Wood fence cost in Eau Claire, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (150 linear ft)
- $3,050 – $7,600
- Per linear ft
- $20 – $49.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $5,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #106
- 1 = most expensive
A wood fence in Eau Claire, WI usually costs $3,050 to $7,600 for 150 linear ft. That works out to about $20 to $49.50 per linear ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 93.8).
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Estimated cost for 150 linear ft in Eau Claire, WI, standard level
$4,400 to $6,250
About $29 to $41 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,250 | $3,400 |
| Labor | $2,100 | $2,750 |
| Permits and fees | $70 | $110 |
| Total | $4,400 | $6,250 |
Cost breakdown for 150 linear ft in Eau Claire, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,400 | $2,800 | $4,200 | 53% |
| Labor | $1,600 | $2,450 | $3,250 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $35 | $90 | $140 | 2% |
| Total | $3,050 | $5,350 | $7,600 | 100% |
What is behind the Eau Claire number
Labor is 46% 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 Eau Claire the blended ratio comes out at 1.08.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Eau Claire 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 92.8: $35 to $140.
Extras that change the Eau Claire total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.01 for Eau Claire, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.08) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add one gate (flat) | $150 – $810 |
Cost by quality level and size in Eau Claire
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Eau Claire. 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
$3,050 to $4,900
Pine pickets or split rail, 4 ft
Standard
$4,400 to $6,250
6-ft cedar or treated privacy fence
Premium
$5,800 to $7,600
Premium hardwood or 8-ft privacy fence
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| backyard (100 linear ft) | $2,050 – $3,300 | $2,950 – $4,200 | $3,900 – $5,100 |
| 150 ft (150 linear ft) | $3,050 – $4,900 | $4,400 – $6,250 | $5,800 – $7,600 |
| 200 ft (200 linear ft) | $4,050 – $6,500 | $5,900 – $8,300 | $7,700 – $10,100 |
| full lot (300 linear ft) | $6,100 – $9,700 | $8,800 – $12,400 | $11,500 – $15,100 |
Related projects, priced for Eau Claire
Jobs that often go together with wood fence are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Eau Claire wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, chain-link fence comes out highest (+5%) and vinyl fence lowest (−3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl fence | 150 linear ft | $4,400 – $8,950 | −3% |
| Chain-link fence | 150 linear ft | $1,550 – $6,550 | +5% |
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,850 – $11,400 | level |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,400 – $14,800 | −2% |
What local crews earn in Eau Claire
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 Eau Claire the blend is 1.08.
Carpenters (47-2031), 60% of the weighting: a median of $28.41 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.39 and $38.28 an hour. About 360 work in the metro. That is 41.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 40%) the local median is $28.00 an hour, which is 24% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.33 and $36.35 an hour. BLS counts 640 of them working in the area, 74.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $460 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $230. That is a swing of roughly 4.4% to 8.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Eau Claire has 86,060 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 226th 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% | $23.39 | $28.41 | $38.28 | $29.12 | 0.98 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $22.33 | $28.00 | $36.35 | $22.66 | 1.24 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.08 | |||||
Eau Claire weather and the wood fence calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Eau Claire Rgnl 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 Eau Claire are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February, March, November and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Eau Claire gets about 33 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 55 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (4.8 inches in June). Inside the workable window, April and October are the driest, at 3.1 and 2.5 inches. The station averages about 10 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 | 23 | 6 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Feb | 28 | 9 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 41 | 21 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Apr | 57 | 33 | 3.1 | Workable |
| May | 70 | 45 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 79 | 56 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 83 | 60 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 80 | 58 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 72 | 49 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Oct | 58 | 37 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 42 | 25 | 1.8 | Cold |
| Dec | 29 | 13 | 1.4 | Cold |
How Eau Claire compares
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Eau Claire. Wausau is the lowest at about $5,000 (midpoint, 150 linear ft), 75 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire, WIthis page | $3,050 – $7,600 | $5,350 | |
| Wausau, WI75 miles | $2,850 – $7,200 | $5,000 | −6% |
| Rochester, MN85 miles | $3,150 – $7,850 | $5,500 | +3% |
| La Crosse, WI85 miles | $3,050 – $7,600 | $5,350 | level |
| Minneapolis, MN100 miles | $3,500 – $8,550 | $6,050 | +13% |
| Oshkosh, WI140 miles | $3,350 – $8,150 | $5,750 | +8% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $3,100 – $7,650 | $5,350 | +1% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,650 | $5,350 | level |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Eau Claire ranks #106 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Eau Claire is 1% below the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $3,150 – $7,750 | $5,450 | +2% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $3,100 – $7,700 | $5,400 | +1% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | −1% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $3,150 – $7,700 | $5,450 | +2% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $3,350 – $8,150 | $5,750 | +8% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $3,050 – $7,600 | $5,350 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Eau Claire against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $2,650 – $6,850 | $4,750 | −11% |
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $2,750 – $7,000 | $4,900 | −8% |
| Joplin, MO | 87,190 jobs | $2,800 – $7,100 | $4,950 | −7% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $3,050 – $7,600 | $5,350 | level |
Why two Eau Claire quotes can differ
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).
Get 3 local quotes
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Wood fence in Eau Claire: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a wood fence in Eau Claire?
For 150 linear ft, expect $3,050 to $7,600 in the Eau Claire area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,400 to $6,250. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for wood fence in Eau Claire?
About $20 to $49.50 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 Eau Claire or Wausau?
Wausau is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 150 linear ft there is $5,000, which is 6% less than Eau Claire ($5,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Eau Claire?
About 46% at the midpoint, or $2,450 out of $5,350. Materials are 53% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 200 ft (200 linear ft) cost in Eau Claire?
$4,050 to $10,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood fence need a permit in Eau Claire?
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 Eau Claire area (our national range of $40 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Eau Claire expensive for wood fence compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Eau Claire is 1% below the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($5,350 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Eau Claire?
The BLS median is $28.41 an hour in the Eau Claire area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.39 to $38.28.
+What do basic and premium wood fence work cost in Eau Claire?
For 150 linear ft, basic work runs $3,050 to $4,900 and premium work $5,800 to $7,600. 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 Eau Claire?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. April 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 Eau Claire?
$150 to $810, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood fence near Eau Claire
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