Fence Erectors Salary
Fence Erectors in Charleston, WV make a median of $41,600 a year, or about $20 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.72), which stretches that salary to about $46,889 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,036/month, about 36.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (88.72). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About fence erectors
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What this looks like in Charleston
Pay for fence erectors in Charleston runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,036/month, which is 36.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for fence erectorss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fence erectors in metros near Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $60K | $58K |
| Cincinnati | $49K | $51K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $59K | $59K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $48K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston, WV
Entry-level fence erectors (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $83K or more, a $53K spread from bottom to top.
Fence Erectors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Fence Erectors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $65K | +35% | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $59K | +22% | 1,150 |
| Minnesota | $57K | +19% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $57K | +18% | 910 |
| California | $56K | +17% | 3,150 |
| Montana | $56K | +16% | 680 |
| Connecticut | $53K | +11% | 300 |
| Iowa | $53K | +9% | 290 |
| Washington | $52K | +8% | 1,450 |
| Louisiana | $52K | +8% | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $51K | +7% | 200 |
| New Hampshire | $51K | +6% | 160 |
| Illinois | $51K | +6% | 690 |
| Delaware | $51K | +6% | N/A |
| Nebraska | $50K | +4% | 190 |
| North Dakota | $49K | +3% | 190 |
| Utah | $49K | +2% | 440 |
| Massachusetts | $48K | +1% | N/A |
| Colorado | $48K | +1% | 270 |
| South Dakota | $48K | +1% | 170 |
| New York | $48K | +0% | 1,010 |
| Ohio | $48K | -0% | 950 |
| Indiana | $48K | -1% | 540 |
| Kansas | $47K | -2% | 80 |
| Nevada | $47K | -2% | 210 |
| Rhode Island | $46K | -3% | N/A |
| Arizona | $46K | -4% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $46K | -4% | 270 |
| Michigan | $46K | -5% | 460 |
| Florida | $46K | -5% | 2,020 |
| Tennessee | $45K | -6% | 550 |
| Maine | $45K | -6% | 160 |
| West Virginia | $45K | -6% | 170 |
| Oregon | $45K | -7% | N/A |
| New Mexico | $44K | -7% | 270 |
| Missouri | $43K | -10% | 640 |
| Virginia | $40K | -17% | N/A |
| Alabama | $40K | -17% | N/A |
| Wyoming | $40K | -17% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $39K | -19% | 670 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -19% | 150 |
| South Carolina | $38K | -21% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -21% | 250 |
| Texas | $37K | -22% | 1,800 |
| Georgia | $37K | -23% | 500 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track fence erectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fence erector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 36.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,036/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for fence erectors in Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fence erectors typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,842/month. At HUD’s $1,036/month FMR, rent would take 56% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is fence erector a high-paying job in Charleston?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $42K here vs. $48K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Charleston compare to the national average for fence erectors?
Charleston pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — below the national median.
How much do fence erectors make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $41,600 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,700, and experienced fence erectors can clear $83,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,846/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,036/month, which eats 36.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a fence erectors salary go in Charleston?
Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 88.72 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fence erectors salary is worth about $46,889 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do fence erectors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.