Your project
Every material’s total updates live for your length and state. Bars show relative cost. Click through to each material’s full calculator for options like height, gates, and removal.
All materials, your yard
Ranges shown are installed totals at 2026 rates: 4 ft chain link · 6 ft privacy heights for wood/vinyl/composite · 4–5 ft for aluminum/steel.
Fence cost per foot in 2026 — every material
Fencing prices span a 6× range depending on material. At the bottom, chain link runs $12–$22 per linear foot installed; at the top, wrought iron and steel reach $60–$100+. The most-installed residential fence in America — 6-foot wood privacy — sits at $18–$35. Labor is 40–50% of every installed price regardless of material, which is why per-foot costs swing 25%+ between states and why the calculator above adjusts for yours.
Cost per linear foot by material (installed, 2026)
| Material | Per foot | 150 ft total | Lifespan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chain link (4 ft) | $12 – $22 | $1,800 – $3,300 | 25+ yrs | Pets, budget containment |
| Ranch rail vinyl | $15 – $25 | $2,250 – $3,750 | 25+ yrs | Large lots, acreage |
| Wood privacy (PT pine) | $18 – $28 | $2,700 – $4,200 | 15–20 yrs | Value privacy |
| Cedar privacy | $25 – $40 | $3,750 – $6,000 | 20–30 yrs | Looks + longevity |
| Vinyl privacy | $28 – $45 | $4,200 – $6,800 | 25–35 yrs | Zero maintenance |
| Composite | $30 – $50 | $4,500 – $7,500 | 25–30 yrs | Modern designs |
| Aluminum (4–5 ft) | $30 – $55 | $4,500 – $8,300 | 30+ yrs | Pools, ornamental |
| Steel / wrought iron | $60 – $100+ | $9,000 – $15,000+ | 50+ yrs | Security, estate looks |
The three questions that pick your material
1. Do you need privacy or just a boundary? Boundary-only cuts your cost in half — chain link, ranch rail, or aluminum all work. Privacy forces you into the $18+ tier. 2. How long will you own the home? Under 5 years favors the cheapest acceptable option (pine, chain link); 10+ years favors vinyl or cedar, whose lower upkeep wins the long game. 3. What’s your maintenance honesty level? If you know you won’t stain a fence every 2–3 years, don’t buy the material that requires it — a neglected pine fence looks worse at year 6 than chain link ever does.
Getting quotes: what to expect
Fence bids for identical specs commonly vary 25–35% between contractors — the widest spread of any common home project — because crews price by how busy they are. Get three quotes, ask each to itemize gates and removal separately, and get the post depth and concrete-per-post spec in writing (30–36 inches and a 50–60 lb bag minimum for privacy fence; it’s where corner-cutters cut). Booking in late fall or winter often earns a 10–15% discount in northern states.