Wood fence cost in Chattanooga, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $2,800 – $7,050
- Per linear ft
- $18.50 – $46
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $5,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #210
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a wood fence in Chattanooga, plan on $2,800 to $7,050 for 150 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $18.50 to $46 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 8% lower than the national one. Carpenters earn a median of $24.41 an hour in the Chattanooga area, 16% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Chattanooga, TN, standard level
$4,050 to $5,800
About $26.50 to $38 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,300 | $3,450 |
| Labor | $1,700 | $2,200 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $110 |
| Total | $4,050 | $5,800 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Chattanooga, TN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,450 | $2,900 | $4,300 | 58% |
| Labor | $1,300 | $1,950 | $2,600 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $85 | $140 | 2% |
| Total | $2,800 | $4,900 | $7,050 | 100% |
Where the Chattanooga price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 60%, construction laborers at 40%. Weighted together, Chattanooga wages are 0.87 times the national level. Labor makes up about 40% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Chattanooga metro is 96.0 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 150 linear ft comes to $2,900, compared with $3,000 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (91.5) and land at $35 to $140.
Wood fence: what moves the price in Chattanooga
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).
Style
Split-rail and picket styles are cheaper to build than privacy fence, which uses more boards and takes more labor.
Chattanooga 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 Chattanooga is 0.87 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 60%) the local median is $24.41 an hour, which is 16% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.40 and $29.19 an hour. BLS counts 620 of them working in the area, 23.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 40% of the weighting: a median of $20.80 an hour, 8% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.64 and $23.48 an hour. About 1,800 work in the metro. That is 67.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($29.19 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $220. At the 25th percentile ($22.40) it shrinks by about $95. The total moves by 4.5% or 1.9%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 268,750 jobs in the Chattanooga area. That makes it the 98th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.17% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 60% | $22.40 | $24.41 | $29.19 | $29.12 | 0.84 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $17.64 | $20.80 | $23.48 | $22.66 | 0.92 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.87 | |||||
Extras that change the Chattanooga total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Chattanooga by the average of the local wage index (0.87) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 0.92. 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) | $140 – $730 |
Climate in Chattanooga: timing your wood fence job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Chattanooga Lovell Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through June is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Chattanooga (10 of 12 months). July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Chattanooga gets about 55 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 4 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, July and December (5.3 inches in March). Inside the workable window, May and October are the driest, at 3.9 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 58 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 | 51 | 32 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Feb | 56 | 36 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Mar | 64 | 42 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 74 | 50 | 4.9 | Workable |
| May | 81 | 59 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 88 | 67 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 91 | 71 | 5.1 | Hot |
| Aug | 90 | 70 | 3.7 | Hot |
| Sep | 84 | 64 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 74 | 51 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 62 | 40 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 53 | 35 | 5.3 | Workable |
Pick a size, pick a tier: wood fence pricing in Chattanooga
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Chattanooga 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
$2,800 to $4,500
Pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft
Standard
$4,050 to $5,800
6-ft cedar or treated privacy fence
Premium
$5,350 to $7,050
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $1,850 – $3,000 | $2,750 – $3,900 | $3,600 – $4,750 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $2,800 – $4,500 | $4,050 – $5,800 | $5,350 – $7,050 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $3,700 – $5,950 | $5,400 – $7,650 | $7,100 – $9,400 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $5,550 – $8,900 | $8,050 – $11,500 | $10,600 – $14,000 |
Related projects, priced for Chattanooga
Because every project leans on different trades, Chattanooga's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, vinyl fence runs −6% and wood deck −9%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,300 – $8,600 | −6% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,450 – $5,600 | −9% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,550 – $10,700 | −6% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,900 – $13,800 | −9% |
How Chattanooga compares
Same job, same size (150 linear ft), priced for the nearest metros. Nashville is the priciest of the group at $5,100. Dalton is the cheapest at $4,600.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga, TNthis page | $2,800 – $7,050 | $4,900 | |
| Dalton, GA35 miles | $2,550 – $6,650 | $4,600 | −7% |
| Huntsville, AL80 miles | $2,700 – $6,900 | $4,800 | −3% |
| Knoxville, TN95 miles | $2,800 – $7,150 | $5,000 | +1% |
| Gainesville, GA100 miles | $2,650 – $6,850 | $4,750 | −4% |
| Nashville, TN105 miles | $2,900 – $7,300 | $5,100 | +4% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $2,800 – $7,150 | $4,950 | +1% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | +9% |
Across 300 US metros, Chattanooga comes in at #210 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $7,050; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $4,350 (midpoints, 150 linear ft). Statewide, Chattanooga is 1% below the Tennessee figure.
Other Tennessee metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $2,900 – $7,300 | $5,100 | +4% |
| Memphis, TN | 611,670 jobs | $2,800 – $7,100 | $4,950 | +1% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $2,800 – $7,150 | $5,000 | +1% |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $2,750 – $7,050 | $4,900 | level |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $2,750 – $7,000 | $4,850 | −1% |
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $2,750 – $7,000 | $4,900 | −1% |
Cities with a workforce like Chattanooga's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Chattanooga against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poughkeepsie, NY | 268,970 jobs | $3,350 – $8,400 | $5,850 | +19% |
| Huntsville, AL | 266,650 jobs | $2,700 – $6,900 | $4,800 | −3% |
| Jackson, MS | 270,730 jobs | $2,700 – $6,900 | $4,800 | −3% |
| Lakeland, FL | 265,280 jobs | $2,650 – $6,850 | $4,750 | −3% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Wood fence in Chattanooga: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in Chattanooga?
For 150 linear ft, expect $2,800 to $7,050 in the Chattanooga area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,050 to $5,800. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for wood fence in Chattanooga?
About $18.50 to $46 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 Chattanooga or Dalton?
Dalton is 35 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $4,600, which is 7% less than Chattanooga ($4,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Chattanooga?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $1,950 out of $4,900. Materials are 58% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Chattanooga?
$3,700 to $9,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood fence need a permit in Chattanooga?
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 Chattanooga area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Chattanooga expensive for wood fence compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Chattanooga is 1% below the Tennessee statewide estimate ($4,950 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Tennessee; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Chattanooga?
The BLS median is $24.41 an hour in the Chattanooga area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.40 to $29.19.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in Chattanooga?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $2,800 to $4,500 and premium work $5,350 to $7,050. 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 Chattanooga?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. May and October 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 Chattanooga?
$140 to $730, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence near Chattanooga
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