Regional cost data · 51 markets

Topsoil cost by state

What topsoil costs per cubic yard 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 cubic yard 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
Small pour 3 yd³	$119 – $151
Patio 6 yd³	$238 – $302
Driveway 10 yd³	$396 – $504

Every state, ranked

All 50 states plus DC. The typical-project column applies each state's unit price to a 6 yd³ job.

Topsoil cost per cubic yard delivered by US state
State	Region	Unit price	vs US avg	6 yd³ project
Alabama	South	$39	-14%	$204–$260
Alaska	West	$58	+28%	$304–$387
Arizona	West	$44	-3%	$230–$293
Arkansas	South	$38	-15%	$202–$257
California	West	$59	+30%	$309–$393
Colorado	West	$47	+4%	$247–$315
Connecticut	Northeast	$52	+16%	$276–$351
Delaware	South	$46	+2%	$242–$308
District of Columbia	South	$55	+22%	$290–$369
Florida	South	$43	-4%	$228–$290
Georgia	South	$41	-10%	$214–$272
Hawaii	West	$61	+35%	$321–$408
Idaho	West	$43	-5%	$226–$287
Illinois	Midwest	$49	+8%	$257–$327
Indiana	Midwest	$42	-7%	$221–$281
Iowa	Midwest	$41	-8%	$219–$278
Kansas	Midwest	$40	-11%	$211–$269
Kentucky	South	$40	-12%	$209–$266
Louisiana	South	$40	-12%	$209–$266
Maine	Northeast	$46	+3%	$245–$311
Maryland	South	$48	+7%	$254–$324
Massachusetts	Northeast	$54	+21%	$288–$366
Michigan	Midwest	$43	-5%	$226–$287
Minnesota	Midwest	$46	+2%	$242–$308
Mississippi	South	$38	-16%	$200–$254
Missouri	Midwest	$41	-10%	$214–$272
Montana	West	$43	-4%	$228–$290
Nebraska	Midwest	$41	-10%	$214–$272
Nevada	West	$46	+3%	$245–$311
New Hampshire	Northeast	$48	+6%	$252–$321
New Jersey	Northeast	$52	+15%	$273–$348
New Mexico	West	$41	-9%	$216–$275
New York	Northeast	$56	+24%	$295–$375
North Carolina	South	$40	-11%	$211–$269
North Dakota	Midwest	$42	-6%	$223–$284
Ohio	Midwest	$42	-6%	$223–$284
Oklahoma	South	$39	-14%	$204–$260
Oregon	West	$49	+8%	$257–$327
Pennsylvania	Northeast	$46	+2%	$242–$308
Rhode Island	Northeast	$51	+13%	$269–$342
South Carolina	South	$40	-12%	$209–$266
South Dakota	Midwest	$41	-10%	$214–$272
Tennessee	South	$40	-11%	$211–$269
Texas	South	$42	-7%	$221–$281
Utah	West	$44	-2%	$233–$296
Vermont	Northeast	$47	+5%	$249–$318
Virginia	South	$44	-2%	$233–$296
Washington	West	$50	+12%	$266–$339
West Virginia	South	$41	-10%	$214–$272
Wisconsin	Midwest	$44	-3%	$230–$293
Wyoming	West	$42	-7%	$221–$281

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 cubic yard 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.

Topsoil cost by state: FAQ

How much does topsoil cost on average in the US?

The national baseline we use is $45 per cubic yard delivered. Applied to a typical patio project of 6 yd³, that works out to roughly $238–$302 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 topsoil?

The five priciest markets in our index are Hawaii, California, Alaska, New York, District of Columbia — Hawaii runs about $61 per cubic yard 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 Topsoil 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.