Fence Installers in the Olympia area earn a median of $49,350 a year, 2% above the typical U.S. metro. That ranks #21 of 51 metros nationwide.
Within driving distance, the same work pays more in Seattle.
It's one of 3 Washington metros with published pay for this trade; see fence installer pay in Washington.
What this means Our calculation
Pay for fence installers here is above average compared with other U.S. metros, but high local prices take back much of it: on buying power it's below average. For the wider job market, unemployment is higher than in most metros (4.4%) and the population is growing at a typical pace (+2.8% since 2020). On your own, you'd join about 341 one-person site prep & specialty contracting businesses averaging $78,672 in revenue, and you'd need to bill roughly $65/hour to match the median salary (at our default assumptions).
A summary of the numbers on this page; nothing here is estimated beyond them.
Olympia scorecard for fence installers Our calculation
Grades compare Olympia with every other U.S. metro for this trade (A = top 20%).
Pay Government data
Pay range
Shaded: the middle half of workers. Grey line: typical U.S. metro ($48,410).
Compared with nearby metros
What the pay is really worth in Olympia Our calculation
Prices in Olympia run 4% above the U.S. average. Adjusted for that, a median paycheck here buys what $47,603 would in a typical place, ranking #32 of 51 on real pay.
Two different views, don't combine them. Real pay already accounts for housing, because the price index includes rent. Rent burden shows what share of pay a typical 1-bedroom takes. Use either one, not both together.
What fence installers do
Erect and repair fences and fence gates, using hand and power tools.
Most important day-to-day tasks
- Establish the location for a fence, and gather information needed to ensure that there are no electric cables or water lines in the area.
- Set metal or wooden posts in upright positions in postholes.
- Measure and lay out fence lines and mark posthole positions, following instructions, drawings, or specifications.
- Align posts, by lines or sighting, and verify vertical alignment of posts, using plumb bobs or spirit levels.
- Attach rails or tension wire along bottoms of posts to form fencing frames.
Outlook & getting started
Nationally, fence installer jobs are projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035 (all jobs: 3.5%), with about 2,500 openings a year. About 21% are self-employed.
What the work is like Government data
How often fence installers deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in Washington Official source
The main state licensing office in Washington is the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. It can point you to the right license for fence installers.
Official Washington licensing site ↗
Requirements for fence installers vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
On-the-job safety Government data
Nationally, fence installers have 118 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 1.4× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is being struck by or caught in objects and equipment.
BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024 (national, cases with days away from work).
Highest-paying WA metros for fence installers
| Metro | Median | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| SeattleWASHINGTON · WA | $55,440 | $49,886 | 730 |
| OlympiaWASHINGTON · WA | $49,350 | $47,603 | 60 |
| SpokaneWASHINGTON · WA | $49,160 | $48,990 | 90 |
See every metro in Washington.
How much work is there? Government data
Local job market
The Olympia area's unemployment rate was 4.4% in 2025 (all workers, not just fence installers), above the typical U.S. metro's 4.1%. It was 5.1% in 2021.
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual averages 2021–2025 (2025 preliminary).
Getting to work
The average commute in the Olympia area is 26 minutes each way, longer than the typical metro (24 min). 16% of commuters spend 45 minutes or more. 67% drive alone, 1% take transit and 21% work from home (all workers, not just trades).
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table S0801).
Population
The Olympia area's population grew 2.8% from 2020 to 2025 (296,013 → 304,261), ranking #183 of 387 metros for growth (typical metro +2.5%). People moving in (net +7,748) account for most of the change.
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year, 2020–2025.
Homes in Olympia
The Olympia area has about 128,450 homes. 31% were built before 1980 (typical metro 45%), so its housing is newer than most; 18% were built in 2010 or later. 69% of households own their home, and the median home value is $525,500.
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table DP04).
New construction
New-home permits in Olympia are down 19% from 2021 to 2025 (2,054 → 1,669).
In 2025 the Olympia area approved permits for 1,669 new homes (743 single-family), or 5.6 per 1,000 residents, ranking #112 of 393 metros.
Competition
In 2024 the area had 341 one-person businesses (no employees) in site prep & specialty contracting, averaging $78,672 a year in revenue before expenses. See how Olympia compares among the best cities to start a fence installer business.
They compete with 84 site prep & specialty contracting companies that have employees (about 496 workers in total). 65% of those companies have fewer than 5 employees.
Working outdoors in Olympia Government data
In an average year, Olympia has 6 days at 90°F or hotter (fewer than most metros; typical metro 33), 77 nights below freezing (typical 90) and 105 days with a tenth of an inch of rain or more, and 4 inches of snow. Summer afternoons average 76°F and winter nights 33°F. That matters for fence installers: heat and freezes shape the working season and the hours.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 averages, Olympia Airport, WA station. Compare cities on outdoor work weather.
Employee vs. working for yourself Your scenario
A model, not a market rate. It shows the minimum you'd need to bill to match a $49,350 employee salary once you cover what an employer normally pays for. Change any number.
Minimum billing rate
How this calculator works. Billable hours are hours you can charge a customer. Driving, quoting, paperwork and slow weeks aren't billable, which is why 1,400 is a common starting point versus 2,080 paid hours as an employee.
Get fence installer pricing & estimate templates →Compare Olympia with another city →
About this data
- Pay: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2025, local to this metro.
- Pay over time: BLS OEWS May 2020–2025, local; inflation from the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U).
- Real pay: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, local.
- Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027, local (county rents weighted by population).
- Job outlook, education, training: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national.
- Duties: O*NET 31.0, national.
- Safety: BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024, national.
- New construction: Census Building Permits, 2021–2025, local.
- Housing: Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year, local (age of homes, ownership, home values).
- Population: Census Bureau population estimates, 2020–2025, local.
- Commute: Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year, local, all workers.
- Unemployment: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2021–2025 annual averages, local, all workers (2025 preliminary).
- Competition: Census Nonemployer Statistics 2024 and County Business Patterns 2023, local, reported by industry, so related trades can share one figure.
- Jobs are employment estimates, not open positions. Grades rank this metro against all others for the same trade.