Chain Link Fence Cost Calculator
Independent — we don't sell fencing · 2026 planning ranges, not quotes · No email required
The short answer
A 6-foot galvanized chain link fence costs about $2,400–$5,000 installed for a 200-foot yard, before gates. Set your own length, height, wire gauge and coating below — black vinyl-coated adds 15–30%, and privacy slats add $3–$8 per foot.
Chain link cost per foot by height and coating
The figures the calculator produces, published as text so you can scan them without touching a control. Each one is an installed per-foot planning range for 11-gauge wire on flat ground, before gates.
| Height | Galvanized (silver) | Vinyl-coated (black or green) | Aluminized |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft | $8.00–$18.00 | $9.20–$23.40 | $8.80–$21.60 |
| 5 ft | $10.00–$21.00 | $11.50–$27.30 | $11.00–$25.20 |
| 6 ft | $12.00–$25.00 | $13.80–$32.50 | $13.20–$30.00 |
| 8 ft | $18.00–$34.00 | $20.70–$44.20 | $19.80–$40.80 |
Every cell opens the calculator set to that combination. For whole-project totals by yard size instead, see the cost guide.
How this calculator works
Four inputs do almost all the work, and it is worth knowing which ones actually move the number before you start turning dials.
- Height is the biggest single driver, because it changes both the amount of fabric and the post size needed to carry it. Going from 4 ft to 6 ft is roughly a 40% increase, not 50% — posts don't scale linearly.
- Wire gauge is the spec most quotes bury. Lower number means thicker wire: 11.5, 11, 9, 6. Eleven is the residential standard, and a quote that doesn't state a gauge is a quote you can't compare.
- Coating adds 10–30%. Vinyl-coated resists corrosion better and, in black, visually recedes against greenery — the cheapest upgrade to how chain link looks.
- Gates are priced per unit, not per foot. They're the line item homeowners most often forget when comparing two bids.
Local rules vary. Ground conditions apply a further 15% for sloped ground and 30% for rock or heavy roots, because the posts are the hard part of the job. Tear-out of an existing fence runs $3–$8 per foot and is quoted separately.
These are planning ranges assembled from published cost data, not a bid, and the gauge percentages in particular are modelled rather than surveyed — the ordering (thicker wire costs more) is reliable, the exact percentage is an assumption. Always price the real job off a written quote. Check a quote you already have.
What the estimate does not include
A few things sit outside the model because they vary too much to average honestly: permits, which some jurisdictions require for any fence over a set height and others not at all; survey costs if your property line is genuinely in doubt; grading or tree removal along the run; and any HOA-mandated screening. If your yard has a slope steep enough to need stepped panels rather than a raked fence, expect to land above the top of the range.
Chain link also usually fails pool barrier codes — the diamond mesh gives a child a continuous climbing surface. See pool fence requirements before pricing chain link around a pool.
Keep going
Frequently asked questions
- How do I calculate chain link fence cost?
- Linear feet × an installed per-foot rate for your height, adjusted for gauge and coating, with gates added per unit. At 6 ft galvanized that is $12–$25 per foot, so 200 ft is roughly $2,400–$5,000 before gates.
- How much does 200 ft of chain link fence cost?
- Roughly $2,400–$5,000 at 6 ft galvanized on flat ground, or about $1,600–$3,600 at 4 ft. Gates and coating are extra.
- Is this calculator free, and do I have to give an email?
- Free, no email gate, no sign-up. The estimate updates as you type, and nothing is sent anywhere unless you ask for quotes.
- How accurate is a chain link fence estimate?
- It is a planning range, not a quote. Access, soil, permits and crew demand all move a real bid. Use it to sanity-check a quote, not to set one.
- Does the calculator include gates?
- Yes — per gate, not per foot. Walk gates run $150–$450, double gates $400–$1,200.
- What gauge and coating should I pick in the calculator?
- Start at 11 gauge galvanized. Move to 9 gauge for big dogs or security, and to vinyl-coated if looks matter — black visually disappears against greenery.