Wood fence cost in Olympia, WA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $3,250 – $8,100
- Per linear ft
- $21.50 – $53
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +6%
- US $5,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #46
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a wood fence in Olympia, plan on $3,250 to $8,100 for 150 linear ft, all in. Per linear ft, that is $21.50 to $53 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 6% higher than the national one. Carpenters earn a median of $30.41 an hour in the Olympia area, 4% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Olympia, WA, standard level
$4,700 to $6,650
About $31 to $43.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 43% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,500 | $3,800 |
| Labor | $2,100 | $2,750 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $120 |
| Total | $4,700 | $6,650 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Olympia, WA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,600 | $3,150 | $4,750 | 56% |
| Labor | $1,600 | $2,400 | $3,250 | 43% |
| Permits and fees | $40 | $100 | $160 | 2% |
| Total | $3,250 | $5,650 | $8,100 | 100% |
Where the Olympia price comes from
Labor is 43% of the midpoint bill here, against 42% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is carpenters (60%), construction laborers (40%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Olympia the blended ratio comes out at 1.08.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Olympia metro is 105.0 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 150 linear ft comes to $3,150, compared with $3,000 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (103.7) and land at $40 to $160.
Climate in Olympia: timing your wood fence job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Olympia Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
Weather is not a serious constraint for exterior installation in Olympia: 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.
Olympia gets about 51 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 4 inches of snow. The wettest months are January, November and December (8.2 inches in November). The station averages about 7 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 | 46 | 33 | 7.8 | Workable |
| Feb | 49 | 32 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 54 | 35 | 5.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 59 | 38 | 3.7 | Workable |
| May | 66 | 43 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 71 | 47 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Jul | 78 | 51 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 78 | 51 | 1.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 72 | 46 | 2.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 60 | 41 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 51 | 36 | 8.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 45 | 33 | 7.8 | Workable |
Specs and site conditions that change a Olympia bid
Slope and soil
Hills, rock, and tree roots slow post digging.
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).
Cost by quality level and size in Olympia
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Olympia 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
$3,250 to $5,200
Pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft
Standard
$4,700 to $6,650
6-ft cedar or treated privacy fence
Premium
$6,150 to $8,100
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $2,150 – $3,500 | $3,150 – $4,450 | $4,150 – $5,450 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $3,250 – $5,200 | $4,700 – $6,650 | $6,150 – $8,100 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $4,300 – $6,900 | $6,250 – $8,800 | $8,200 – $10,800 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $6,400 – $10,300 | $9,300 – $13,200 | $12,200 – $16,100 |
Olympia 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 Olympia is 1.08 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 60%) the local median is $30.41 an hour, which is 4% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $28.58 and $36.82 an hour. BLS counts 800 of them working in the area, 61.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 40% of the weighting: a median of $25.52 an hour, 13% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.90 and $33.85 an hour. About 730 work in the metro. That is 56.0 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 ($36.82 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $300. At the 25th percentile ($28.58) it shrinks by about $85. The total moves by 5.2% or 1.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 130,300 jobs in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater area. That makes it the 167th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.08% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 60% | $28.58 | $30.41 | $36.82 | $29.12 | 1.04 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $21.90 | $25.52 | $33.85 | $22.66 | 1.13 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.08 | |||||
How Olympia 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 $5,600 to $6,050 across Olympia and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia, WAthis page | $3,250 – $8,100 | $5,650 | |
| Bremerton, WA50 miles | $3,300 – $8,200 | $5,750 | +1% |
| Seattle, WA60 miles | $3,500 – $8,650 | $6,050 | +7% |
| Portland, OR95 miles | $3,400 – $8,450 | $5,950 | +5% |
| Yakima, WA105 miles | $3,200 – $8,000 | $5,600 | −2% |
| Bellingham, WA140 miles | $3,450 – $8,550 | $6,000 | +6% |
| Washington (statewide) | $3,450 – $8,550 | $6,000 | +6% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | −6% |
Across 300 US metros, Olympia comes in at #46 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $7,050; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $4,350 (midpoints, 150 linear ft). Statewide, Olympia is 5% below the Washington figure.
Other Washington metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | 2,086,210 jobs | $3,500 – $8,650 | $6,050 | +7% |
| Spokane, WA | 255,820 jobs | $3,200 – $8,000 | $5,600 | −1% |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $3,250 – $8,200 | $5,700 | +1% |
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $3,200 – $8,000 | $5,600 | −2% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $3,300 – $8,200 | $5,750 | +1% |
| Bellingham, WA | 91,390 jobs | $3,450 – $8,550 | $6,000 | +6% |
Cities with a workforce like Olympia's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Olympia against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | 131,430 jobs | $2,750 – $7,000 | $4,850 | −14% |
| Waco, TX | 129,860 jobs | $2,650 – $6,700 | $4,650 | −18% |
| South Bend, IN | 131,670 jobs | $3,000 – $7,500 | $5,250 | −7% |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $3,250 – $8,200 | $5,700 | +1% |
What nearby projects cost in Olympia
Because every project leans on different trades, Olympia's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, aluminum fence runs +10% and wood deck +5%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,800 – $9,700 | +6% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,650 – $6,650 | +8% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $4,200 – $12,500 | +10% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,950 – $16,000 | +5% |
Add-ons priced for Olympia
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Olympia by the average of the local wage index (1.08) and goods index (1.05), a factor of 1.06. 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) | $160 – $850 |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $4,700 to $6,650 for Olympia, WA is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Olympia, WA: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. 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 Olympia: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in Olympia?
For 150 linear ft, expect $3,250 to $8,100 in the Olympia area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,700 to $6,650. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for wood fence in Olympia?
About $21.50 to $53 per linear ft for materials and labor, plus $40 to $160 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $20 to $50.
+Is wood fence cheaper in Olympia or Bremerton?
Bremerton is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $5,750, which is 1% more than Olympia ($5,650). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Olympia?
About 43% at the midpoint, or $2,400 out of $5,650. Materials are 56% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Olympia?
$4,300 to $10,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood fence need a permit in Olympia?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $40 to $160 for fees in the Olympia area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Olympia expensive for wood fence compared with the rest of Washington?
Olympia is 5% below the Washington statewide estimate ($6,000 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Washington; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Olympia?
The BLS median is $30.41 an hour in the Olympia area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.58 to $36.82.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in Olympia?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $3,250 to $5,200 and premium work $6,150 to $8,100. 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 Olympia?
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 Olympia?
$160 to $850, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence near Olympia
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