Asphalt driveway cost in Milwaukee, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $3,300 – $8,400
- Per sq ft
- $5.45 – $13.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +12%
- US $5,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #47
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for an asphalt driveway in the Milwaukee area: $3,300 to $8,400 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 12% higher than the US figure. Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn a median of $40.08 an hour in the Milwaukee area, 56% above the US median of $25.64.
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Milwaukee, WI, standard level
$4,850 to $6,900
About $7.95 to $11 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 50% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,400 | $3,150 |
| Labor | $2,350 | $3,600 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $150 |
| Total | $4,850 | $6,900 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Milwaukee, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,850 | $2,800 | $3,700 | 47% |
| Labor | $1,400 | $2,950 | $4,500 | 50% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $120 | $190 | 2% |
| Total | $3,300 | $5,850 | $8,400 | 100% |
Why Milwaukee prices look the way they do
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 $40.08 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Milwaukee is 1.39 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 50% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Milwaukee is at 93.8 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 96.9: $50 to $190.
Is Milwaukee cheap or dear? The local comparison
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 $5,450 to $5,900 across Milwaukee and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WIthis page | $3,300 – $8,400 | $5,850 | |
| Racine, WI10 miles | $3,250 – $8,150 | $5,700 | −3% |
| Kenosha, WI20 miles | $3,400 – $8,300 | $5,850 | level |
| Sheboygan, WI55 miles | $3,150 – $7,800 | $5,450 | −7% |
| Janesville, WI65 miles | $3,150 – $7,800 | $5,450 | −7% |
| Rockford, IL70 miles | $3,350 – $8,450 | $5,900 | level |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $3,200 – $8,000 | $5,600 | −5% |
| United States | $3,050 – $7,400 | $5,250 | −11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Milwaukee ranks #47 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Milwaukee is 5% above the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $3,400 – $8,700 | $6,050 | +3% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $3,050 – $7,500 | $5,250 | −10% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $3,300 – $8,350 | $5,850 | level |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $3,150 – $7,900 | $5,500 | −6% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $3,200 – $8,000 | $5,600 | −4% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $3,200 – $7,950 | $5,550 | −5% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Milwaukee against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City, UT | 826,210 jobs | $3,050 – $7,500 | $5,300 | −10% |
| Jacksonville, FL | 765,930 jobs | $2,850 – $6,850 | $4,850 | −17% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $3,100 – $7,700 | $5,400 | −8% |
| Virginia Beach, VA | 763,060 jobs | $2,850 – $6,800 | $4,800 | −18% |
Milwaukee: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Milwaukee. 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
$3,300 to $5,350
New topcoat over a sound base, flat lot
Standard
$4,850 to $6,900
Full new driveway: base, 2-3 in of hot mix, edging
Premium
$6,350 to $8,400
Full tear-out and rebuild, drainage work, heavy-duty depth
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,350 – $2,200 | $2,000 – $2,850 | $2,650 – $3,500 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $2,250 – $3,600 | $3,250 – $4,650 | $4,300 – $5,650 |
| 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft | $3,300 – $5,350 | $4,850 – $6,900 | $6,350 – $8,400 |
| long rural (10x100), 1,000 sq ft | $5,500 – $8,850 | $8,000 – $11,400 | $10,500 – $13,900 |
Planning more than one job in Milwaukee?
Jobs that often go together with asphalt driveway are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Milwaukee wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+17%) and concrete slab lowest (+7%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,150 – $10,800 | +16% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,800 – $11,200 | +10% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,450 – $6,300 | +16% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $700 – $2,450 | +17% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,700 – $5,550 | +7% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,300 – $4,500 | +11% |
The best months for asphalt driveway in Milwaukee
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Mt Mary College (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 Milwaukee 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 134 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Milwaukee gets about 34 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 40 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, May and June (4.8 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.0 and 2.7 inches. The station averages about 16 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 | 30 | 14 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 34 | 17 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 44 | 26 | 1.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 56 | 36 | 3.7 | Workable |
| May | 68 | 48 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 78 | 58 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 83 | 63 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 81 | 62 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Sep | 74 | 53 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 61 | 42 | 2.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 47 | 30 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Dec | 35 | 21 | 1.7 | Cold |
Optional extras in Milwaukee
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.16 for Milwaukee, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.39) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a sealcoat | $700 – $1,400 |
Why two Milwaukee quotes can differ
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).
Who does the work: Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee the blend is 1.39.
Paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators (47-2071), 40% of the weighting: a median of $40.08 an hour, 56% above the US median of $25.64. The middle half of them earn between $30.28 and $40.09 an hour. About 140 work in the metro. That is 1.7 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 $27.61 an hour, which is 22% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.17 and $37.52 an hour. BLS counts 4,740 of them working in the area, 57.7 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 $38.19 an hour, 33% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $30.92 and $45.82 an hour. About 2,070 work in the metro. That is 25.2 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 $0 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $330. That is a swing of roughly 5.6% to 0.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Milwaukee-Waukesha has 820,780 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 38th 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% | $30.28 | $40.08 | $40.09 | $25.64 | 1.56 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.17 | $27.61 | $37.52 | $22.66 | 1.22 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $30.92 | $38.19 | $45.82 | $28.78 | 1.33 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.39 | |||||
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 $4,850 to $6,900 for Milwaukee, WI is attached.
Detailed asphalt driveway report for Milwaukee, WI, $9
Multi-page report for Milwaukee, WI: 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 Milwaukee: your questions
+How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Milwaukee?
For 600 sq ft, expect $3,300 to $8,400 in the Milwaukee area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,850 to $6,900. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for asphalt driveway in Milwaukee?
About $5.45 to $13.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $50 to $190 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $5 to $12.
+Is asphalt driveway cheaper in Milwaukee or Racine?
Racine is 10 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $5,700, which is 3% less than Milwaukee ($5,850). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Milwaukee?
About 50% at the midpoint, or $2,950 out of $5,850. Materials are 47% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 41%.
+What would 2-car (20x30), 600 sq ft cost in Milwaukee?
$3,300 to $8,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does asphalt driveway need a permit in Milwaukee?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $190 for fees in the Milwaukee area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Milwaukee expensive for asphalt driveway compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Milwaukee is 5% above the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($5,600 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators earn in Milwaukee?
The BLS median is $40.08 an hour in the Milwaukee area, compared with $25.64 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $30.28 to $40.09.
+What do basic and premium asphalt driveway work cost in Milwaukee?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $3,300 to $5,350 and premium work $6,350 to $8,400. 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 Milwaukee?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. 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 Milwaukee?
$700 to $1,400 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Asphalt driveway near Milwaukee
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.