Asphalt driveway cost in Boise, ID
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $3,150 – $7,750
- Per sq ft
- $5.15 – $12.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +4%
- US $5,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #86
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to pave a driveway in Boise, plan on $3,150 to $7,750 for 600 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $5.15 to $12.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 4% higher than the national one. Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn a median of $35.20 an hour in the Boise area, 37% above the US median of $25.64.
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Boise, ID, standard level
$4,500 to $6,350
About $7.40 to $10.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,500 | $3,250 |
| Labor | $1,950 | $3,000 |
| Permits and fees | $95 | $150 |
| Total | $4,500 | $6,350 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Boise, ID
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,900 | $2,850 | $3,800 | 52% |
| Labor | $1,200 | $2,450 | $3,750 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $120 | $200 | 2% |
| Total | $3,150 | $5,450 | $7,750 | 100% |
Why Boise prices look the way they do
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, Boise wages are 1.16 times the national level. Labor makes up about 45% of the midpoint estimate (41% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Idaho statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Boise metro is 96.2 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 600 sq ft comes to $2,850, compared with $2,950 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (98.4) and land at $50 to $200.
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 Boise. The wage table below marks each row.
Asphalt driveway: what moves the price in Boise
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.
Climate in Boise: timing your asphalt driveway job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Boise Air Terminal (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through June and September through October are the stretches where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Boise (6 of 12 months). January, February, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F); July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January, February, 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 108 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Boise gets about 12 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 18 inches of snow. The wettest months are January, May and December (1.5 inches in December). Inside the workable window, June and September are the driest, at 0.8 and 0.4 inches. The station averages about 55 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 | 39 | 26 | 1.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 46 | 29 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Mar | 56 | 35 | 1.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 62 | 40 | 1.2 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 48 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 81 | 54 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 93 | 62 | 0.2 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 61 | 0.2 | Hot |
| Sep | 80 | 53 | 0.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 65 | 42 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 32 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Dec | 39 | 25 | 1.5 | Cold |
Cost by quality level and size in Boise
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Boise 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
$3,150 to $5,000
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 $7,750
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 | $4,000 – $5,250 |
| 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft | $3,150 – $5,000 | $4,500 – $6,350 | $5,900 – $7,750 |
| long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft | $5,200 – $8,250 | $7,450 – $10,500 | $9,750 – $12,800 |
Boise 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 Boise is 1.16 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 Boise metro, so we used the Idaho statewide median: $35.20 an hour against $25.64 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $27.43 and $46.28 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $22.84 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.98 and $25.18 an hour. About 4,700 work in the metro. That is 120.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $29.29 an hour, which is in line with the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $25.58 and $31.56 an hour. BLS counts 1,730 of them working in the area, 44.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper 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 ($46.28 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $370. At the 25th percentile ($27.43) it shrinks by about $260. The total moves by 6.8% or 4.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 391,790 jobs in the Boise City area. That makes it the 67th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.25% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071) | 40% | $27.43 | $35.20 | $46.28 | $25.64 | 1.37 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $19.98 | $22.84 | $25.18 | $22.66 | 1.01 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $25.58 | $29.29 | $31.56 | $28.78 | 1.02 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.16 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Boise
Because every project leans on different trades, Boise's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, French drain runs +1% and concrete slab −3%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,550 – $8,950 | −3% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $10,100 | −1% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,000 – $5,450 | level |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $610 – $2,100 | +1% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,400 – $5,050 | −3% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,900 | −3% |
How Boise compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 600 sq ft range from $5,000 to $5,700 across Boise and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boise, IDthis page | $3,150 – $7,750 | $5,450 | |
| Idaho Falls, ID190 miles | $3,150 – $7,750 | $5,450 | level |
| Logan, UT235 miles | $2,900 – $7,050 | $5,000 | −8% |
| Salt Lake City, UT235 miles | $3,050 – $7,500 | $5,300 | −3% |
| Bend, OR250 miles | $3,300 – $8,050 | $5,700 | +4% |
| Ogden, UT255 miles | $2,900 – $7,100 | $5,000 | −8% |
| Idaho (statewide) | $3,150 – $7,750 | $5,450 | level |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | −4% |
Across 300 US metros, Boise comes in at #86 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, Boise is 0% below the Idaho figure.
Other Idaho metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls, ID | 81,840 jobs | $3,150 – $7,750 | $5,450 | level |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | 72,280 jobs | $3,150 – $7,900 | $5,550 | +2% |
Cities with a workforce like Boise's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Boise against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SC | 394,170 jobs | $2,800 – $6,700 | $4,750 | −13% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $2,950 – $7,150 | $5,050 | −7% |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $2,850 – $6,800 | $4,800 | −12% |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $3,100 – $7,550 | $5,350 | −2% |
Extras that change the Boise total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Boise by the average of the local wage index (1.16) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 1.06. 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 | $640 – $1,250 |
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 $4,500 to $6,350 for Boise, ID is attached.
Detailed asphalt driveway report for Boise, ID, $9
Multi-page report for Boise, ID: 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 Boise: your questions
+How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Boise?
For 600 sq ft, expect $3,150 to $7,750 in the Boise 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 Boise?
About $5.15 to $12.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $50 to $200 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $12.
+Is asphalt driveway cheaper in Boise or Idaho Falls?
Idaho Falls is 190 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $5,450, which is 0% more than Boise ($5,450). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Boise?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $2,450 out of $5,450. Materials are 52% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 41%.
+What would 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft cost in Boise?
$3,150 to $7,750. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does asphalt driveway need a permit in Boise?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $200 for fees in the Boise area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Boise expensive for asphalt driveway compared with the rest of Idaho?
Boise is 0% below the Idaho statewide estimate ($5,450 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in Idaho; see the state page to compare them.
+What do paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn in Boise?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $35.20 an hour, compared with $25.64 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.43 to $46.28.
+What do basic and premium asphalt driveway work cost in Boise?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $3,150 to $5,000 and premium work $5,900 to $7,750. 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 Boise?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through June and September through October. June and September 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 Boise?
$640 to $1,250 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Asphalt driveway near Boise
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.