Concrete driveway cost in Lafayette, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $3,300 – $8,250
- Per sq ft
- $5.40 – $13.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $6,450
- Rank of 300 metros
- #206
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a concrete driveway in the Lafayette area: $3,300 to $8,250 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 runs 10% lower than the US figure. Cement masons and concrete finishers earn a median of $25.91 an hour in the Lafayette area, 5% below the US median of $27.41.
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Lafayette, LA, standard level
$4,750 to $6,750
About $7.80 to $11 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 67% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,600 | $1,950 |
| Labor | $3,100 | $4,650 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $140 |
| Total | $4,750 | $6,750 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Lafayette, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,300 | $1,750 | $2,250 | 31% |
| Labor | $1,950 | $3,900 | $5,800 | 67% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $110 | $170 | 2% |
| Total | $3,300 | $5,750 | $8,250 | 100% |
What is behind the Lafayette number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 4 trades: cement masons and concrete finishers at 50%, construction laborers at 30%, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at 10%, carpenters at 10%. Weighted together, Lafayette wages are 0.88 times the national level. Labor makes up about 67% of the midpoint estimate (69% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Lafayette 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 87.2: $45 to $170.
Add-ons priced for Lafayette
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.91 for Lafayette, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.88) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add rebar reinforcement | $550 – $1,650 |
| Remove the old driveway | $1,100 – $3,250 |
Is Lafayette 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 $5,500 to $6,150 across Lafayette and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette, LAthis page | $3,300 – $8,250 | $5,750 | |
| Lake Charles, LA65 miles | $3,300 – $8,200 | $5,750 | level |
| Baton Rouge, LA70 miles | $3,500 – $8,850 | $6,150 | +7% |
| Houma, LA90 miles | $3,150 – $7,900 | $5,550 | −4% |
| Alexandria, LA95 miles | $3,150 – $7,800 | $5,500 | −5% |
| Beaumont, TX125 miles | $3,350 – $8,350 | $5,850 | +1% |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $3,200 – $8,000 | $5,600 | −3% |
| United States | $3,650 – $9,200 | $6,450 | +12% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Lafayette ranks #206 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Lafayette is 3% above the Louisiana figure.
Elsewhere in Louisiana
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $3,250 – $8,050 | $5,650 | −2% |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $3,500 – $8,850 | $6,150 | +7% |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $3,150 – $7,900 | $5,550 | −4% |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $3,300 – $8,200 | $5,750 | level |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $3,200 – $7,950 | $5,600 | −3% |
| Monroe, LA | 87,500 jobs | $3,050 – $7,450 | $5,250 | −9% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Lafayette against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $3,750 – $9,600 | $6,700 | +16% |
| Sioux Falls, SD | 178,590 jobs | $3,350 – $8,400 | $5,900 | +2% |
| Asheville, NC | 180,620 jobs | $3,300 – $8,200 | $5,750 | level |
| Anchorage, AK | 177,050 jobs | $4,650 – $12,100 | $8,400 | +46% |
The best months for concrete driveway in Lafayette
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Lafayette Rgnl 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 Lafayette are September through May: 9 of 12. Outside them, June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Heat matters for concrete as well. With average highs of 90°F or more in June, July and August, crews often start early, wet the base and plan for faster set times.
Lafayette gets about 63 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (7.1 inches in June). Inside the workable window, February and March are the driest, at 4.1 and 3.7 inches. The station averages about 91 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 | 62 | 44 | 5.9 | Workable |
| Feb | 66 | 47 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 73 | 53 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 59 | 4.9 | Workable |
| May | 86 | 67 | 5.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 90 | 73 | 7.1 | Hot |
| Jul | 92 | 75 | 6.3 | Hot |
| Aug | 92 | 75 | 6.3 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 70 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 81 | 60 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 72 | 50 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 64 | 45 | 5.0 | Workable |
Concrete driveway: what moves the price in Lafayette
Finish
Decorative driveways run $10-$25 per sq ft installed: colors and borders at $10-$15, stamped patterns at $15-$20, and high-end finishes at $20-$25+ (HomeGuide).
