Wood fence cost in McAllen, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $2,500 – $6,450
- Per linear ft
- $16.50 – $42
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −16%
- US $5,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #298
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a wood fence in the McAllen area: $2,500 to $6,450 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 runs 16% lower than the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $19.97 an hour in the McAllen area, 31% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in McAllen, TX, standard level
$3,700 to $5,250
About $24 to $34.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 35% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,250 | $3,400 |
| Labor | $1,350 | $1,800 |
| Permits and fees | $65 | $100 |
| Total | $3,700 | $5,250 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in McAllen, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,400 | $2,800 | $4,200 | 63% |
| Labor | $1,050 | $1,600 | $2,100 | 35% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $80 | $130 | 2% |
| Total | $2,500 | $4,500 | $6,450 | 100% |
What is behind the McAllen number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 60%, construction laborers at 40%. Weighted together, McAllen wages are 0.70 times the national level. Labor makes up about 35% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. McAllen is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,000 nationally becomes $2,800 here (midpoint, 150 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 85.9: $35 to $130.
Add-ons priced for McAllen
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.82 for McAllen, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.70) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $120 – $660 |
McAllen 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. Brownsville is the cheapest at $4,350.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen, TXthis page | $2,500 – $6,450 | $4,500 | |
| Brownsville, TX50 miles | $2,400 – $6,300 | $4,350 | −3% |
| Corpus Christi, TX115 miles | $2,700 – $6,850 | $4,750 | +6% |
| Laredo, TX120 miles | $2,500 – $6,450 | $4,450 | level |
| San Antonio, TX210 miles | $2,650 – $6,800 | $4,750 | +6% |
| Austin, TX270 miles | $2,750 – $7,000 | $4,850 | +9% |
| Texas (statewide) | $2,750 – $7,050 | $4,900 | +9% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | +19% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, McAllen ranks #298 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, McAllen is 9% below the Texas figure.
Elsewhere in Texas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $2,850 – $7,350 | $5,100 | +14% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $2,800 – $7,200 | $5,000 | +12% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $2,750 – $7,000 | $4,850 | +9% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $2,650 – $6,800 | $4,750 | +6% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $2,550 – $6,500 | $4,550 | +1% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $2,700 – $6,850 | $4,750 | +6% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is McAllen against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse, NY | 300,130 jobs | $3,100 – $7,750 | $5,400 | +21% |
| Toledo, OH | 291,530 jobs | $3,000 – $7,450 | $5,250 | +17% |
| Provo, UT | 304,660 jobs | $2,850 – $7,250 | $5,050 | +13% |
| Stockton, CA | 289,660 jobs | $3,400 – $8,400 | $5,900 | +32% |
Who does the work: McAllen 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 McAllen the blend is 0.70.
Carpenters (47-2031), 60% of the weighting: a median of $19.97 an hour, 31% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $17.40 and $21.94 an hour. About 310 work in the metro. That is 10.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 40%) the local median is $16.57 an hour, which is 27% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $14.08 and $18.08 an hour. BLS counts 1,360 of them working in the area, 45.8 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 $90 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $120. That is a swing of roughly 2.7% to 2.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission has 296,700 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 86th 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% | $17.40 | $19.97 | $21.94 | $29.12 | 0.69 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $14.08 | $16.57 | $18.08 | $22.66 | 0.73 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.70 | |||||
The best months for wood fence in McAllen
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Mcallen Miller Intl Ap (5 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 McAllen are October through April: 7 of 12. Outside them, May, June, July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
McAllen gets about 22 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, September and October (4.6 inches in September). Inside the workable window, January and February are the driest, at 0.8 and 0.7 inches. The station averages about 177 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 | 73 | 53 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Feb | 77 | 57 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Mar | 83 | 63 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 88 | 68 | 1.4 | Workable |
| May | 93 | 74 | 2.0 | Hot |
| Jun | 97 | 78 | 3.0 | Hot |
| Jul | 99 | 79 | 2.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 100 | 79 | 1.8 | Hot |
| Sep | 94 | 76 | 4.6 | Hot |
| Oct | 89 | 69 | 2.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 80 | 60 | 1.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 74 | 54 | 1.1 | Workable |
Why two McAllen 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.
Cost by quality level and size in McAllen
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to McAllen. 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
$2,500 to $4,100
Pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft
Standard
$3,700 to $5,250
6-ft cedar or treated privacy fence
Premium
$4,850 to $6,450
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $1,700 – $2,750 | $2,500 – $3,550 | $3,300 – $4,350 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $2,500 – $4,100 | $3,700 – $5,250 | $4,850 – $6,450 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $3,300 – $5,400 | $4,900 – $7,000 | $6,450 – $8,550 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $4,950 – $8,100 | $7,300 – $10,400 | $9,650 – $12,800 |
Planning more than one job in McAllen?
Jobs that often go together with wood fence are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same McAllen wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, vinyl fence comes out highest (−11%) and chain-link fence lowest (−20%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,100 – $8,050 | −11% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,300 – $4,850 | −20% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,200 – $9,850 | −14% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,250 – $12,600 | −17% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Wood fence in McAllen: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in McAllen?
For 150 linear ft, expect $2,500 to $6,450 in the McAllen area. A standard-spec job lands at $3,700 to $5,250. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for wood fence in McAllen?
About $16.50 to $42 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 McAllen or Brownsville?
Brownsville is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $4,350, which is 3% less than McAllen ($4,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in McAllen?
About 35% at the midpoint, or $1,600 out of $4,500. Materials are 63% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in McAllen?
$3,300 to $8,550. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood fence need a permit in McAllen?
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 McAllen area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is McAllen expensive for wood fence compared with the rest of Texas?
McAllen is 9% 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 McAllen?
The BLS median is $19.97 an hour in the McAllen area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.40 to $21.94.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in McAllen?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $2,500 to $4,100 and premium work $4,850 to $6,450. 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 McAllen?
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 McAllen?
$120 to $660, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence near McAllen
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