Regional cost data · 51 markets

Sod cost by state

What sod costs per pallet delivered, across all 50 states and DC. The US baseline is $185, 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

$185

per pallet delivered

Most expensive: $250HI
Least expensive: $155MS
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

$207

+12% vs national · 9 states

Midwest

$175

-5% vs national · 12 states

South

$172

-7% vs national · 17 states

West

$198

+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
Small 1 units	$163 – $207
Medium 10 units	$1,628 – $2,072
Large 100 units	$16,280 – $20,720

Every state, ranked

All 50 states plus DC. The typical-project column applies each state's unit price to a 10 units job.

Sod cost per pallet delivered by US state
State	Region	Unit price	vs US avg	10 units project
Alabama	South	$159	-14%	$1,400–$1,782
Alaska	West	$237	+28%	$2,084–$2,652
Arizona	West	$179	-3%	$1,579–$2,010
Arkansas	South	$157	-15%	$1,384–$1,761
California	West	$241	+30%	$2,116–$2,694
Colorado	West	$192	+4%	$1,693–$2,155
Connecticut	Northeast	$215	+16%	$1,889–$2,404
Delaware	South	$189	+2%	$1,661–$2,113
District of Columbia	South	$226	+22%	$1,986–$2,528
Florida	South	$178	-4%	$1,563–$1,989
Georgia	South	$167	-10%	$1,465–$1,865
Hawaii	West	$250	+35%	$2,198–$2,797
Idaho	West	$176	-5%	$1,547–$1,968
Illinois	Midwest	$200	+8%	$1,758–$2,238
Indiana	Midwest	$172	-7%	$1,514–$1,927
Iowa	Midwest	$170	-8%	$1,498–$1,906
Kansas	Midwest	$165	-11%	$1,449–$1,844
Kentucky	South	$163	-12%	$1,433–$1,823
Louisiana	South	$163	-12%	$1,433–$1,823
Maine	Northeast	$191	+3%	$1,677–$2,134
Maryland	South	$198	+7%	$1,742–$2,217
Massachusetts	Northeast	$224	+21%	$1,970–$2,507
Michigan	Midwest	$176	-5%	$1,547–$1,968
Minnesota	Midwest	$189	+2%	$1,661–$2,113
Mississippi	South	$155	-16%	$1,368–$1,741
Missouri	Midwest	$167	-10%	$1,465–$1,865
Montana	West	$178	-4%	$1,563–$1,989
Nebraska	Midwest	$167	-10%	$1,465–$1,865
Nevada	West	$191	+3%	$1,677–$2,134
New Hampshire	Northeast	$196	+6%	$1,726–$2,196
New Jersey	Northeast	$213	+15%	$1,872–$2,383
New Mexico	West	$168	-9%	$1,482–$1,886
New York	Northeast	$229	+24%	$2,019–$2,569
North Carolina	South	$165	-11%	$1,449–$1,844
North Dakota	Midwest	$174	-6%	$1,530–$1,948
Ohio	Midwest	$174	-6%	$1,530–$1,948
Oklahoma	South	$159	-14%	$1,400–$1,782
Oregon	West	$200	+8%	$1,758–$2,238
Pennsylvania	Northeast	$189	+2%	$1,661–$2,113
Rhode Island	Northeast	$209	+13%	$1,840–$2,341
South Carolina	South	$163	-12%	$1,433–$1,823
South Dakota	Midwest	$167	-10%	$1,465–$1,865
Tennessee	South	$165	-11%	$1,449–$1,844
Texas	South	$172	-7%	$1,514–$1,927
Utah	West	$181	-2%	$1,595–$2,031
Vermont	Northeast	$194	+5%	$1,709–$2,176
Virginia	South	$181	-2%	$1,595–$2,031
Washington	West	$207	+12%	$1,823–$2,321
West Virginia	South	$167	-10%	$1,465–$1,865
Wisconsin	Midwest	$179	-3%	$1,579–$2,010
Wyoming	West	$172	-7%	$1,514–$1,927

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 $185 per pallet delivered 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.

Sod cost by state: FAQ

How much does sod cost on average in the US?

The national baseline we use is $185 per pallet delivered. Applied to a typical medium project of 10 units, that works out to roughly $1,628–$2,072 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 sod?

The five priciest markets in our index are Hawaii, California, Alaska, New York, District of Columbia — Hawaii runs about $250 per pallet delivered. The five cheapest are Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, South Carolina, with Mississippi near $155. 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 Sod 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.