Cost to install fence: what owners paid in 2023
Fences and walls share this category. It is not a cost per foot for a selected fence system.
The table shows the 2023 American Housing Survey’s median spending for owner-occupied homes. Projects were completed in the two years before interview; these figures are not current contractor prices.
National median for this survey category
$2,300
This historical median describes the category above, across different project sizes and scopes. It does not price a matching job at your address.
Material price trends, separate from your quote
These U.S. producer indexes track material prices over time. They are not store prices, labor rates or local installed costs. We do not use them to increase a historical project median.
Lumber
+7.6% from August 2025 to August 2026. Latest observation is preliminary and may be revised.
| Period | Index level, not dollars |
|---|---|
| August 2025 | 266.293 |
| August 2026 | 286.633 |
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Updated . Use your quoted unit price in the material calculator; delivery, tax, preparation and labor remain separate.
| Metro area | 2023 median | Publication state |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | $4,800 | Published |
| Los Angeles | Not published | Withheld by Census |
| Chicago | $2,500 | Published |
| Dallas | $2,300 | Published |
| Houston | $2,000 | Published |
| Philadelphia | $2,500 | Published |
| Washington DC | $3,000 | Published |
| Miami | Not published | Withheld by Census |
| Atlanta | $3,300 | Published |
| Boston | $4,109 | Published |
| San Francisco | $3,000 | Published |
| Phoenix | Not published | Withheld by Census |
| Riverside | $2,796 | Published |
| Detroit | $2,500 | Published |
| Seattle | Not published | Withheld by Census |
Keep the category’s limits in view
The source category is “Fencing/walls” under “Lot or Yard Additions and Replacements.” A median describes the middle of reported spending; it is not an average bid, a recommended budget or a standardized job.
Missing or withheld values stay unknown. They are not zero and are not filled using neighboring metros. The survey’s metro names and boundaries are retained; no county or ZIP estimate is inferred.
Before comparing your quotes
Do quotes use the same runs, gates, height, ground assumptions and removal scope?
Use the quantity calculator to record the measurements. Keep the actual quotes in the project’s comparison worksheet.