Concrete driveway cost in Iowa City, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $3,550 – $9,000
- Per sq ft
- $5.85 – $14.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $6,450
- Rank of 300 metros
- #150
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a concrete driveway in the Iowa City area: $3,550 to $9,000 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 93.7).
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Iowa City, IA, standard level
$5,200 to $7,400
About $8.50 to $12 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 70% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,600 | $1,950 |
| Labor | $3,550 | $5,300 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $140 |
| Total | $5,200 | $7,400 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Iowa City, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,300 | $1,750 | $2,250 | 28% |
| Labor | $2,200 | $4,400 | $6,600 | 70% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $110 | $180 | 2% |
| Total | $3,550 | $6,300 | $9,000 | 100% |
What is behind the Iowa City number
The wage side of the estimate leans on cement masons and concrete finishers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $27.95 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Iowa City is 1.00 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 70% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Iowa City is at 93.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,900 nationally becomes $1,750 here (midpoint, 600 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 91.5: $45 to $180.
Iowa City: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Iowa City. 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 3-car (900 sq ft).
Basic
$3,550 to $5,750
Plain gray, 4-inch broom finish, flat site
Standard
$5,200 to $7,400
5-inch with rebar and saw-cut joints, a border or one color
Premium
$6,850 to $9,000
6-inch for heavy vehicles, stamped or colored, grading needed
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,450 – $2,350 | $2,150 – $3,050 | $2,800 – $3,700 |
| 2-car (20x24), 480 sq ft | $2,850 – $4,600 | $4,150 – $5,950 | $5,500 – $7,250 |
| 2-car + apron (600 sq ft) | $3,550 – $5,750 | $5,200 – $7,400 | $6,850 – $9,000 |
| 3-car (900 sq ft) | $5,300 – $8,550 | $7,750 – $11,000 | $10,200 – $13,400 |
Who does the work: Iowa City trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 4 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 Iowa City the blend is 1.00.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 50% of the weighting: a median of $27.95 an hour, in line with the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $24.95 and $29.32 an hour. About 80 work in the metro. That is 8.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 13.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $23.05 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.87 and $28.74 an hour. BLS counts 800 of them working in the area, 85.3 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), 10% of the weighting: a median of $29.10 an hour, in line with the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $27.22 and $34.14 an hour. About 210 work in the metro. That is 22.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $23.89 an hour, 18% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.98 and $29.70 an hour. About 360 work in the metro. That is 38.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (cement masons and concrete finishers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $110 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $240. That is a swing of roughly 3.8% to 1.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Iowa City has 93,760 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 214th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 50% | $24.95 | $27.95 | $29.32 | $27.41 | 1.02 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $21.87 | $23.05 | $28.74 | $22.66 | 1.02 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 10% | $27.22 | $29.10 | $34.14 | $28.78 | 1.01 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $21.98 | $23.89 | $29.70 | $29.12 | 0.82 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Iowa City bid
Permits and the apron
A driveway permit is typically $50-$200 and is often required for new work. The apron where the driveway meets the street can need a separate right-of-way permit.
Thickness
HomeGuide prices a standard 4-inch driveway at $6-$15/sq ft and a 6-inch one, recommended for heavy vehicles, at $8-$20/sq ft.
Old driveway removal
Tearing out the old surface adds about $2-$6 per sq ft, and some cities want the haul-off documented.
Iowa City against nearby metros and the rest of Iowa
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 $6,300 to $6,700 across Iowa City and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IAthis page | $3,550 – $9,000 | $6,300 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA40 miles | $3,600 – $9,200 | $6,400 | +2% |
| Davenport, IA60 miles | $3,750 – $9,600 | $6,700 | +6% |
| Dubuque, IA75 miles | $3,600 – $9,200 | $6,400 | +2% |
| Waterloo, IA80 miles | $3,750 – $9,600 | $6,700 | +6% |
| Des Moines, IA110 miles | $3,650 – $9,350 | $6,500 | +3% |
| Iowa (statewide) | $3,600 – $9,150 | $6,350 | +1% |
| United States | $3,650 – $9,200 | $6,450 | +2% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Iowa City ranks #150 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Iowa City is 1% below the Iowa figure.
