Asphalt driveway cost in Dayton, OH
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $2,950 – $7,250
- Per sq ft
- $4.85 – $12
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $5,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #156
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for an asphalt driveway in the Dayton area: $2,950 to $7,250 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 lands close to the US figure. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 93.6).
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Dayton, OH, standard level
$4,250 to $5,950
About $6.95 to $9.70 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 43% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,400 | $3,150 |
| Labor | $1,750 | $2,650 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $140 |
| Total | $4,250 | $5,950 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Dayton, OH
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,850 | $2,800 | $3,700 | 54% |
| Labor | $1,050 | $2,200 | $3,350 | 43% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $120 | $190 | 2% |
| Total | $2,950 | $5,100 | $7,250 | 100% |
Where the Dayton 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, Dayton wages are 1.04 times the national level. Labor makes up about 43% of the midpoint estimate (41% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Dayton 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 92.7: $45 to $190.
The best months for asphalt driveway in Dayton
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Dayton Mcd (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 Dayton 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 107 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Dayton gets about 42 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 12 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and June (4.5 inches in April). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.0 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 39 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 | 36 | 20 | 3.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 40 | 23 | 2.4 | Cold |
| Mar | 51 | 31 | 3.5 | Cold |
| Apr | 64 | 41 | 4.5 | Workable |
| May | 75 | 53 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 62 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 66 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 64 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 56 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 44 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 52 | 33 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 41 | 26 | 3.1 | Cold |
Planning more than one job in Dayton?
Jobs that often go together with asphalt driveway are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Dayton wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+6%) and concrete slab lowest (level); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,750 – $9,600 | +4% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,550 – $10,400 | +2% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,050 – $5,550 | +2% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $640 – $2,250 | +6% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,500 – $5,150 | level |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,250 – $4,100 | +1% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Dayton 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).
Extras that change the Dayton total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.99 for Dayton, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.04) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a sealcoat | $590 – $1,200 |
Pick a size, pick a tier: asphalt driveway pricing in Dayton
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Dayton. 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
$2,950 to $4,700
New topcoat over a sound base, flat lot
Standard
$4,250 to $5,950
Full new driveway: base, 2-3 in of hot mix, edging
Premium
$5,550 to $7,250
Full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,200 – $1,950 | $1,750 – $2,450 | $2,300 – $3,000 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $2,000 – $3,150 | $2,850 – $4,050 | $3,750 – $4,900 |
| 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft | $2,950 – $4,700 | $4,250 – $5,950 | $5,550 – $7,250 |
| long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft | $4,900 – $7,750 | $7,000 – $9,850 | $9,150 – $12,000 |
Is Dayton cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (600 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Fort Wayne is the priciest of the group at $5,900. Lexington is the cheapest at $4,950.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton, OHthis page | $2,950 – $7,250 | $5,100 | |
| Cincinnati, OH55 miles | $3,050 – $7,600 | $5,350 | +4% |
| Columbus, OH70 miles | $3,200 – $7,950 | $5,550 | +9% |
| Fort Wayne, IN100 miles | $3,350 – $8,500 | $5,900 | +16% |
| Indianapolis, IN105 miles | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | +4% |
| Lexington, KY120 miles | $2,900 – $7,000 | $4,950 | −3% |
| Ohio (statewide) | $3,050 – $7,550 | $5,300 | +4% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | +2% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Dayton ranks #156 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Dayton is 4% below the Ohio figure.
Elsewhere in Ohio
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 1,105,580 jobs | $3,200 – $7,950 | $5,550 | +9% |
| Cincinnati, OH | 1,101,030 jobs | $3,050 – $7,600 | $5,350 | +4% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $3,100 – $7,700 | $5,400 | +6% |
| Akron, OH | 319,560 jobs | $3,100 – $7,700 | $5,400 | +6% |
| Toledo, OH | 291,530 jobs | $3,000 – $7,400 | $5,200 | +2% |
| Canton, OH | 163,080 jobs | $3,000 – $7,450 | $5,250 | +2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dayton against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $3,100 – $7,550 | $5,350 | +4% |
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $2,850 – $6,850 | $4,850 | −5% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $2,950 – $7,150 | $5,050 | −1% |
| Little Rock, AR | 358,210 jobs | $2,750 – $6,550 | $4,650 | −9% |
Who does the work: Dayton 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 Dayton the blend is 1.04.
Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071), 40% of the weighting: a median of $24.34 an hour, 5% below the US median of $25.64. The middle half of them earn between $21.45 and $28.37 an hour. About 70 work in the metro. That is 1.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $25.48 an hour, which is 12% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.00 and $35.00 an hour. BLS counts 1,390 of them working in the area, 37.3 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 $30.79 an hour, 7% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $25.96 and $40.96 an hour. About 710 work in the metro. That is 19.1 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 $130 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $95. That is a swing of roughly 1.9% to 2.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek has 372,660 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 70th 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% | $21.45 | $24.34 | $28.37 | $25.64 | 0.95 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.00 | $25.48 | $35.00 | $22.66 | 1.12 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $25.96 | $30.79 | $40.96 | $28.78 | 1.07 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.04 | |||||
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Multi-page report for Dayton, 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 Dayton: your questions
+How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Dayton?
For 600 sq ft, expect $2,950 to $7,250 in the Dayton area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,250 to $5,950. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for asphalt driveway in Dayton?
About $4.85 to $12 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 Dayton or Cincinnati?
Cincinnati is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $5,350, which is 4% more than Dayton ($5,100). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dayton?
About 43% at the midpoint, or $2,200 out of $5,100. Materials are 54% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 41%.
+What would 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft cost in Dayton?
$2,950 to $7,250. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does asphalt driveway need a permit in Dayton?
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 Dayton area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dayton expensive for asphalt driveway compared with the rest of Ohio?
Dayton is 4% below 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 Dayton?
The BLS median is $24.34 an hour in the Dayton area, compared with $25.64 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.45 to $28.37.
+What do basic and premium asphalt driveway work cost in Dayton?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $2,950 to $4,700 and premium work $5,550 to $7,250. 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 Dayton?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. September and October 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 Dayton?
$590 to $1,200 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Asphalt driveway near Dayton
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.