Asphalt driveway cost in Amherst, MA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $3,150 – $7,800
- Per sq ft
- $5.20 – $12.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +5%
- US $5,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #80
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for an asphalt driveway in the Amherst area: $3,150 to $7,800 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 5% higher than the US figure. Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn a median of $29.31 an hour in the Amherst area, 14% above the US median of $25.64.
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Amherst, MA, standard level
$4,550 to $6,400
About $7.45 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 | $160 |
| Total | $4,550 | $6,400 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Amherst, MA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,900 | $2,900 | $3,850 | 53% |
| Labor | $1,200 | $2,500 | $3,750 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $130 | $200 | 2% |
| Total | $3,150 | $5,500 | $7,800 | 100% |
Where the Amherst price comes from
Labor is 45% 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 Amherst the blended ratio comes out at 1.16. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Massachusetts statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Amherst is at 97.0 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $2,950 nationally becomes $2,900 here (midpoint, 600 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 100.2: $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 Amherst. The wage table below marks each row.
Who does the work: Amherst 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 Amherst the blend is 1.16.
Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071) carry 40% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Amherst metro, so we used the Massachusetts statewide median: $29.31 an hour against $25.64 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $26.82 and $37.47 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $27.96 an hour, which is 23% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.14 and $36.52 an hour. BLS counts 280 of them working in the area, 42.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $32.13 an hour, 12% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $27.45 and $38.91 an hour. About 180 work in the metro. That is 27.4 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 $270 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $85. That is a swing of roughly 1.5% to 4.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Amherst Town-Northampton has 65,670 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 273rd 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% | $26.82 | $29.31 | $37.47 | $25.64 | 1.14 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.14 | $27.96 | $36.52 | $22.66 | 1.23 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $27.45 | $32.13 | $38.91 | $28.78 | 1.12 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.16 | |||||
Why two Amherst quotes can differ
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.
Is Amherst cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (600 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Waterbury is the priciest of the group at $5,850. Pittsfield is the cheapest at $5,350.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst, MAthis page | $3,150 – $7,800 | $5,500 | |
| Springfield, MA15 miles | $3,200 – $8,000 | $5,600 | +2% |
| Pittsfield, MA30 miles | $3,100 – $7,650 | $5,350 | −2% |
| Worcester, MA35 miles | $3,250 – $8,050 | $5,650 | +3% |
| Hartford, CT45 miles | $3,350 – $8,350 | $5,850 | +7% |
| Waterbury, CT60 miles | $3,350 – $8,400 | $5,850 | +7% |
| Massachusetts (statewide) | $3,300 – $8,150 | $5,700 | +4% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | −5% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Amherst ranks #80 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Amherst is 4% below the Massachusetts figure.
Elsewhere in Massachusetts
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, MA | 2,703,890 jobs | $3,350 – $8,400 | $5,850 | +7% |
| Worcester, MA | 349,880 jobs | $3,250 – $8,050 | $5,650 | +3% |
| Springfield, MA | 201,240 jobs | $3,200 – $8,000 | $5,600 | +2% |
| Barnstable, MA | 94,110 jobs | $3,200 – $7,950 | $5,550 | +2% |
| Pittsfield, MA | 56,810 jobs | $3,100 – $7,650 | $5,350 | −2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Amherst against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff, AZ | 66,610 jobs | $2,950 – $7,200 | $5,050 | −7% |
| Harrisonburg, VA | 65,460 jobs | $2,850 – $6,900 | $4,900 | −11% |
| Logan, UT | 66,800 jobs | $2,900 – $7,050 | $5,000 | −9% |
| El Centro, CA | 65,430 jobs | $3,500 – $8,650 | $6,050 | +10% |
The best months for asphalt driveway in Amherst
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Westfield Barnes Muni Ap (15 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 Amherst are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
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 144 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Amherst gets about 45 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, September and October (4.7 inches in October). Inside the workable window, May and August are the driest, at 3.7 and 3.7 inches. The station averages about 18 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 | 35 | 16 | 2.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 38 | 17 | 2.6 | Cold |
| Mar | 47 | 26 | 3.4 | Cold |
| Apr | 60 | 35 | 4.1 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 46 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 80 | 55 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 61 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Aug | 83 | 59 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Sep | 75 | 51 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 39 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 51 | 30 | 3.5 | Cold |
| Dec | 40 | 22 | 3.6 | Cold |
Amherst: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Amherst. 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 $5,000
New topcoat over a sound base, flat lot
Standard
$4,550 to $6,400
Full new driveway: base, 2-3 in of hot mix, edging
Premium
$5,950 to $7,800
Full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,300 – $2,050 | $1,900 – $2,650 | $2,450 – $3,250 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $2,100 – $3,400 | $3,050 – $4,350 | $4,000 – $5,250 |
| 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft | $3,150 – $5,000 | $4,550 – $6,400 | $5,950 – $7,800 |
| long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft | $5,250 – $8,300 | $7,500 – $10,600 | $9,800 – $12,900 |
Add-ons priced for Amherst
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.07 for Amherst, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.16) and goods price index (0.97). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a sealcoat | $640 – $1,300 |
Related projects, priced for Amherst
Jobs that often go together with asphalt driveway are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Amherst wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+18%) and concrete slab lowest (+5%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,950 – $10,100 | +10% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,700 – $10,900 | +7% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,550 – $6,450 | +18% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $670 – $2,350 | +12% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,600 – $5,400 | +5% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,300 – $4,300 | +7% |
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 $4,550 to $6,400 for Amherst, MA is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Amherst, MA: 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 Amherst: your questions
+How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Amherst?
For 600 sq ft, expect $3,150 to $7,800 in the Amherst area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,550 to $6,400. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for asphalt driveway in Amherst?
About $5.20 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 Amherst or Springfield?
Springfield is 15 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $5,600, which is 2% more than Amherst ($5,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Amherst?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $2,500 out of $5,500. Materials are 53% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 41%.
+What would 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft cost in Amherst?
$3,150 to $7,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does asphalt driveway need a permit in Amherst?
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 Amherst area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Amherst expensive for asphalt driveway compared with the rest of Massachusetts?
Amherst is 4% below the Massachusetts statewide estimate ($5,700 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Massachusetts; see the state page to compare them.
+What do paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn in Amherst?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $29.31 an hour, compared with $25.64 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $26.82 to $37.47.
+What do basic and premium asphalt driveway work cost in Amherst?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $3,150 to $5,000 and premium work $5,950 to $7,800. 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 Amherst?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. May and August 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 Amherst?
$640 to $1,300 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Asphalt driveway near Amherst
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.