Elsewhere in Iowa
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $3,650 – $9,350 | $6,500 | +3% |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $3,750 – $9,600 | $6,700 | +6% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $3,600 – $9,200 | $6,400 | +2% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $3,750 – $9,600 | $6,700 | +6% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $3,550 – $9,000 | $6,300 | level |
| Dubuque, IA | 58,470 jobs | $3,600 – $9,200 | $6,400 | +2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Iowa City against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | 93,800 jobs | $3,750 – $9,500 | $6,600 | +5% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $4,100 – $10,700 | $7,400 | +17% |
| Barnstable, MA | 94,110 jobs | $4,000 – $10,300 | $7,150 | +14% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $4,300 – $11,100 | $7,700 | +22% |
The best months for concrete driveway in Iowa City
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Iowa City Muni Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For pouring concrete, the comfortable months in Iowa City are May through October: 6 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, April, November and December have an average overnight low of 40°F or below.
The 40°F line is a deliberately cautious stand-in. The American Concrete Institute's cold-weather guide (ACI 306R-16) defines cold-weather concreting around an average daily air temperature below 40°F, which is colder than our test of an average overnight low at or below 40°F, so we flag a few extra shoulder months. In cold weather crews may need heated enclosures, insulating blankets or accelerated mixes, and those measures can raise a quote.
Iowa City gets about 36 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.2 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 19 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 | 31 | 15 | 1.0 | Cold |
| Feb | 36 | 19 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Mar | 50 | 30 | 2.2 | Cold |
| Apr | 63 | 40 | 3.8 | Cold |
| May | 73 | 52 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 62 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 86 | 66 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 63 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Sep | 78 | 54 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 64 | 42 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 30 | 2.2 | Cold |
| Dec | 36 | 20 | 1.4 | Cold |
Optional extras in Iowa City
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.97 for Iowa City, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.00) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add rebar reinforcement | $580 – $1,750 |
| Remove the old driveway | $1,150 – $3,500 |
Planning more than one job in Iowa City?
Jobs that often go together with concrete driveway are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Iowa City wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (level) and concrete slab lowest (−4%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,000 – $7,350 | −1% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $9,950 | −2% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,350 – $5,000 | −4% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $3,150 – $7,750 | −2% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,000 – $5,450 | level |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,900 | −3% |
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 $5,200 to $7,400 for Iowa City, IA is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
The report lays out the concrete driveway numbers for Iowa City, IA line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Concrete driveway in Iowa City: your questions
+How much does it cost to pour a concrete driveway in Iowa City?
For 600 sq ft, expect $3,550 to $9,000 in the Iowa City area. A standard-spec job lands at $5,200 to $7,400. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for concrete driveway in Iowa City?
About $5.85 to $14.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $45 to $180 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $6 to $15.
+Is concrete driveway cheaper in Iowa City or Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $6,400, which is 2% more than Iowa City ($6,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Iowa City?
About 70% at the midpoint, or $4,400 out of $6,300. Materials are 28% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 69%.
+What would 2-car + apron (600 sq ft) cost in Iowa City?
$3,550 to $9,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does concrete driveway need a permit in Iowa City?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $180 for fees in the Iowa City area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Iowa City expensive for concrete driveway compared with the rest of Iowa?
Iowa City is 1% below the Iowa statewide estimate ($6,350 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Iowa; see the state page to compare them.
+What do cement masons and concrete finishers earn in Iowa City?
The BLS median is $27.95 an hour in the Iowa City area, compared with $27.41 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.95 to $29.32.
+What do basic and premium concrete driveway work cost in Iowa City?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $3,550 to $5,750 and premium work $6,850 to $9,000. Basic means: plain gray, 4-inch broom finish, flat site. Premium means: 6-inch for heavy vehicles, stamped or colored, grading needed.
+When is the best time to pour a concrete driveway in Iowa City?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May 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 rebar reinforcement" add in Iowa City?
$580 to $1,750 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Concrete driveway near Iowa City
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 a Concrete Driveway Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- SimplyWise: Concrete Estimate Template: Free PDF + Excel (2026) (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 = SimplyWise's sample 600 sq ft, 4-inch driveway line ($1,400-$2,400 in materials) divided by 600 sq ft.