Asphalt driveway cost by state
A new asphalt driveway costs $7.00 to $15.00 per square foot installed across the US, so a typical 600 square foot two-car drive lands at $4,200 – $9,000. Asphalt itself is a commodity — installing it is entirely local, and the spread between the cheapest and most expensive state is more than 45%. Pick your state for local pricing, the build spec your climate needs and the months crews actually pave.
What drives the price where you live
Hot mix arrives on the truck at around 300 °F and has to be laid and rolled before it cools, so haul distance from the nearest plant is a hard cost, not a rounding error. States with dense plant coverage and short hauls price low; states where a crew drives an hour each way price high, and remote sites price highest of all.
Climate then sets the specification. In a freeze-thaw state the base under the asphalt does the structural work, so you are buying 8 inches of compacted stone as well as 3 inches of surface course. In a desert state the base is shallower but the mix has to resist UV and rutting instead. Two quotes with the same square-foot price can describe completely different driveways, which is why every state page here lists the base depth, binder grade and local base rock a contractor should be quoting.
Labour is the third lever, and it is the reason a metro job runs roughly 8% above its own state average while rural work runs around 14% below it.
Ten cheapest states
| State | Installed per sq ft | 600 sq ft driveway |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | $6.09 – $13.05 | $3,654 – $7,830 |
| Arkansas | $6.16 – $13.20 | $3,696 – $7,920 |
| Alabama | $6.30 – $13.50 | $3,780 – $8,100 |
| Oklahoma | $6.30 – $13.50 | $3,780 – $8,100 |
| South Carolina | $6.37 – $13.65 | $3,822 – $8,190 |
| Georgia | $6.44 – $13.80 | $3,864 – $8,280 |
| Tennessee | $6.44 – $13.80 | $3,864 – $8,280 |
| Kansas | $6.51 – $13.95 | $3,906 – $8,370 |
| Kentucky | $6.58 – $14.10 | $3,948 – $8,460 |
| Nebraska | $6.58 – $14.10 | $3,948 – $8,460 |
Ten most expensive states
| State | Installed per sq ft | 600 sq ft driveway |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $10.50 – $22.50 | $6,300 – $13,500 |
| Alaska | $10.15 – $21.75 | $6,090 – $13,050 |
| New York | $9.10 – $19.50 | $5,460 – $11,700 |
| California | $9.10 – $19.50 | $5,460 – $11,700 |
| Massachusetts | $8.96 – $19.20 | $5,376 – $11,520 |
| New Jersey | $8.75 – $18.75 | $5,250 – $11,250 |
| Rhode Island | $8.68 – $18.60 | $5,208 – $11,160 |
| Connecticut | $8.54 – $18.30 | $5,124 – $10,980 |
| New Hampshire | $8.26 – $17.70 | $4,956 – $10,620 |
| Vermont | $8.19 – $17.55 | $4,914 – $10,530 |
Every state
- Alabama$6.30 – $13.50 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,780 – $8,100
- Alaska$10.15 – $21.75 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $6,090 – $13,050
- Arizona$6.65 – $14.25 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,990 – $8,550
- Arkansas$6.16 – $13.20 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,696 – $7,920
- California$9.10 – $19.50 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $5,460 – $11,700
- Colorado$7.56 – $16.20 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,536 – $9,720
- Connecticut$8.54 – $18.30 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $5,124 – $10,980
- Delaware$7.70 – $16.50 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,620 – $9,900
- Florida$6.65 – $14.25 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,990 – $8,550
- Georgia$6.44 – $13.80 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,864 – $8,280
- Hawaii$10.50 – $22.50 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $6,300 – $13,500
- Idaho$7.14 – $15.30 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,284 – $9,180
- Illinois$7.84 – $16.80 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,704 – $10,080
- Indiana$6.86 – $14.70 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,116 – $8,820
- Iowa$6.72 – $14.40 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,032 – $8,640
- Kansas$6.51 – $13.95 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,906 – $8,370
- Kentucky$6.58 – $14.10 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,948 – $8,460
- Louisiana$6.79 – $14.55 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,074 – $8,730
- Maine$8.05 – $17.25 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,830 – $10,350
- Maryland$8.05 – $17.25 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,830 – $10,350
- Massachusetts$8.96 – $19.20 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $5,376 – $11,520
