Regional cost data · 51 markets

Retaining Wall cost by state

What a retaining wall costs per square foot installed, across all 50 states and DC. The US baseline is $30, but the spread from the cheapest market to the priciest is about 61% — so where you live changes the budget more than almost any other single factor.

Reviewed by The CostToUpgrade Estimating Desk Last reviewed June 2026 How we estimate

US national average

$30

per square foot installed

Most expensive: $41HI
Least expensive: $25MS
Top-to-bottom spread: 61%

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Planning estimates, not quotes. Confirm locally.

Cost by region

Regional averages smooth out single-state noise and show the broad pattern.

Northeast

$34

+12% vs national · 9 states

Midwest

$28

-5% vs national · 12 states

South

$28

-7% vs national · 17 states

West

$32

+7% vs national · 13 states

What that means for a real project

National-average pricing applied to common project sizes:

Project size	US average range
Compact 120 ft²	$3,168 – $4,032
Typical 300 ft²	$7,920 – $10,080
Large 600 ft²	$15,840 – $20,160

Every state, ranked

All 50 states plus DC. The typical-project column applies each state's unit price to a 300 ft² job.

Retaining Wall cost per square foot installed by US state
State	Region	Unit price	vs US avg	300 ft² project
Alabama	South	$26	-14%	$6,810–$8,670
Alaska	West	$38	+28%	$10,137–$12,903
Arizona	West	$29	-3%	$7,683–$9,777
Arkansas	South	$26	-15%	$6,732–$8,568
California	West	$39	+30%	$10,296–$13,104
Colorado	West	$31	+4%	$8,238–$10,482
Connecticut	Northeast	$35	+16%	$9,186–$11,694
Delaware	South	$31	+2%	$8,079–$10,281
District of Columbia	South	$37	+22%	$9,663–$12,297
Florida	South	$29	-4%	$7,602–$9,678
Georgia	South	$27	-10%	$7,128–$9,072
Hawaii	West	$41	+35%	$10,692–$13,608
Idaho	West	$29	-5%	$7,524–$9,576
Illinois	Midwest	$32	+8%	$8,553–$10,887
Indiana	Midwest	$28	-7%	$7,365–$9,375
Iowa	Midwest	$28	-8%	$7,287–$9,273
Kansas	Midwest	$27	-11%	$7,050–$8,970
Kentucky	South	$26	-12%	$6,969–$8,871
Louisiana	South	$26	-12%	$6,969–$8,871
Maine	Northeast	$31	+3%	$8,157–$10,383
Maryland	South	$32	+7%	$8,475–$10,785
Massachusetts	Northeast	$36	+21%	$9,582–$12,198
Michigan	Midwest	$29	-5%	$7,524–$9,576
Minnesota	Midwest	$31	+2%	$8,079–$10,281
Mississippi	South	$25	-16%	$6,654–$8,466
Missouri	Midwest	$27	-10%	$7,128–$9,072
Montana	West	$29	-4%	$7,602–$9,678
Nebraska	Midwest	$27	-10%	$7,128–$9,072
Nevada	West	$31	+3%	$8,157–$10,383
New Hampshire	Northeast	$32	+6%	$8,394–$10,686
New Jersey	Northeast	$35	+15%	$9,108–$11,592
New Mexico	West	$27	-9%	$7,206–$9,174
New York	Northeast	$37	+24%	$9,822–$12,498
North Carolina	South	$27	-11%	$7,050–$8,970
North Dakota	Midwest	$28	-6%	$7,446–$9,474
Ohio	Midwest	$28	-6%	$7,446–$9,474
Oklahoma	South	$26	-14%	$6,810–$8,670
Oregon	West	$32	+8%	$8,553–$10,887
Pennsylvania	Northeast	$31	+2%	$8,079–$10,281
Rhode Island	Northeast	$34	+13%	$8,949–$11,391
South Carolina	South	$26	-12%	$6,969–$8,871
South Dakota	Midwest	$27	-10%	$7,128–$9,072
Tennessee	South	$27	-11%	$7,050–$8,970
Texas	South	$28	-7%	$7,365–$9,375
Utah	West	$29	-2%	$7,761–$9,879
Vermont	Northeast	$32	+5%	$8,316–$10,584
Virginia	South	$29	-2%	$7,761–$9,879
Washington	West	$34	+12%	$8,871–$11,289
West Virginia	South	$27	-10%	$7,128–$9,072
Wisconsin	Midwest	$29	-3%	$7,683–$9,777
Wyoming	West	$28	-7%	$7,365–$9,375

Unit prices are the national baseline scaled by each state's relative construction cost index. Project totals apply a ±12% band to reflect normal quote variation.

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How we build these numbers

We start from a US national baseline of $30 per square foot installed and multiply it by each state's relative construction cost index, where 1.00 is the national average. Those indices are directional — they capture broad differences in trade wages, material freight, and permitting overhead, not street-level pricing.

The ±12% band on every figure is deliberate. It reflects the range we would expect between a competitive bid and a premium one for the same scope in the same market. If a quote lands far outside that band in either direction, the scope is probably different from what you think it is — that is worth a conversation before it is worth a signature.

Full detail on sources, review cadence, and what these estimates deliberately exclude is on our methodology page.

Retaining Wall cost by state: FAQ

How much does a retaining wall cost on average in the US?

The national baseline we use is $30 per square foot installed. Applied to a typical typical project of 300 ft², that works out to roughly $7,920–$10,080 in materials at the unit shown. Labor, delivery, tax, and site prep sit on top unless the unit label says "installed."

Which states are most and least expensive for a retaining wall?

The five priciest markets in our index are Hawaii, California, Alaska, New York, District of Columbia — Hawaii runs about $41 per square foot installed. The five cheapest are Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, South Carolina, with Mississippi near $25. Top to bottom that is a spread of roughly 61%, which is why a national average alone is a poor budgeting tool.

Why does the same project cost so much more in some states?

Four things move the number: prevailing wage rates for the trades, freight distance from the nearest supplier or plant, permitting and inspection overhead, and local demand. Labor is usually the biggest lever — in high-wage metros it can be well over half the installed price. Freight matters most for heavy, low-value materials like concrete, gravel, and block, where hauling costs rival the material itself.

Are these numbers quotes?

No. They are directional planning figures built from a national baseline and a relative state cost index, and they are deliberately shown as ranges. Use them to sanity-check a bid or set a budget, not to negotiate a contract. Two contractors in the same ZIP code can legitimately differ by 20–30% based on crew size, backlog, and scope assumptions.

How do I get a number for my specific project?

Run the Retaining Wall Calculator with your own dimensions and your local unit price. The calculator does the quantity math exactly; this page just tells you what unit price is realistic where you live. Together they give you a defensible budget before you call anyone.