Asphalt driveway cost in Morgantown, WV
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $2,900 – $7,000
- Per sq ft
- $4.75 – $11.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $5,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #187
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to pave a driveway in Morgantown, plan on $2,900 to $7,000 for 600 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $4.75 to $11.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 5% lower than the national one. Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn a median of $24.63 an hour in the Morgantown area, 4% below the US median of $25.64.
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Morgantown, WV, standard level
$4,150 to $5,800
About $6.75 to $9.40 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,500 | $3,250 |
| Labor | $1,550 | $2,400 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $140 |
| Total | $4,150 | $5,800 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Morgantown, WV
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,900 | $2,850 | $3,800 | 58% |
| Labor | $950 | $2,000 | $3,000 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $120 | $190 | 2% |
| Total | $2,900 | $4,950 | $7,000 | 100% |
What is behind the Morgantown number
The wage side of the estimate leans on paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators, who do 40% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $24.63 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Morgantown is 0.93 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 40% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the West Virginia statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Morgantown metro is 96.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 600 sq ft comes to $2,850, compared with $2,950 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (93.3) and land at $45 to $190.
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 Morgantown. The wage table below marks each row.
Morgantown: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Morgantown wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$2,900 to $4,550
New topcoat over a sound base, flat lot
Standard
$4,150 to $5,800
Full new driveway: base, 2-3 in of hot mix, edging
Premium
$5,350 to $7,000
Full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,200 – $1,900 | $1,700 – $2,400 | $2,250 – $2,900 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $1,950 – $3,050 | $2,800 – $3,900 | $3,650 – $4,750 |
| 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft | $2,900 – $4,550 | $4,150 – $5,800 | $5,350 – $7,000 |
| long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft | $4,800 – $7,500 | $6,850 – $9,550 | $8,850 – $11,600 |
What nearby projects cost in Morgantown
Because every project leans on different trades, Morgantown's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, gravel driveway runs −6% and paver patio −10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,350 – $8,400 | −9% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,350 – $9,550 | −6% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,700 – $4,900 | −10% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $560 – $1,950 | −7% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,850 | −7% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,700 | −8% |
Add-ons priced for Morgantown
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Morgantown by the average of the local wage index (0.93) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 0.95. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a sealcoat | $570 – $1,150 |
Climate in Morgantown: timing your asphalt driveway job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Morgantown Hart Fld (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through November is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Morgantown (9 of 12 months). January, February and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February 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 102 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Morgantown gets about 43 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and July (4.9 inches in July). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 3.1 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 13 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40 | 24 | 3.1 | Cold |
| Feb | 44 | 26 | 2.8 | Cold |
| Mar | 53 | 33 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 65 | 42 | 3.9 | Workable |
| May | 74 | 52 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 81 | 60 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jul | 84 | 64 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 83 | 63 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 77 | 56 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 45 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 54 | 36 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 44 | 29 | 3.2 | Cold |
Why two Morgantown quotes can differ
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).
Sealcoating
Sealing is $1-$2 per sq ft and is a maintenance cost, not part of the install.
Morgantown labor market for asphalt driveway
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Morgantown is 0.93 times the national level.
Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071) carry 40% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Morgantown metro, so we used the West Virginia statewide median: $24.63 an hour against $25.64 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $21.81 and $28.07 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $21.32 an hour, 6% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.14 and $24.01 an hour. About 660 work in the metro. That is 98.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 30%) the local median is $25.46 an hour, which is 12% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.18 and $29.27 an hour. BLS counts 530 of them working in the area, 78.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($28.07 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $110. At the 25th percentile ($21.81) it shrinks by about $95. The total moves by 2.3% or 1.9%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 67,370 jobs in the Morgantown area. That makes it the 268th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071) | 40% | $21.81 | $24.63 | $28.07 | $25.64 | 0.96 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $17.14 | $21.32 | $24.01 | $22.66 | 0.94 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $22.18 | $25.46 | $29.27 | $28.78 | 0.88 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.93 | |||||
Morgantown against nearby metros and the rest of West Virginia
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 $4,850 to $5,250 across Morgantown and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgantown, WVthis page | $2,900 – $7,000 | $4,950 | |
| Wheeling, WV65 miles | $2,950 – $7,150 | $5,050 | +2% |
| Pittsburgh, PA65 miles | $3,050 – $7,450 | $5,250 | +6% |
| Winchester, VA75 miles | $2,850 – $6,850 | $4,850 | −2% |
| Harrisonburg, VA85 miles | $2,850 – $6,900 | $4,900 | −2% |
| Hagerstown, MD95 miles | $2,950 – $7,100 | $5,000 | +1% |
| West Virginia (statewide) | $2,900 – $6,950 | $4,900 | −1% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | +5% |
Across 300 US metros, Morgantown comes in at #187 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $7,650; the cheapest is Fort Smith, AR at $4,450 (midpoints, 600 sq ft). Statewide, Morgantown is 1% above the West Virginia figure.
Other West Virginia metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington, WV | 140,740 jobs | $2,900 – $7,100 | $5,000 | +1% |
| Charleston, WV | 103,450 jobs | $2,950 – $7,150 | $5,050 | +2% |
| Wheeling, WV | 58,130 jobs | $2,950 – $7,150 | $5,050 | +2% |
Cities with a workforce like Morgantown's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Morgantown against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $2,850 – $6,850 | $4,850 | −2% |
| Grand Junction, CO | 67,170 jobs | $3,000 – $7,300 | $5,150 | +3% |
| Burlington, NC | 67,830 jobs | $2,850 – $6,900 | $4,850 | −2% |
| Missoula, MT | 67,070 jobs | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | +5% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed asphalt driveway report for Morgantown, WV, $9
Multi-page report for Morgantown, WV: 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 Morgantown: your questions
+How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Morgantown?
For 600 sq ft, expect $2,900 to $7,000 in the Morgantown area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,150 to $5,800. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for asphalt driveway in Morgantown?
About $4.75 to $11.50 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 Morgantown or Wheeling?
Wheeling is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $5,050, which is 2% more than Morgantown ($4,950). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Morgantown?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $2,000 out of $4,950. Materials are 58% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 41%.
+What would 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft cost in Morgantown?
$2,900 to $7,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does asphalt driveway need a permit in Morgantown?
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 Morgantown area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Morgantown expensive for asphalt driveway compared with the rest of West Virginia?
Morgantown is 1% above the West Virginia statewide estimate ($4,900 at the midpoint). We cover 4 metros in West Virginia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn in Morgantown?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $24.63 an hour, compared with $25.64 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.81 to $28.07.
+What do basic and premium asphalt driveway work cost in Morgantown?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $2,900 to $4,550 and premium work $5,350 to $7,000. 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 Morgantown?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March 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 Morgantown?
$570 to $1,150 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Asphalt driveway near Morgantown
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.