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.
Cost by quality level and size in Lafayette
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Lafayette. 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
$3,300 to $5,250
Plain gray, 4-inch broom finish, flat site
Standard
$4,750 to $6,750
5-inch with rebar and saw-cut joints, a border or one color
Premium
$6,250 to $8,250
6-inch for heavy vehicles, stamped or colored, grading needed
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,350 – $2,150 | $1,950 – $2,800 | $2,600 – $3,400 |
| 2-car (20x24), 480 sq ft | $2,650 – $4,250 | $3,850 – $5,450 | $5,050 – $6,600 |
| 2-car + apron (600 sq ft) | $3,300 – $5,250 | $4,750 – $6,750 | $6,250 – $8,250 |
| 3-car (900 sq ft) | $4,900 – $7,850 | $7,100 – $10,100 | $9,300 – $12,300 |
Who does the work: Lafayette 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 Lafayette the blend is 0.88.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 50% of the weighting: a median of $25.91 an hour, 5% below the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $20.29 and $30.00 an hour. About 90 work in the metro. That is 5.0 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 $18.57 an hour, which is 18% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.31 and $22.95 an hour. BLS counts 1,780 of them working in the area, 99.1 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 $23.94 an hour, 17% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.27 and $29.10 an hour. About 370 work in the metro. That is 20.6 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 $22.81 an hour, 22% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $18.55 and $27.69 an hour. About 580 work in the metro. That is 32.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (cement masons and concrete finishers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $330 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $450. That is a swing of roughly 7.8% to 5.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Lafayette has 179,570 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 129th 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% | $20.29 | $25.91 | $30.00 | $27.41 | 0.95 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $16.31 | $18.57 | $22.95 | $22.66 | 0.82 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 10% | $22.27 | $23.94 | $29.10 | $28.78 | 0.83 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $18.55 | $22.81 | $27.69 | $29.12 | 0.78 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Lafayette?
Jobs that often go together with concrete driveway are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Lafayette wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, stamped concrete comes out highest (−9%) and paver patio lowest (−12%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $2,750 – $6,650 | −10% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,200 – $9,000 | −12% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,200 – $4,750 | −9% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $3,000 – $7,250 | −9% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,650 – $4,750 | −12% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,600 | −10% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed concrete driveway report for Lafayette, LA, $9
Multi-page report for Lafayette, LA: 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.
Concrete driveway in Lafayette: your questions
+How much does it cost to pour a concrete driveway in Lafayette?
For 600 sq ft, expect $3,300 to $8,250 in the Lafayette area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,750 to $6,750. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for concrete driveway in Lafayette?
About $5.40 to $13.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $45 to $170 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $6 to $15.
+Is concrete driveway cheaper in Lafayette or Lake Charles?
Lake Charles is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $5,750, which is 0% less than Lafayette ($5,750). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Lafayette?
About 67% at the midpoint, or $3,900 out of $5,750. Materials are 31% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 69%.
+What would 2-car + apron (600 sq ft) cost in Lafayette?
$3,300 to $8,250. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does concrete driveway need a permit in Lafayette?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $170 for fees in the Lafayette area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Lafayette expensive for concrete driveway compared with the rest of Louisiana?
Lafayette is 3% above the Louisiana statewide estimate ($5,600 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Louisiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do cement masons and concrete finishers earn in Lafayette?
The BLS median is $25.91 an hour in the Lafayette area, compared with $27.41 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.29 to $30.00.
+What do basic and premium concrete driveway work cost in Lafayette?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $3,300 to $5,250 and premium work $6,250 to $8,250. 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 Lafayette?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. February and March 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 Lafayette?
$550 to $1,650 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Concrete driveway near Lafayette
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.