How this calculator works
This tool starts from 2026 national-average installed costs per square foot for each decking material, then adjusts for where you live. Here’s what’s happening behind the number.
What drives the price
- Material. Pressure-treated pine is the budget baseline; cedar runs a little higher; composite and PVC cost more upfront but skip the staining. The board you choose is the single biggest lever on cost.
- Size. Cost scales almost linearly with square footage, so doubling the footprint roughly doubles the framing and decking bill.
- Railing and stairs. These are priced separately — railing per linear foot, stairs per step — because they add labor and hardware out of proportion to their size. A long run of railing or a tall stair flight can add 15–25% to a modest deck.
- Your state. We multiply by a state construction cost index built mainly from regional labor wages. The same deck that costs the national average in Virginia runs noticeably more in California or the Northeast and less across much of the South and Midwest.
Materials vs. labor
For a professionally built deck we split the installed price roughly 45% materials / 55% labor. The bar in the result shows that split so you can see what you’re actually paying the crew for. Switch the toggle to DIY and the labor share drops out — we keep materials and add about 10% for fasteners, hardware, and tool wear, then show you what skipping the contractor saves.
Every figure here is a planning range, not a quote. Use it to set a budget and sanity-check bids; get firm numbers from local contractors before you commit.
2026 deck cost per square foot (installed, national average)
| Option | Low (per sq ft) | High (per sq ft) | Typical (per sq ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure-treated wood | $25 | $45 | $35 |
| Cedar | $30 | $55 | $42 |
| Composite (Trex-style) | $38 | $70 | $55 |
| PVC / capped polymer | $50 | $80 | $62 |
Estimated cost by state
Typical installed range for a 320 sq ft composite deck with railing and a few steps, professionally installed, adjusted by each state's construction cost index. Your actual project scales with the size and options you enter above.
| State | Estimated low | Estimated high |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $12,429 | $22,221 |
| Alaska | $16,620 | $29,714 |
| Arizona | $13,874 | $24,804 |
| Arkansas | $12,718 | $22,737 |
| California | $16,186 | $28,939 |
| Colorado | $14,163 | $25,321 |
| Connecticut | $15,464 | $27,647 |
| Delaware | $13,874 | $24,804 |
| District of Columbia | $14,452 | $25,838 |
| Florida | $13,440 | $24,029 |
| Georgia | $13,007 | $23,254 |
| Hawaii | $18,499 | $33,073 |
| Idaho | $14,018 | $25,063 |
| Illinois | $16,620 | $29,714 |
| Indiana | $14,741 | $26,355 |
| Iowa | $14,452 | $25,838 |
| Kansas | $13,585 | $24,288 |
| Kentucky | $13,585 | $24,288 |
| Louisiana | $13,151 | $23,513 |
| Maine | $13,874 | $24,804 |
| Maryland | $13,874 | $24,804 |
| Massachusetts | $17,053 | $30,489 |
| Michigan | $14,597 | $26,096 |
| Minnesota | $16,186 | $28,939 |
| Mississippi | $12,862 | $22,996 |
| Missouri | $15,608 | $27,905 |
| Montana | $14,452 | $25,838 |
| Nebraska | $13,874 | $24,804 |
| Nevada | $14,741 | $26,355 |
| New Hampshire | $14,452 | $25,838 |
| New Jersey | $17,053 | $30,489 |
| New Mexico | $13,007 | $23,254 |
| New York | $15,897 | $28,422 |
| North Carolina | $13,440 | $24,029 |
| North Dakota | $14,597 | $26,096 |
| Ohio | $15,319 | $27,388 |
| Oklahoma | $13,296 | $23,771 |
| Oregon | $15,030 | $26,872 |
| Pennsylvania | $14,741 | $26,355 |
| Rhode Island | $15,753 | $28,163 |
| South Carolina | $13,585 | $24,288 |
| South Dakota | $13,440 | $24,029 |
| Tennessee | $13,585 | $24,288 |
| Texas | $13,151 | $23,513 |
| Utah | $14,018 | $25,063 |
| Vermont | $14,307 | $25,580 |
| Virginia | $13,296 | $23,771 |
| Washington | $15,753 | $28,163 |
| West Virginia | $13,585 | $24,288 |
| Wisconsin | $15,319 | $27,388 |
| Wyoming | $13,585 | $24,288 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 16×20 deck cost in 2026?
A 320 sq ft deck typically runs about $8,000–$14,400 installed in pressure-treated wood, or roughly $12,200–$22,400 in composite — before railings, stairs, and state adjustments, all of which push the number up.
Is it cheaper to build a deck yourself?
Yes — labor is a little over half of an installed deck price, so DIY usually saves 45–55%. Just budget realistically for permits, an inspection, tool rental, and several full weekends. Ground-level decks are the friendliest DIY; anything elevated or attached to the house raises the stakes.
Does a new deck add home value?
Resale studies have long put wood-deck cost recovery around 50–65%, with composite a bit lower because of the higher upfront price. The bigger payoff is the usable outdoor living space you get in the meantime.
Composite or wood — which is cheaper in the long run?
Wood is cheaper to build, and on pure dollars it often stays cheaper for many years even after factoring in re-staining every 2–3 years. Composite's edge isn't usually a lower 10-year bill — it's near-zero maintenance and a longer lifespan, so it wins on convenience and over very long ownership. Our composite vs. wood calculator puts the upfront and 10-year numbers side by side for your size.
What size deck do most people build?
The most common builds fall between 200 and 400 sq ft — big enough for a table and a grill without overwhelming the yard or the budget. The 16×20 (320 sq ft) is a popular middle ground, which is why it's the default above.
Disclaimer: Estimates are for planning only and reflect typical ranges, not quotes. Actual costs vary with site conditions, design complexity, local permits, and contractor availability. Pricing approach: national averages cross-referenced from public cost guides, adjusted by a state construction cost index — see our methodology.
Price data sources: HomeGuide — Cost to Build a Deck (2026): $25–$50/sq ft installed, labor $11–$22/sq ft — https://homeguide.com/costs/cost-to-build-a-deck; HomeGuide — Composite Decking Prices (2026): $40–$80/sq ft installed including substructure — https://homeguide.com/costs/composite-decking-prices; HomeGuide — Cedar Decking Cost (2026): $30–$50/sq ft installed — https://homeguide.com/costs/cedar-decking-cost; HomeGuide — Deck & Porch Railing Costs (2026): wood $20–$50/lf, vinyl and composite $25–$60/lf, aluminum $50–$200/lf — https://homeguide.com/costs/deck-or-porch-railing-cost; Fixr — Build a Deck: PT $15–$25, cedar $19–$29, composite $28–$40/sq ft installed; wood stairs $75–$250 per step; wood railing $30–$50/lf, composite $80–$165/lf — https://www.fixr.com/costs/build-deck; Angi — Composite Decking Cost (2026): composite $25–$54/sq ft installed, PVC $50–$85/sq ft installed — https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-composite-decking-cost.htm; Trex — Cost to Build a Composite Deck: published material cost $10–$27/sq ft incl. substructure, with 16×20 project examples of $9,600–$19,200 (≈$30–$60/sq ft installed) — https://www.trex.com/build-your-deck/planyourdeck/deck-cost-landing/; Lowe's / Home Depot retail decking board pricing (pressure-treated, cedar, composite, PVC). Last updated: September 2026.