Scranton?
The BLS median is $28.96 an hour in the Scranton area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.00 to $35.74.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in Scranton?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $3,050 to $4,900 and premium work $5,850 to $7,700. 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 Scranton?
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 Scranton?
$150 to $810, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence near Scranton
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