Wood fence cost in Johnson City, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $2,700 – $6,950
- Per linear ft
- $18 – $45.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $5,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #246
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a wood fence in Johnson City, plan on $2,700 to $6,950 for 150 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $18 to $45.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 10% lower than the national one. Carpenters earn a median of $23.04 an hour in the Johnson City area, 21% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Johnson City, TN, standard level
$4,000 to $5,650
About $26 to $37 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 38% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,300 | $3,450 |
| Labor | $1,600 | $2,100 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $100 |
| Total | $4,000 | $5,650 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Johnson City, TN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,450 | $2,900 | $4,350 | 60% |
| Labor | $1,250 | $1,850 | $2,450 | 38% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $85 | $130 | 2% |
| Total | $2,700 | $4,850 | $6,950 | 100% |
Where the Johnson City 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 $23.04 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Johnson City is 0.82 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 38% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Johnson City metro is 96.2 (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 (87.9) and land at $35 to $130.
Extras that change the Johnson City total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Johnson City by the average of the local wage index (0.82) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 0.89. 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) | $130 – $710 |
Johnson City: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Johnson City 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
$2,700 to $4,400
Pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft
Standard
$4,000 to $5,650
6-ft cedar or treated privacy fence
Premium
$5,250 to $6,950
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $1,800 – $2,950 | $2,700 – $3,800 | $3,550 – $4,650 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $2,700 – $4,400 | $4,000 – $5,650 | $5,250 – $6,950 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $3,600 – $5,850 | $5,300 – $7,500 | $6,950 – $9,200 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $5,400 – $8,750 | $7,900 – $11,200 | $10,400 – $13,700 |
Johnson City against nearby metros and the rest of Tennessee
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Johnson City. Hickory comes closest at about $4,900.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson City, TNthis page | $2,700 – $6,950 | $4,850 | |
| Kingsport, TN25 miles | $2,750 – $7,050 | $4,900 | +2% |
| Asheville, NC45 miles | $2,850 – $7,250 | $5,050 | +4% |
| Hickory, NC60 miles | $2,750 – $7,050 | $4,900 | +2% |
| Knoxville, TN100 miles | $2,800 – $7,150 | $5,000 | +3% |
| Spartanburg, SC105 miles | $2,800 – $7,100 | $4,950 | +2% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $2,800 – $7,150 | $4,950 | +3% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | +11% |
Across 300 US metros, Johnson City comes in at #246 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $7,050; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $4,350 (midpoints, 150 linear ft). Statewide, Johnson City is 3% 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 | +6% |
| Memphis, TN | 611,670 jobs | $2,800 – $7,100 | $4,950 | +3% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $2,800 – $7,150 | $5,000 | +3% |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $2,800 – $7,050 | $4,900 | +2% |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $2,750 – $7,050 | $4,900 | +2% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $2,750 – $7,000 | $4,850 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like Johnson City's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Johnson City against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls, ID | 81,840 jobs | $2,850 – $7,200 | $5,000 | +4% |
| Odessa, TX | 80,910 jobs | $2,700 – $6,900 | $4,800 | −1% |
| Hilton Head, SC | 81,920 jobs | $2,800 – $7,100 | $4,950 | +3% |
| Greenville, NC | 80,770 jobs | $2,700 – $6,950 | $4,850 | level |
What nearby projects cost in Johnson City
Because every project leans on different trades, Johnson City's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, vinyl fence runs −7% and chain-link fence −11%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,250 – $8,500 | −7% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,400 – $5,400 | −11% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,500 – $10,600 | −7% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,750 – $13,500 | −11% |
Climate in Johnson City: timing your wood fence job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Bristol Tri City Ap (10 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
Weather is not a serious constraint for exterior installation in Johnson City: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average daytime high under 45°F) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Johnson City gets about 44 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 9 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, June and July (5.0 inches in July). The station averages about 23 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 | 47 | 26 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Feb | 51 | 29 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 59 | 35 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 69 | 43 | 3.8 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 52 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 61 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 65 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 63 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 81 | 56 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 70 | 44 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 59 | 34 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 50 | 29 | 3.8 | Workable |
Johnson City 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 Johnson City is 0.82 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 60%) the local median is $23.04 an hour, which is 21% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.81 and $26.92 an hour. BLS counts 160 of them working in the area, 19.6 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 $19.79 an hour, 13% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.74 and $22.37 an hour. About 580 work in the metro. That is 71.0 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 ($26.92 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $180. At the 25th percentile ($21.81) it shrinks by about $55. The total moves by 3.7% or 1.2%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 81,690 jobs in the Johnson City area. That makes it the 234th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.05% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 60% | $21.81 | $23.04 | $26.92 | $29.12 | 0.79 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $17.74 | $19.79 | $22.37 | $22.66 | 0.87 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.82 | |||||
Why two Johnson City quotes can differ
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.
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed wood fence report for Johnson City, TN, $9
The report lays out the wood fence numbers for Johnson City, TN line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. 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 Johnson City: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in Johnson City?
For 150 linear ft, expect $2,700 to $6,950 in the Johnson City area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,000 to $5,650. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for wood fence in Johnson City?
About $18 to $45.50 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 Johnson City or Kingsport?
Kingsport is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $4,900, which is 2% more than Johnson City ($4,850). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Johnson City?
About 38% at the midpoint, or $1,850 out of $4,850. Materials are 60% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Johnson City?
$3,600 to $9,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood fence need a permit in Johnson City?
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 Johnson City area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Johnson City expensive for wood fence compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Johnson City is 3% 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 Johnson City?
The BLS median is $23.04 an hour in the Johnson City area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.81 to $26.92.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in Johnson City?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $2,700 to $4,400 and premium work $5,250 to $6,950. Basic means: pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft. Premium means: premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence.
+Is there a bad season to install a wood fence in Johnson City?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
+What does "add one gate" add in Johnson City?
$130 to $710, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence near Johnson City
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