Asphalt driveway cost in Knoxville, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $2,800 – $6,700
- Per sq ft
- $4.60 – $11
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $5,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #244
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for an asphalt driveway in the Knoxville area: $2,800 to $6,700 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 9% lower than the US figure. Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn a median of $19.49 an hour in the Knoxville area, 24% below the US median of $25.64.
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Knoxville, TN, standard level
$4,000 to $5,550
About $6.50 to $9 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 38% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,500 | $3,250 |
| Labor | $1,400 | $2,150 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $140 |
| Total | $4,000 | $5,550 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Knoxville, TN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,900 | $2,850 | $3,800 | 60% |
| Labor | $860 | $1,800 | $2,750 | 38% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $120 | $190 | 2% |
| Total | $2,800 | $4,750 | $6,700 | 100% |
What is behind the Knoxville number
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, Knoxville wages are 0.84 times the national level. Labor makes up about 38% of the midpoint estimate (41% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Knoxville is at 96.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $2,950 nationally becomes $2,850 here (midpoint, 600 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 92.6: $45 to $190.
Who does the work: Knoxville 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 Knoxville the blend is 0.84.
Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071), 40% of the weighting: a median of $19.49 an hour, 24% below the US median of $25.64. The middle half of them earn between $18.00 and $27.65 an hour. About 270 work in the metro. That is 6.4 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 $22.18 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.16 and $25.87 an hour. BLS counts 3,640 of them working in the area, 85.7 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 $23.41 an hour, 19% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.22 and $27.74 an hour. About 1,210 work in the metro. That is 28.5 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 $50. That is a swing of roughly 1.0% to 5.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Knoxville has 424,600 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 59th 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% | $18.00 | $19.49 | $27.65 | $25.64 | 0.76 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $18.16 | $22.18 | $25.87 | $22.66 | 0.98 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $21.22 | $23.41 | $27.74 | $28.78 | 0.81 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.84 | |||||
Optional extras in Knoxville
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.90 for Knoxville, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.84) and goods price index (0.96). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a sealcoat | $540 – $1,100 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Knoxville bid
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.
How Knoxville 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 $4,600 to $4,950 across Knoxville and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, TNthis page | $2,800 – $6,700 | $4,750 | |
| Asheville, NC95 miles | $2,900 – $7,000 | $4,950 | +4% |
| Dalton, GA95 miles | $2,750 – $6,500 | $4,600 | −3% |
| Chattanooga, TN95 miles | $2,800 – $6,650 | $4,700 | −1% |
| Johnson City, TN100 miles | $2,750 – $6,500 | $4,600 | −3% |
| Kingsport, TN100 miles | $2,850 – $6,850 | $4,850 | +2% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $2,850 – $6,800 | $4,800 | +1% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | +10% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Knoxville ranks #244 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Knoxville is 1% below the Tennessee figure.
Elsewhere in Tennessee
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $2,900 – $7,050 | $5,000 | +4% |
| Memphis, TN | 611,670 jobs | $2,800 – $6,750 | $4,800 | level |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $2,800 – $6,650 | $4,700 | −1% |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $2,850 – $6,850 | $4,850 | +2% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $2,850 – $6,900 | $4,900 | +3% |
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $2,800 – $6,700 | $4,750 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Knoxville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $2,850 – $6,850 | $4,850 | +2% |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $2,950 – $7,250 | $5,100 | +7% |
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $2,850 – $6,850 | $4,850 | +1% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $3,400 – $8,700 | $6,050 | +27% |
The best months for asphalt driveway in Knoxville
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Ap (10 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 Knoxville are February through December: 11 of 12. Outside them, January has an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 67 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Knoxville gets about 52 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 5 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, July and December (5.3 inches in July). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.5 and 2.8 inches. The station averages about 37 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 | 48 | 30 | 4.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 53 | 33 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 61 | 40 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Apr | 71 | 48 | 4.7 | Workable |
| May | 79 | 57 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jun | 86 | 65 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 69 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 88 | 68 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 83 | 61 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 72 | 49 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 60 | 38 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 51 | 33 | 5.0 | Workable |
What nearby projects cost in Knoxville
Jobs that often go together with asphalt driveway are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Knoxville wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (−3%) and concrete driveway lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,300 – $8,200 | −11% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,300 – $9,500 | −7% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,900 – $5,300 | −3% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $560 – $2,000 | −6% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,800 | −8% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,600 | −9% |
Cost by quality level and size in Knoxville
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Knoxville. 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
$2,800 to $4,400
New topcoat over a sound base, flat lot
Standard
$4,000 to $5,550
Full new driveway: base, 2-3 in of hot mix, edging
Premium
$5,150 to $6,700
Full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,150 – $1,800 | $1,650 – $2,300 | $2,150 – $2,800 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $1,900 – $2,950 | $2,700 – $3,750 | $3,500 – $4,550 |
| 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft | $2,800 – $4,400 | $4,000 – $5,550 | $5,150 – $6,700 |
| long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft | $4,650 – $7,250 | $6,600 – $9,150 | $8,500 – $11,100 |
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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 $4,000 to $5,550 for Knoxville, TN is attached.
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Multi-page report for Knoxville, TN: 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 Knoxville: your questions
+How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Knoxville?
For 600 sq ft, expect $2,800 to $6,700 in the Knoxville area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,000 to $5,550. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for asphalt driveway in Knoxville?
About $4.60 to $11 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 Knoxville or Asheville?
Asheville is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $4,950, which is 4% more than Knoxville ($4,750). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Knoxville?
About 38% at the midpoint, or $1,800 out of $4,750. Materials are 60% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 41%.
+What would 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft cost in Knoxville?
$2,800 to $6,700. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does asphalt driveway need a permit in Knoxville?
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 Knoxville area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Knoxville expensive for asphalt driveway compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Knoxville is 1% below the Tennessee statewide estimate ($4,800 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Tennessee; see the state page to compare them.
+What do paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn in Knoxville?
The BLS median is $19.49 an hour in the Knoxville area, compared with $25.64 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.00 to $27.65.
+What do basic and premium asphalt driveway work cost in Knoxville?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $2,800 to $4,400 and premium work $5,150 to $6,700. 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 Knoxville?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through December. 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 Knoxville?
$540 to $1,100 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Asphalt driveway near Knoxville
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.