Wood fence cost in Brownsville, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $2,400 – $6,300
- Per linear ft
- $16 – $41
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −18%
- US $5,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #300
- 1 = most expensive
Brownsville homeowners pay roughly $2,400 to $6,300 to install a wood fence at 150 linear ft, or $16 to $41 per linear ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Brownsville is 18% lower. Carpenters earn a median of $17.13 an hour in the Brownsville area, 41% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Brownsville, TX, standard level
$3,600 to $5,150
About $23.50 to $33.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 34% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,250 | $3,400 |
| Labor | $1,250 | $1,650 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $100 |
| Total | $3,600 | $5,150 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Brownsville, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,400 | $2,800 | $4,200 | 65% |
| Labor | $980 | $1,450 | $1,950 | 34% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $80 | $130 | 2% |
| Total | $2,400 | $4,350 | $6,300 | 100% |
Where the Brownsville 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 $17.13 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Brownsville is 0.65 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 34% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Brownsville metro is 93.8 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 150 linear ft comes to $2,800, compared with $3,000 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (86.0) and land at $35 to $130.
Related projects, priced for Brownsville
Because every project leans on different trades, Brownsville's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, vinyl fence runs −12% and chain-link fence −22%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,050 – $7,950 | −12% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,300 – $4,700 | −22% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,200 – $9,800 | −14% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,050 – $12,100 | −20% |
Brownsville against nearby metros and the rest of Texas
Same job, same size (150 linear ft), priced for the nearest metros. Austin is the priciest of the group at $4,850.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville, TXthis page | $2,400 – $6,300 | $4,350 | |
| McAllen, TX50 miles | $2,500 – $6,450 | $4,500 | +3% |
| Corpus Christi, TX125 miles | $2,700 – $6,850 | $4,750 | +9% |
| Laredo, TX160 miles | $2,500 – $6,450 | $4,450 | +2% |
| San Antonio, TX240 miles | $2,650 – $6,800 | $4,750 | +9% |
| Austin, TX285 miles | $2,750 – $7,000 | $4,850 | +12% |
| Texas (statewide) | $2,750 – $7,050 | $4,900 | +12% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | +23% |
Across 300 US metros, Brownsville comes in at #300 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $7,050; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $4,350 (midpoints, 150 linear ft). Statewide, Brownsville is 11% below the Texas figure.
Other Texas metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $2,850 – $7,350 | $5,100 | +17% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $2,800 – $7,200 | $5,000 | +15% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $2,750 – $7,000 | $4,850 | +12% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $2,650 – $6,800 | $4,750 | +9% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $2,550 – $6,500 | $4,550 | +4% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $2,500 – $6,450 | $4,500 | +3% |
Cities with a workforce like Brownsville's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Brownsville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eugene, OR | 157,710 jobs | $3,150 – $7,950 | $5,550 | +27% |
| Hickory, NC | 154,090 jobs | $2,750 – $7,050 | $4,900 | +13% |
| Gulfport, MS | 158,310 jobs | $2,700 – $6,900 | $4,800 | +10% |
| Roanoke, VA | 153,980 jobs | $2,650 – $6,850 | $4,750 | +9% |
Extras that change the Brownsville total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Brownsville by the average of the local wage index (0.65) and goods index (0.94), a factor of 0.79. 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) | $120 – $640 |
Why two Brownsville quotes can differ
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.
When to schedule wood fence in Brownsville
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Brownsville (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
October through April is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Brownsville (7 of 12 months). May, June, July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Brownsville gets about 27 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, September and October (5.7 inches in September). Inside the workable window, January and February are the driest, at 1.1 and 1.0 inches. The station averages about 140 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 | 73 | 53 | 1.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 76 | 57 | 1.0 | Workable |
| Mar | 81 | 62 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 86 | 68 | 1.5 | Workable |
| May | 90 | 74 | 2.2 | Hot |
| Jun | 94 | 77 | 2.9 | Hot |
| Jul | 95 | 78 | 2.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 96 | 78 | 2.2 | Hot |
| Sep | 92 | 75 | 5.7 | Hot |
| Oct | 87 | 69 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 80 | 61 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 74 | 55 | 1.2 | Workable |
Cost by quality level and size in Brownsville
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Brownsville 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
$2,400 to $3,950
Pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft
Standard
$3,600 to $5,150
6-ft cedar or treated privacy fence
Premium
$4,750 to $6,300
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $1,600 – $2,650 | $2,400 – $3,450 | $3,200 – $4,250 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $2,400 – $3,950 | $3,600 – $5,150 | $4,750 – $6,300 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $3,200 – $5,250 | $4,750 – $6,800 | $6,300 – $8,350 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $4,800 – $7,850 | $7,100 – $10,200 | $9,400 – $12,500 |
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 Brownsville is 0.65 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 60%) the local median is $17.13 an hour, which is 41% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $11.25 and $22.26 an hour. BLS counts 250 of them working in the area, 15.9 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 $16.90 an hour, 25% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $14.33 and $18.88 an hour. About 460 work in the metro. That is 29.2 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 ($22.26 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $240. At the 25th percentile ($11.25) it shrinks by about $270. The total moves by 5.5% or 6.3%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 157,450 jobs in the Brownsville-Harlingen area. That makes it the 151st largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.10% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 60% | $11.25 | $17.13 | $22.26 | $29.12 | 0.59 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $14.33 | $16.90 | $18.88 | $22.66 | 0.75 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.65 | |||||
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Wood fence in Brownsville: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in Brownsville?
For 150 linear ft, expect $2,400 to $6,300 in the Brownsville area. A standard-spec job lands at $3,600 to $5,150. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for wood fence in Brownsville?
About $16 to $41 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 Brownsville or McAllen?
McAllen is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $4,500, which is 3% more than Brownsville ($4,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Brownsville?
About 34% at the midpoint, or $1,450 out of $4,350. Materials are 65% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Brownsville?
$3,200 to $8,350. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood fence need a permit in Brownsville?
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 Brownsville area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Brownsville expensive for wood fence compared with the rest of Texas?
Brownsville is 11% below the Texas statewide estimate ($4,900 at the midpoint). We cover 21 metros in Texas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Brownsville?
The BLS median is $17.13 an hour in the Brownsville area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $11.25 to $22.26.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in Brownsville?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $2,400 to $3,950 and premium work $4,750 to $6,300. 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 Brownsville?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through April. January and February 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 Brownsville?
$120 to $640, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence near Brownsville
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