Regional cost data · 51 markets

Gravel cost by state

What gravel costs per ton delivered, across all 50 states and DC. The US baseline is $45, 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

$45

per ton delivered

Most expensive: $61HI
Least expensive: $38MS
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

$50

+12% vs national · 9 states

Midwest

$43

-5% vs national · 12 states

South

$42

-7% vs national · 17 states

West

$48

+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
Path 2 tons	$79 – $101
Small driveway 5 tons	$198 – $252
Large driveway 10 tons	$396 – $504

Every state, ranked

All 50 states plus DC. The typical-project column applies each state's unit price to a 5 tons job.

Gravel cost per ton delivered by US state
State	Region	Unit price	vs US avg	5 tons project
Alabama	South	$39	-14%	$170–$217
Alaska	West	$58	+28%	$253–$323
Arizona	West	$44	-3%	$192–$244
Arkansas	South	$38	-15%	$168–$214
California	West	$59	+30%	$257–$328
Colorado	West	$47	+4%	$206–$262
Connecticut	Northeast	$52	+16%	$230–$292
Delaware	South	$46	+2%	$202–$257
District of Columbia	South	$55	+22%	$242–$307
Florida	South	$43	-4%	$190–$242
Georgia	South	$41	-10%	$178–$227
Hawaii	West	$61	+35%	$267–$340
Idaho	West	$43	-5%	$188–$239
Illinois	Midwest	$49	+8%	$214–$272
Indiana	Midwest	$42	-7%	$184–$234
Iowa	Midwest	$41	-8%	$182–$232
Kansas	Midwest	$40	-11%	$176–$224
Kentucky	South	$40	-12%	$174–$222
Louisiana	South	$40	-12%	$174–$222
Maine	Northeast	$46	+3%	$204–$260
Maryland	South	$48	+7%	$212–$270
Massachusetts	Northeast	$54	+21%	$240–$305
Michigan	Midwest	$43	-5%	$188–$239
Minnesota	Midwest	$46	+2%	$202–$257
Mississippi	South	$38	-16%	$166–$212
Missouri	Midwest	$41	-10%	$178–$227
Montana	West	$43	-4%	$190–$242
Nebraska	Midwest	$41	-10%	$178–$227
Nevada	West	$46	+3%	$204–$260
New Hampshire	Northeast	$48	+6%	$210–$267
New Jersey	Northeast	$52	+15%	$228–$290
New Mexico	West	$41	-9%	$180–$229
New York	Northeast	$56	+24%	$246–$313
North Carolina	South	$40	-11%	$176–$224
North Dakota	Midwest	$42	-6%	$186–$237
Ohio	Midwest	$42	-6%	$186–$237
Oklahoma	South	$39	-14%	$170–$217
Oregon	West	$49	+8%	$214–$272
Pennsylvania	Northeast	$46	+2%	$202–$257
Rhode Island	Northeast	$51	+13%	$224–$285
South Carolina	South	$40	-12%	$174–$222
South Dakota	Midwest	$41	-10%	$178–$227
Tennessee	South	$40	-11%	$176–$224
Texas	South	$42	-7%	$184–$234
Utah	West	$44	-2%	$194–$247
Vermont	Northeast	$47	+5%	$208–$265
Virginia	South	$44	-2%	$194–$247
Washington	West	$50	+12%	$222–$282
West Virginia	South	$41	-10%	$178–$227
Wisconsin	Midwest	$44	-3%	$192–$244
Wyoming	West	$42	-7%	$184–$234

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 $45 per ton 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.

Gravel cost by state: FAQ

How much does gravel cost on average in the US?

The national baseline we use is $45 per ton delivered. Applied to a typical small driveway project of 5 tons, that works out to roughly $198–$252 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 gravel?

The five priciest markets in our index are Hawaii, California, Alaska, New York, District of Columbia — Hawaii runs about $61 per ton delivered. The five cheapest are Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, South Carolina, with Mississippi near $38. 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 Gravel 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.