Asphalt driveway cost in Bloomington, IN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $2,950 – $7,150
- Per sq ft
- $4.80 – $11.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $5,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #165
- 1 = most expensive
Bloomington homeowners pay roughly $2,950 to $7,150 to pave a driveway at 600 sq ft, or $4.80 to $11.50 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Bloomington is 3% lower. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 94.3).
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Bloomington, IN, standard level
$4,200 to $5,900
About $6.85 to $9.60 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 42% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,450 | $3,150 |
| Labor | $1,700 | $2,550 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $150 |
| Total | $4,200 | $5,900 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Bloomington, IN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,850 | $2,800 | $3,750 | 55% |
| Labor | $1,000 | $2,150 | $3,250 | 42% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $120 | $190 | 2% |
| Total | $2,950 | $5,050 | $7,150 | 100% |
What is behind the Bloomington number
Labor is 42% of the midpoint bill here, against 41% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (40%), construction laborers (30%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (30%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Bloomington the blended ratio comes out at 1.00. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Indiana statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Bloomington metro is 94.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 600 sq ft comes to $2,800, compared with $2,950 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (95.1) and land at $50 to $190.
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 Bloomington. The wage table below marks each row.
Local wages behind the labor line
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 Bloomington is 1.00 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 Bloomington metro, so we used the Indiana statewide median: $24.22 an hour against $25.64 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $22.17 and $32.28 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $23.42 an hour, 3% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.28 and $30.52 an hour. About 360 work in the metro. That is 49.2 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 $29.87 an hour, which is 4% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.64 and $42.78 an hour. BLS counts 230 of them working in the area, 31.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is about 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 ($32.28 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $270. At the 25th percentile ($22.17) it shrinks by about $70. The total moves by 5.3% or 1.3%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 73,240 jobs in the Bloomington area. That makes it the 251st largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.05% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071) | 40% | $22.17 | $24.22 | $32.28 | $25.64 | 0.94 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $19.28 | $23.42 | $30.52 | $22.66 | 1.03 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $21.64 | $29.87 | $42.78 | $28.78 | 1.04 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Add-ons priced for Bloomington
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Bloomington by the average of the local wage index (1.00) and goods index (0.94), a factor of 0.97. 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 | $580 – $1,150 |
When to schedule asphalt driveway in Bloomington
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Bloomington Indiana Univ (in the city). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
April through November is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Bloomington (8 of 12 months). January, February, March and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March 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.
Bloomington gets about 49 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 18 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and June (5.4 inches in June). Inside the workable window, August and September are the driest, at 3.4 and 3.8 inches. The station averages about 21 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 | 37 | 21 | 3.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 42 | 23 | 3.0 | Cold |
| Mar | 52 | 32 | 3.7 | Cold |
| Apr | 64 | 42 | 5.2 | Workable |
| May | 74 | 53 | 5.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 82 | 62 | 5.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 65 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 85 | 64 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 56 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 44 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 53 | 34 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 41 | 26 | 3.5 | Cold |
Planning more than one job in Bloomington?
Because every project leans on different trades, Bloomington's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, concrete driveway runs +4% and gravel driveway −1%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,750 – $9,650 | +4% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,500 – $10,100 | −1% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,050 – $5,550 | +2% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $620 – $2,200 | +4% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,500 – $5,200 | level |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,250 – $4,100 | +2% |
Bloomington against nearby metros and the rest of Indiana
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Bloomington. Terre Haute is the lowest at about $5,000 (midpoint, 600 sq ft), 40 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, INthis page | $2,950 – $7,150 | $5,050 | |
| Terre Haute, IN40 miles | $2,900 – $7,050 | $5,000 | −1% |
| Indianapolis, IN50 miles | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | +5% |
| Louisville, KY90 miles | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,200 | +3% |
| Lafayette, IN90 miles | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | +5% |
| Evansville, IN95 miles | $3,100 – $7,600 | $5,350 | +6% |
| Indiana (statewide) | $3,050 – $7,500 | $5,300 | +5% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | +3% |
Across 300 US metros, Bloomington comes in at #165 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, Bloomington is 4% below the Indiana figure.
Other Indiana metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis, IN | 1,105,170 jobs | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | +5% |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 225,520 jobs | $3,350 – $8,500 | $5,900 | +17% |
| Evansville, IN | 135,250 jobs | $3,100 – $7,600 | $5,350 | +6% |
| South Bend, IN | 131,670 jobs | $3,100 – $7,650 | $5,400 | +7% |
| Elkhart, IN | 127,730 jobs | $2,900 – $7,100 | $5,000 | level |
| Lafayette, IN | 102,200 jobs | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | +5% |
Cities with a workforce like Bloomington's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Bloomington against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului, HI | 73,750 jobs | $4,250 – $11,000 | $7,650 | +51% |
| Auburn, AL | 72,710 jobs | $2,700 – $6,400 | $4,550 | −10% |
| Rapid City, SD | 73,820 jobs | $3,000 – $7,350 | $5,150 | +2% |
| Prescott Valley, AZ | 72,300 jobs | $2,950 – $7,200 | $5,100 | +1% |
Bloomington: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Bloomington 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
$2,950 to $4,650
New topcoat over a sound base, flat lot
Standard
$4,200 to $5,900
Full new driveway: base, 2-3 in of hot mix, edging
Premium
$5,450 to $7,150
Full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,200 – $1,900 | $1,750 – $2,450 | $2,250 – $3,000 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $1,950 – $3,100 | $2,850 – $4,000 | $3,700 – $4,850 |
| 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft | $2,950 – $4,650 | $4,200 – $5,900 | $5,450 – $7,150 |
| long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft | $4,850 – $7,650 | $6,950 – $9,750 | $9,050 – $11,800 |
Asphalt driveway: what moves the price in Bloomington
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.
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 $4,200 to $5,900 for Bloomington, IN is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Bloomington, IN: 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 Bloomington: your questions
+How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Bloomington?
For 600 sq ft, expect $2,950 to $7,150 in the Bloomington area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,200 to $5,900. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for asphalt driveway in Bloomington?
About $4.80 to $11.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $50 to $190 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $12.
+Is asphalt driveway cheaper in Bloomington or Terre Haute?
Terre Haute is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $5,000, which is 1% less than Bloomington ($5,050). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Bloomington?
About 42% at the midpoint, or $2,150 out of $5,050. Materials are 55% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 41%.
+What would 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft cost in Bloomington?
$2,950 to $7,150. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does asphalt driveway need a permit in Bloomington?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $190 for fees in the Bloomington area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Bloomington expensive for asphalt driveway compared with the rest of Indiana?
Bloomington is 4% below the Indiana statewide estimate ($5,300 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Indiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn in Bloomington?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $24.22 an hour, compared with $25.64 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.17 to $32.28.
+What do basic and premium asphalt driveway work cost in Bloomington?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $2,950 to $4,650 and premium work $5,450 to $7,150. 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 Bloomington?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. August 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 Bloomington?
$580 to $1,150 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Asphalt driveway near Bloomington
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.