Asphalt driveway cost in Modesto, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $3,650 – $9,100
- Per sq ft
- $5.95 – $15
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +22%
- US $5,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #14
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to pave a driveway in Modesto, plan on $3,650 to $9,100 for 600 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $5.95 to $15 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 22% higher than the national one. Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn a median of $39.97 an hour in the Modesto area, 56% above the US median of $25.64.
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Modesto, CA, standard level
$5,250 to $7,450
About $8.60 to $12 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,700 | $3,550 |
| Labor | $2,450 | $3,750 |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $160 |
| Total | $5,250 | $7,450 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Modesto, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,100 | $3,100 | $4,150 | 49% |
| Labor | $1,500 | $3,100 | $4,750 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $130 | $210 | 2% |
| Total | $3,650 | $6,350 | $9,100 | 100% |
Where the Modesto price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators at 40%, construction laborers at 30%, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at 30%. Weighted together, Modesto wages are 1.46 times the national level. Labor makes up about 49% of the midpoint estimate (41% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the California statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Modesto metro is 105.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 600 sq ft comes to $3,100, compared with $2,950 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (104.1) and land at $50 to $210.
Data note: 40% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Modesto. The wage table below marks each row.
Is Modesto cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (600 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. San Jose is the priciest of the group at $6,850. Merced is the cheapest at $6,100.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto, CAthis page | $3,650 – $9,100 | $6,350 | |
| Stockton, CA30 miles | $3,550 – $8,850 | $6,200 | −3% |
| Merced, CA30 miles | $3,500 – $8,700 | $6,100 | −4% |
| San Jose, CA50 miles | $3,850 – $9,850 | $6,850 | +7% |
| Santa Cruz, CA65 miles | $3,550 – $8,850 | $6,200 | −3% |
| Vallejo, CA70 miles | $3,650 – $9,250 | $6,450 | +1% |
| California (statewide) | $3,650 – $9,100 | $6,350 | level |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | −18% |
Across 300 US metros, Modesto comes in at #14 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $7,650; the cheapest is Fort Smith, AR at $4,450 (midpoints, 600 sq ft). Statewide, Modesto is 0% above the California figure.
Other California metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $3,650 – $9,200 | $6,450 | +1% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $4,100 – $10,600 | $7,350 | +15% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $3,800 – $9,800 | $6,800 | +7% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $3,500 – $8,600 | $6,050 | −5% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $3,850 – $9,850 | $6,850 | +7% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $3,650 – $9,150 | $6,400 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Modesto's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Modesto against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah, GA | 198,360 jobs | $2,800 – $6,650 | $4,700 | −26% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $2,750 – $6,500 | $4,600 | −27% |
| Manchester, NH | 199,560 jobs | $3,100 – $7,550 | $5,300 | −17% |
| Boulder, CO | 192,390 jobs | $3,100 – $7,600 | $5,350 | −16% |
Modesto labor market for asphalt driveway
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Modesto is 1.46 times the national level.
Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071) carry 40% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Modesto metro, so we used the California statewide median: $39.97 an hour against $25.64 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $30.90 and $60.89 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $29.15 an hour, 29% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.89 and $38.02 an hour. About 1,070 work in the metro. That is 54.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $43.54 an hour, which is 51% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $32.57 and $62.15 an hour. BLS counts 430 of them working in the area, 22.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($60.89 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $700. At the 25th percentile ($30.90) it shrinks by about $300. The total moves by 10.9% or 4.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 195,230 jobs in the Modesto area. That makes it the 117th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.13% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071) | 40% | $30.90 | $39.97 | $60.89 | $25.64 | 1.56 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.89 | $29.15 | $38.02 | $22.66 | 1.29 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $32.57 | $43.54 | $62.15 | $28.78 | 1.51 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.46 | |||||
Extras that change the Modesto total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Modesto by the average of the local wage index (1.46) and goods index (1.05), a factor of 1.26. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a sealcoat | $750 – $1,500 |
Planning more than one job in Modesto?
Because every project leans on different trades, Modesto's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, concrete driveway runs +24% and paver patio +15%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,450 – $11,500 | +24% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $3,100 – $12,500 | +22% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,450 – $6,250 | +15% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $740 – $2,600 | +24% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,900 – $6,000 | +17% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,450 – $4,850 | +19% |
Climate in Modesto: timing your asphalt driveway job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Modesto City Co Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through May is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Modesto (9 of 12 months). June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Modesto gets about 12 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (2.6 inches in January). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 0.1 and 0.6 inches. The station averages about 90 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 39 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Feb | 62 | 42 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Mar | 68 | 45 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Apr | 74 | 48 | 1.0 | Workable |
| May | 82 | 54 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 90 | 59 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Jul | 95 | 63 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 94 | 62 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 59 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 52 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 66 | 43 | 1.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 56 | 39 | 2.2 | Workable |
Asphalt driveway: what moves the price in Modesto
Small jobs cost more per foot
Paving crews move a paver, roller and trucks to your address, so a 400 sq ft driveway carries more mobilization per square foot than a 1,000 sq ft one.
Hot-mix price
Hot-mix asphalt is $100-$200 per ton delivered and moves with oil prices (PaveGauge).
Sealcoating
Sealing is $1-$2 per sq ft and is a maintenance cost, not part of the install.
Cost by quality level and size in Modesto
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Modesto wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$3,650 to $5,800
New topcoat over a sound base, flat lot
Standard
$5,250 to $7,450
Full new driveway: base, 2-3 in of hot mix, edging
Premium
$6,900 to $9,100
Full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,500 – $2,400 | $2,150 – $3,100 | $2,850 – $3,750 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $2,450 – $3,900 | $3,550 – $5,050 | $4,650 – $6,150 |
| 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft | $3,650 – $5,800 | $5,250 – $7,450 | $6,900 – $9,100 |
| long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft | $6,000 – $9,650 | $8,700 – $12,300 | $11,400 – $15,100 |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $5,250 to $7,450 for Modesto, CA is attached.
Detailed asphalt driveway report for Modesto, CA, $9
Multi-page report for Modesto, CA: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Asphalt driveway in Modesto: your questions
+How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Modesto?
For 600 sq ft, expect $3,650 to $9,100 in the Modesto area. A standard-spec job lands at $5,250 to $7,450. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for asphalt driveway in Modesto?
About $5.95 to $15 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $50 to $210 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $12.
+Is asphalt driveway cheaper in Modesto or Stockton?
Stockton is 30 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $6,200, which is 3% less than Modesto ($6,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Modesto?
About 49% at the midpoint, or $3,100 out of $6,350. Materials are 49% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 41%.
+What would 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft cost in Modesto?
$3,650 to $9,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does asphalt driveway need a permit in Modesto?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $210 for fees in the Modesto area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Modesto expensive for asphalt driveway compared with the rest of California?
Modesto is 0% above the California statewide estimate ($6,350 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn in Modesto?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $39.97 an hour, compared with $25.64 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $30.90 to $60.89.
+What do basic and premium asphalt driveway work cost in Modesto?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $3,650 to $5,800 and premium work $6,900 to $9,100. Basic means: new topcoat over a sound base, flat lot. Premium means: full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth.
+When is the best time to pave a driveway in Modesto?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. September and October are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
+What does "add a sealcoat" add in Modesto?
$750 to $1,500 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Asphalt driveway near Modesto
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Paving an Asphalt Driveway Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- PaveGauge: Asphalt Driveway Cost (2026): Price by Size (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = hot-mix asphalt ($2.30-$3.60/sq ft at 3 in) plus aggregate base ($1-$3/sq ft) from PaveGauge's component table.