Asphalt driveway cost in Alexandria, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $2,750 – $6,550
- Per sq ft
- $4.50 – $10.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $5,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #280
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for an asphalt driveway in the Alexandria area: $2,750 to $6,550 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 11% lower than the US figure. Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn a median of $23.29 an hour in the Alexandria area, 9% below the US median of $25.64.
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Alexandria, LA, standard level
$3,900 to $5,400
About $6.35 to $8.80 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 38% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,400 | $3,150 |
| Labor | $1,400 | $2,100 |
| Permits and fees | $80 | $130 |
| Total | $3,900 | $5,400 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Alexandria, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,850 | $2,800 | $3,700 | 60% |
| Labor | $840 | $1,750 | $2,650 | 38% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $110 | $170 | 2% |
| Total | $2,750 | $4,650 | $6,550 | 100% |
Where the Alexandria 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, Alexandria wages are 0.82 times the national level. Labor makes up about 38% of the midpoint estimate (41% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Louisiana statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Alexandria is at 93.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $2,950 nationally becomes $2,800 here (midpoint, 600 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 85.7: $45 to $170.
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 Alexandria. The wage table below marks each row.
The best months for asphalt driveway in Alexandria
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Alexandria (5 miles from the city center). 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 Alexandria are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Alexandria gets about 61 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, November and December (6.1 inches in January). Inside the workable window, May and September are the driest, at 4.6 and 4.0 inches. The station averages about 93 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 | 59 | 39 | 6.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 63 | 42 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 70 | 49 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 76 | 55 | 5.4 | Workable |
| May | 83 | 64 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 71 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 4.5 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 73 | 4.3 | Hot |
| Sep | 88 | 68 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 57 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 68 | 46 | 5.5 | Workable |
| Dec | 61 | 40 | 6.0 | Workable |
How Alexandria compares
Same job, same size (600 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Baton Rouge is the priciest of the group at $5,100. Monroe is the cheapest at $4,650.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria, LAthis page | $2,750 – $6,550 | $4,650 | |
| Lafayette, LA95 miles | $2,750 – $6,650 | $4,700 | +2% |
| Lake Charles, LA95 miles | $2,800 – $6,800 | $4,800 | +4% |
| Monroe, LA95 miles | $2,750 – $6,550 | $4,650 | level |
| Baton Rouge, LA100 miles | $2,950 – $7,250 | $5,100 | +10% |
| Shreveport, LA105 miles | $2,800 – $6,700 | $4,750 | +2% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $2,800 – $6,700 | $4,750 | +2% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | +13% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Alexandria ranks #280 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Alexandria is 2% below the Louisiana figure.
Elsewhere in Louisiana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $2,850 – $6,850 | $4,850 | +4% |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $2,950 – $7,250 | $5,100 | +10% |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $2,750 – $6,650 | $4,700 | +2% |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $2,800 – $6,700 | $4,750 | +2% |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $2,800 – $6,800 | $4,800 | +4% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $2,800 – $6,700 | $4,750 | +2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Alexandria against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chambersburg, PA | 60,280 jobs | $3,050 – $7,450 | $5,250 | +13% |
| Niles, MI | 59,970 jobs | $2,900 – $7,150 | $5,050 | +8% |
| Jonesboro, AR | 60,620 jobs | $2,700 – $6,450 | $4,600 | −1% |
| Kingston, NY | 59,140 jobs | $3,200 – $7,850 | $5,500 | +19% |
Alexandria: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Alexandria. 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
$2,750 to $4,250
New topcoat over a sound base, flat lot
Standard
$3,900 to $5,400
Full new driveway: base, 2-3 in of hot mix, edging
Premium
$5,000 to $6,550
Full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,100 – $1,750 | $1,600 – $2,250 | $2,100 – $2,700 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $1,850 – $2,850 | $2,600 – $3,650 | $3,400 – $4,400 |
| 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft | $2,750 – $4,250 | $3,900 – $5,400 | $5,000 – $6,550 |
| long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft | $4,550 – $7,050 | $6,400 – $8,900 | $8,300 – $10,800 |
What nearby projects cost in Alexandria
Jobs that often go together with asphalt driveway are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Alexandria wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, concrete slab comes out highest (−12%) and gravel driveway lowest (−15%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,150 – $7,800 | −15% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,100 – $8,700 | −15% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,650 – $4,750 | −13% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $520 – $1,800 | −14% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,150 – $4,600 | −12% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,100 – $3,450 | −13% |
Extras that change the Alexandria total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.88 for Alexandria, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.82) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a sealcoat | $530 – $1,050 |
Who does the work: Alexandria 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 Alexandria the blend is 0.82.
Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071) carry 40% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Alexandria metro, so we used the Louisiana statewide median: $23.29 an hour against $25.64 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $20.95 and $30.78 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $17.76 an hour, which is 22% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $15.53 and $21.18 an hour. BLS counts 610 of them working in the area, 101.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $21.43 an hour, 26% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $17.11 and $25.07 an hour. About 260 work in the metro. That is 43.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $250 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $80. That is a swing of roughly 1.7% to 5.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Alexandria has 60,000 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 288th 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% | $20.95 | $23.29 | $30.78 | $25.64 | 0.91 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $15.53 | $17.76 | $21.18 | $22.66 | 0.78 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $17.11 | $21.43 | $25.07 | $28.78 | 0.74 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.82 | |||||
Asphalt driveway: what moves the price in Alexandria
Sealcoating
Sealing is $1-$2 per sq ft and is a maintenance cost, not part of the install.
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.
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 $3,900 to $5,400 for Alexandria, LA is attached.
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Multi-page report for Alexandria, LA: 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 Alexandria: your questions
+How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Alexandria?
For 600 sq ft, expect $2,750 to $6,550 in the Alexandria area. A standard-spec job lands at $3,900 to $5,400. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for asphalt driveway in Alexandria?
About $4.50 to $10.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $45 to $170 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $12.
+Is asphalt driveway cheaper in Alexandria or Lafayette?
Lafayette is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $4,700, which is 2% more than Alexandria ($4,650). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Alexandria?
About 38% at the midpoint, or $1,750 out of $4,650. Materials are 60% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 41%.
+What would 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft cost in Alexandria?
$2,750 to $6,550. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does asphalt driveway need a permit in Alexandria?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $170 for fees in the Alexandria area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Alexandria expensive for asphalt driveway compared with the rest of Louisiana?
Alexandria is 2% below the Louisiana statewide estimate ($4,750 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Louisiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn in Alexandria?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $23.29 an hour, compared with $25.64 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.95 to $30.78.
+What do basic and premium asphalt driveway work cost in Alexandria?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $2,750 to $4,250 and premium work $5,000 to $6,550. 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 Alexandria?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. May 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 Alexandria?
$530 to $1,050 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Asphalt driveway near Alexandria
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.