Asphalt driveway cost in Denver, CO
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $3,150 – $7,700
- Per sq ft
- $5.15 – $12.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +4%
- US $5,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #88
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for an asphalt driveway in the Denver area: $3,150 to $7,700 for 600 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 4% higher than the US figure. Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn a median of $28.66 an hour in the Denver area, 12% above the US median of $25.64.
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Denver, CO, standard level
$4,500 to $6,350
About $7.35 to $10.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 42% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,600 | $3,400 |
| Labor | $1,800 | $2,800 |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $160 |
| Total | $4,500 | $6,350 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Denver, CO
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,000 | $3,000 | $4,000 | 55% |
| Labor | $1,100 | $2,300 | $3,500 | 42% |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $130 | $210 | 2% |
| Total | $3,150 | $5,450 | $7,700 | 100% |
What is behind the Denver number
The wage side of the estimate leans on paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators, who do 40% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $28.66 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Denver is 1.08 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 42% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Denver is at 101.0 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $2,950 nationally becomes $3,000 here (midpoint, 600 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 105.8: $55 to $210.
Denver against nearby metros and the rest of Colorado
Same job, same size (600 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Denver is the priciest of the group. Colorado Springs is the cheapest at $5,150.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, COthis page | $3,150 – $7,700 | $5,450 | |
| Colorado Springs, CO45 miles | $3,000 – $7,300 | $5,150 | −5% |
| Boulder, CO55 miles | $3,100 – $7,600 | $5,350 | −2% |
| Greeley, CO80 miles | $3,050 – $7,500 | $5,250 | −3% |
| Fort Collins, CO90 miles | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | −2% |
| Pueblo, CO90 miles | $3,000 – $7,350 | $5,200 | −5% |
| Colorado (statewide) | $3,100 – $7,550 | $5,300 | −2% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | −4% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Denver ranks #88 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Denver is 2% above the Colorado figure.
Elsewhere in Colorado
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs, CO | 316,060 jobs | $3,000 – $7,300 | $5,150 | −5% |
| Boulder, CO | 192,390 jobs | $3,100 – $7,600 | $5,350 | −2% |
| Fort Collins, CO | 169,430 jobs | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | −2% |
| Greeley, CO | 119,540 jobs | $3,050 – $7,500 | $5,250 | −3% |
| Grand Junction, CO | 67,170 jobs | $3,000 – $7,300 | $5,150 | −5% |
| Pueblo, CO | 61,780 jobs | $3,000 – $7,350 | $5,200 | −5% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Denver against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $3,800 – $9,800 | $6,800 | +26% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $3,500 – $8,600 | $6,050 | +11% |
| Detroit, MI | 1,904,530 jobs | $3,100 – $7,650 | $5,400 | −1% |
| Tampa, FL | 1,447,120 jobs | $2,850 – $6,850 | $4,850 | −11% |
Extras that change the Denver total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.04 for Denver, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.08) and goods price index (1.01). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a sealcoat | $630 – $1,250 |
Who does the work: Denver trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Denver the blend is 1.08.
Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071), 40% of the weighting: a median of $28.66 an hour, 12% above the US median of $25.64. The middle half of them earn between $25.52 and $29.20 an hour. About 420 work in the metro. That is 2.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $23.44 an hour, which is 3% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.48 and $27.44 an hour. BLS counts 9,650 of them working in the area, 60.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $30.81 an hour, 7% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.32 and $36.58 an hour. About 5,150 work in the metro. That is 32.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $20 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $100. That is a swing of roughly 1.9% to 0.3% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has 1,609,350 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 17th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071) | 40% | $25.52 | $28.66 | $29.20 | $25.64 | 1.12 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $21.48 | $23.44 | $27.44 | $22.66 | 1.03 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $29.32 | $30.81 | $36.58 | $28.78 | 1.07 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.08 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Denver bid
New versus overlay
Resurfacing an existing driveway runs $3-$7 per sq ft; a full new driveway runs $5-$12+ (HomeGuide). Tearing out and replacing one is higher still.
Base work
Four to eight inches of compacted aggregate under the asphalt is where cheap quotes cut corners. Base typically runs $1-$3 per sq ft.
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.
What nearby projects cost in Denver
Jobs that often go together with asphalt driveway are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Denver wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+8%) and gravel driveway lowest (+3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,800 – $9,700 | +5% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,600 – $10,500 | +3% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,200 – $5,850 | +8% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $630 – $2,200 | +6% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,550 – $5,400 | +4% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,300 – $4,200 | +4% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: asphalt driveway pricing in Denver
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Denver. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft to long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft.
Basic
$3,150 to $4,950
New topcoat over a sound base, flat lot
Standard
$4,500 to $6,350
Full new driveway: base, 2-3 in of hot mix, edging
Premium
$5,900 to $7,700
Full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,300 – $2,050 | $1,850 – $2,650 | $2,450 – $3,200 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $2,100 – $3,350 | $3,050 – $4,300 | $3,950 – $5,200 |
| 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft | $3,150 – $4,950 | $4,500 – $6,350 | $5,900 – $7,700 |
| long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft | $5,200 – $8,200 | $7,450 – $10,500 | $9,700 – $12,700 |
The best months for asphalt driveway in Denver
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Denver-Stapleton (in the city). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in Denver are April through June and August through October: 6 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F), and July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January, February, March, November and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 156 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Denver gets about 15 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 49 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, July and August (2.3 inches in May). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 1.5 and 1.0 inches. The station averages about 42 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47 | 18 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 48 | 19 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 56 | 27 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Apr | 63 | 34 | 1.7 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 43 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 53 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 90 | 59 | 2.1 | Hot |
| Aug | 88 | 57 | 1.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 80 | 48 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 67 | 36 | 1.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 55 | 26 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Dec | 46 | 18 | 0.5 | Cold |
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Asphalt driveway in Denver: your questions
+How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Denver?
For 600 sq ft, expect $3,150 to $7,700 in the Denver area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,500 to $6,350. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for asphalt driveway in Denver?
About $5.15 to $12.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $55 to $210 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $12.
+Is asphalt driveway cheaper in Denver or Colorado Springs?
Colorado Springs is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $5,150, which is 5% less than Denver ($5,450). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Denver?
About 42% at the midpoint, or $2,300 out of $5,450. Materials are 55% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 41%.
+What would 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft cost in Denver?
$3,150 to $7,700. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does asphalt driveway need a permit in Denver?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $55 to $210 for fees in the Denver area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Denver expensive for asphalt driveway compared with the rest of Colorado?
Denver is 2% above the Colorado statewide estimate ($5,300 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Colorado; see the state page to compare them.
+What do paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn in Denver?
The BLS median is $28.66 an hour in the Denver area, compared with $25.64 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $25.52 to $29.20.
+What do basic and premium asphalt driveway work cost in Denver?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $3,150 to $4,950 and premium work $5,900 to $7,700. 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 Denver?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through June and August through October. 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 Denver?
$630 to $1,250 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Asphalt driveway near Denver
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.