Asphalt driveway cost in Akron, OH
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $3,100 – $7,700
- Per sq ft
- $5.10 – $12.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +3%
- US $5,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #93
- 1 = most expensive
An asphalt driveway in Akron, OH usually costs $3,100 to $7,700 for 600 sq ft. That works out to about $5.10 to $12.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $170 more. Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn a median of $30.77 an hour in the Akron area, 20% above the US median of $25.64.
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Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Akron, OH, standard level
$4,500 to $6,300
About $7.30 to $10.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,400 | $3,150 |
| Labor | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $140 |
| Total | $4,500 | $6,300 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Akron, OH
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,850 | $2,800 | $3,700 | 51% |
| Labor | $1,200 | $2,500 | $3,800 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $120 | $190 | 2% |
| Total | $3,100 | $5,400 | $7,700 | 100% |
Where the Akron 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, Akron wages are 1.17 times the national level. Labor makes up about 46% of the midpoint estimate (41% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Akron is at 93.6 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 93.4: $45 to $190.
Planning more than one job in Akron?
Jobs that often go together with asphalt driveway are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Akron wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+9%) and concrete slab lowest (+2%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,850 – $9,950 | +8% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,650 – $10,700 | +5% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,200 – $5,850 | +7% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $660 – $2,300 | +9% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,550 – $5,300 | +2% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,250 – $4,200 | +4% |
Optional extras in Akron
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.06 for Akron, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.17) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a sealcoat | $630 – $1,250 |
Akron weather and the asphalt driveway calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Akron Fulton Intl Ap (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 Akron are April through November: 8 of 12. Outside them, 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 118 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Akron gets about 33 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and July (3.7 inches in June). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 2.5 and 2.3 inches. The station averages about 14 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 | 37 | 21 | 1.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 40 | 22 | 1.4 | Cold |
| Mar | 49 | 30 | 2.5 | Cold |
| Apr | 62 | 40 | 2.8 | Workable |
| May | 73 | 51 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 81 | 60 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 64 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 62 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 77 | 55 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 65 | 44 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 52 | 35 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Dec | 41 | 27 | 2.0 | Cold |
Specs and site conditions that change a Akron bid
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.
Hot-mix price
Hot-mix asphalt is $100-$200 per ton delivered and moves with oil prices (PaveGauge).
What local crews earn in Akron
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 Akron the blend is 1.17.
Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071), 40% of the weighting: a median of $30.77 an hour, 20% above the US median of $25.64. The middle half of them earn between $23.34 and $41.85 an hour. About 170 work in the metro. That is 5.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $28.28 an hour, which is 25% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.50 and $37.65 an hour. BLS counts 1,830 of them working in the area, 57.3 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 $30.73 an hour, 7% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $25.42 and $44.95 an hour. About 830 work in the metro. That is 26.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer 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 $370 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $250. That is a swing of roughly 4.6% to 6.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Akron has 319,560 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 80th 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% | $23.34 | $30.77 | $41.85 | $25.64 | 1.20 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.50 | $28.28 | $37.65 | $22.66 | 1.25 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $25.42 | $30.73 | $44.95 | $28.78 | 1.07 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.17 | |||||
How Akron 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 $5,050 to $5,400 across Akron and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akron, OHthis page | $3,100 – $7,700 | $5,400 | |
| Canton, OH30 miles | $3,000 – $7,450 | $5,250 | −3% |
| Youngstown, OH30 miles | $3,100 – $7,650 | $5,400 | level |
| Cleveland, OH35 miles | $3,100 – $7,700 | $5,400 | level |
| Wheeling, WV85 miles | $2,950 – $7,150 | $5,050 | −7% |
| Pittsburgh, PA90 miles | $3,050 – $7,450 | $5,250 | −3% |
| Ohio (statewide) | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | −2% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | −3% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Akron ranks #93 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Akron is 2% above the Ohio figure.
Elsewhere in Ohio
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 1,105,580 jobs | $3,200 – $7,950 | $5,550 | +3% |
| Cincinnati, OH | 1,101,030 jobs | $3,050 – $7,600 | $5,350 | −1% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $3,100 – $7,700 | $5,400 | level |
| Dayton, OH | 372,660 jobs | $2,950 – $7,250 | $5,100 | −5% |
| Toledo, OH | 291,530 jobs | $3,000 – $7,400 | $5,200 | −4% |
| Canton, OH | 163,080 jobs | $3,000 – $7,450 | $5,250 | −3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Akron against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxnard, CA | 323,890 jobs | $3,600 – $8,950 | $6,300 | +16% |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 316,060 jobs | $3,000 – $7,300 | $5,150 | −5% |
| Harrisburg, PA | 335,010 jobs | $3,100 – $7,500 | $5,300 | −2% |
| Wichita, KS | 308,570 jobs | $2,800 – $6,700 | $4,750 | −12% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: asphalt driveway pricing in Akron
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Akron. 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
$3,100 to $4,950
New topcoat over a sound base, flat lot
Standard
$4,500 to $6,300
Full new driveway: base, 2-3 in of hot mix, edging
Premium
$5,850 to $7,700
Full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,250 – $2,050 | $1,850 – $2,600 | $2,400 – $3,200 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $2,100 – $3,350 | $3,000 – $4,250 | $3,950 – $5,200 |
| 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft | $3,100 – $4,950 | $4,500 – $6,300 | $5,850 – $7,700 |
| long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft | $5,150 – $8,150 | $7,400 – $10,400 | $9,700 – $12,700 |
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 $6,300 for Akron, OH is attached.
Take this estimate with you: PDF report, $9
Multi-page report for Akron, OH: 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 Akron: your questions
+How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Akron?
For 600 sq ft, expect $3,100 to $7,700 in the Akron area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,500 to $6,300. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for asphalt driveway in Akron?
About $5.10 to $12.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $45 to $190 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $12.
+Is asphalt driveway cheaper in Akron or Canton?
Canton is 30 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $5,250, which is 3% less than Akron ($5,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Akron?
About 46% at the midpoint, or $2,500 out of $5,400. Materials are 51% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 41%.
+What would 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft cost in Akron?
$3,100 to $7,700. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does asphalt driveway need a permit in Akron?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $190 for fees in the Akron area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Akron expensive for asphalt driveway compared with the rest of Ohio?
Akron is 2% above the Ohio statewide estimate ($5,300 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Ohio; see the state page to compare them.
+What do paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn in Akron?
The BLS median is $30.77 an hour in the Akron area, compared with $25.64 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.34 to $41.85.
+What do basic and premium asphalt driveway work cost in Akron?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $3,100 to $4,950 and premium work $5,850 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 Akron?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. October and November 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 Akron?
$630 to $1,250 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Asphalt driveway near Akron
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.