- Michigan$7.35 – $15.75 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,410 – $9,450
- Minnesota$7.70 – $16.50 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,620 – $9,900
- Mississippi$6.09 – $13.05 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,654 – $7,830
- Missouri$6.65 – $14.25 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,990 – $8,550
- Montana$7.35 – $15.75 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,410 – $9,450
- Nebraska$6.58 – $14.10 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,948 – $8,460
- Nevada$7.35 – $15.75 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,410 – $9,450
- New Hampshire$8.26 – $17.70 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,956 – $10,620
- New Jersey$8.75 – $18.75 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $5,250 – $11,250
- New Mexico$6.79 – $14.55 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,074 – $8,730
- New York$9.10 – $19.50 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $5,460 – $11,700
- North Carolina$6.58 – $14.10 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,948 – $8,460
- North Dakota$7.56 – $16.20 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,536 – $9,720
- Ohio$7.00 – $15.00 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,200 – $9,000
- Oklahoma$6.30 – $13.50 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,780 – $8,100
- Oregon$7.84 – $16.80 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,704 – $10,080
- Pennsylvania$7.56 – $16.20 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,536 – $9,720
- Rhode Island$8.68 – $18.60 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $5,208 – $11,160
- South Carolina$6.37 – $13.65 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,822 – $8,190
- South Dakota$7.14 – $15.30 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,284 – $9,180
- Tennessee$6.44 – $13.80 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,864 – $8,280
- Texas$6.65 – $14.25 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $3,990 – $8,550
- Utah$7.00 – $15.00 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,200 – $9,000
- Vermont$8.19 – $17.55 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,914 – $10,530
- Virginia$7.35 – $15.75 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,410 – $9,450
- Washington$8.05 – $17.25 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,830 – $10,350
- West Virginia$7.21 – $15.45 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,326 – $9,270
- Wisconsin$7.42 – $15.90 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,452 – $9,540
- Wyoming$7.70 – $16.50 / sq ft600 sq ft driveway: $4,620 – $9,900
Frequently asked questions
+How much does an asphalt driveway cost in 2026?
Nationally, $7.00 to $15.00 per square foot installed, with most homeowners paying near $10.00. That puts a standard 600 square foot two-car driveway at $4,200 – $9,000 before demolition of any existing surface. Your state moves that figure by up to 45% either way.
+Why does asphalt driveway cost vary so much between states?
Three reasons: crew wages, haul distance from the nearest hot-mix plant, and frost depth. Asphalt cools as it travels, so a site an hour from a plant costs more to pave than one ten minutes away. Cold states also need deeper compacted base under the same surface course, which adds material and excavation to every job.
+Which state is cheapest to pave a driveway in?
Mississippi currently prices lowest at about $6.09 to $13.05 per square foot installed, and Hawaii highest at $10.50 to $22.50. Low-cost states share short haul distances, mild winters and lower crew rates.
+Is asphalt cheaper than concrete?
Yes, typically 40 to 50 percent less to install. Concrete lasts longer with less maintenance, but asphalt is faster to place, far cheaper to repair, and more forgiving of ground movement — which is why it dominates in freeze-thaw states.
+Does the quoted price include removing the old driveway?
Usually not. Tearing out and hauling away old asphalt adds roughly $1 to $3.50 per square foot, and old concrete more. Make every quote state in writing whether demolition, haul-off and disposal fees are included.
+What should an asphalt driveway quote specify?
Compacted asphalt thickness, base material and compacted base depth, whether demolition and haul-off are included, and the grading and drainage plan. A quote that lists only a square-foot price cannot be compared with one that specifies 3 inches of asphalt over 8 inches of processed gravel.
Comparing materials? See paver cost by state, the national driveway cost calculator or find a licensed contractor.