Concrete driveway cost in Lake Charles, LA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $3,300 – $8,200
- Per sq ft
- $5.40 – $13.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $6,450
- Rank of 300 metros
- #211
- 1 = most expensive
Lake Charles homeowners pay roughly $3,300 to $8,200 to pour a concrete driveway at 600 sq ft, or $5.40 to $13.50 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Lake Charles is 11% lower. Cement masons and concrete finishers earn a median of $23.64 an hour in the Lake Charles area, 14% below the US median of $27.41.
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Lake Charles, 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 | $80 | $130 |
| Total | $4,750 | $6,750 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Lake Charles, LA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,300 | $1,750 | $2,250 | 31% |
| Labor | $1,950 | $3,850 | $5,800 | 67% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $110 | $170 | 2% |
| Total | $3,300 | $5,750 | $8,200 | 100% |
Where the Lake Charles price comes from
Labor is 67% of the midpoint bill here, against 69% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is cement masons and concrete finishers (50%), construction laborers (30%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10%), carpenters (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Lake Charles the blended ratio comes out at 0.88. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Louisiana statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Lake Charles metro is 93.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 600 sq ft comes to $1,750, compared with $1,900 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (85.9) and land at $45 to $170.
Data note: 50% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Lake Charles. The wage table below marks each row.
Pick a size, pick a tier: concrete driveway pricing in Lake Charles
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Lake Charles 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
$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 $8,200
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 – $2,750 | $2,550 – $3,400 |
| 2-car (20x24), 480 sq ft | $2,650 – $4,200 | $3,850 – $5,400 | $5,000 – $6,600 |
| 2-car + apron (600 sq ft) | $3,300 – $5,250 | $4,750 – $6,750 | $6,250 – $8,200 |
| 3-car (900 sq ft) | $4,900 – $7,850 | $7,100 – $10,000 | $9,300 – $12,200 |
Add-ons priced for Lake Charles
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Lake Charles by the average of the local wage index (0.88) and goods index (0.94), a factor of 0.91. 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 rebar reinforcement | $540 – $1,650 |
| Remove the old driveway | $1,100 – $3,250 |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 4 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Lake Charles is 0.88 times the national level.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Lake Charles metro, so we used the Louisiana statewide median: $23.64 an hour against $27.41 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $19.54 and $30.00 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $21.75 an hour, 4% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.37 and $25.18 an hour. About 2,130 work in the metro. That is 209.5 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 10%) the local median is $23.69 an hour, which is 18% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.27 and $29.07 an hour. BLS counts 410 of them working in the area, 40.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $22.08 an hour, which is 24% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $16.13 and $28.48 an hour. BLS counts 630 of them working in the area, 62.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the cement masons and concrete finishers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($30.00 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $510. At the 25th percentile ($19.54) it shrinks by about $330. The total moves by 8.9% or 5.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 101,690 jobs in the Lake Charles area. That makes it the 202nd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.07% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 50% | $19.54 | $23.64 | $30.00 | $27.41 | 0.86 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $17.37 | $21.75 | $25.18 | $22.66 | 0.96 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 10% | $21.27 | $23.69 | $29.07 | $28.78 | 0.82 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $16.13 | $22.08 | $28.48 | $29.12 | 0.76 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
Lake Charles against nearby metros and the rest of Louisiana
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 Lake Charles and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles, LAthis page | $3,300 – $8,200 | $5,750 | |
| Beaumont, TX60 miles | $3,350 – $8,350 | $5,850 | +2% |
| Lafayette, LA65 miles | $3,300 – $8,250 | $5,750 | level |
| Alexandria, LA95 miles | $3,150 – $7,800 | $5,500 | −5% |
| Baton Rouge, LA125 miles | $3,500 – $8,850 | $6,150 | +7% |
| Houston, TX130 miles | $3,300 – $8,150 | $5,750 | level |
| Louisiana (statewide) | $3,200 – $8,000 | $5,600 | −3% |
| United States | $3,650 – $9,200 | $6,450 | +12% |
Across 300 US metros, Lake Charles comes in at #211 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $10,000; the cheapest is McAllen, TX at $4,950 (midpoints, 600 sq ft). Statewide, Lake Charles is 3% above the Louisiana figure.
Other Louisiana metros
| 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% |
| Lafayette, LA | 179,570 jobs | $3,300 – $8,250 | $5,750 | level |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $3,150 – $7,900 | $5,550 | −4% |
| Slidell, LA | 98,240 jobs | $3,200 – $7,950 | $5,600 | −3% |
| Monroe, LA | 87,500 jobs | $3,050 – $7,450 | $5,250 | −9% |
Cities with a workforce like Lake Charles's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Lake Charles against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette, IN | 102,200 jobs | $3,700 – $9,500 | $6,600 | +15% |
| Springfield, IL | 100,810 jobs | $4,050 – $10,600 | $7,300 | +27% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $3,250 – $8,150 | $5,700 | −1% |
| Santa Cruz, CA | 98,500 jobs | $4,050 – $10,400 | $7,200 | +26% |
Why two Lake Charles quotes can differ
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.
Grading and drainage
Professional grading runs $3-$8 per sq ft or $700-$2,500 for a typical job. A sloped lot or poor soil raises it.
When to schedule concrete driveway in Lake Charles
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Lake Charles (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through May is the stretch where pouring concrete runs into the fewest weather problems in Lake Charles (9 of 12 months). 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.
Lake Charles gets about 60 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, June and August (6.5 inches in June). Inside the workable window, February and March are the driest, at 3.3 and 3.7 inches. The station averages about 88 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 | 63 | 43 | 5.9 | Workable |
| Feb | 67 | 47 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Mar | 73 | 53 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 79 | 59 | 4.4 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 67 | 5.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 91 | 74 | 6.5 | Hot |
| Jul | 92 | 76 | 5.7 | Hot |
| Aug | 93 | 75 | 6.2 | Hot |
| Sep | 89 | 71 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 82 | 60 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 72 | 51 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 65 | 45 | 4.6 | Workable |
What nearby projects cost in Lake Charles
Because every project leans on different trades, Lake Charles's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, paver patio runs −7% and concrete patio −10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $2,800 – $6,800 | −8% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,300 – $9,300 | −9% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,200 – $4,700 | −9% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $2,950 – $7,200 | −9% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,800 – $5,050 | −7% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,600 | −10% |
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 $4,750 to $6,750 for Lake Charles, LA is attached.
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Concrete driveway in Lake Charles: your questions
+How much does it cost to pour a concrete driveway in Lake Charles?
For 600 sq ft, expect $3,300 to $8,200 in the Lake Charles 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 Lake Charles?
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 Lake Charles or Beaumont?
Beaumont is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $5,850, which is 2% more than Lake Charles ($5,750). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Lake Charles?
About 67% at the midpoint, or $3,850 out of $5,750. Materials are 31% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 69%.
+What would 2-car + apron (600 sq ft) cost in Lake Charles?
$3,300 to $8,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does concrete driveway need a permit in Lake Charles?
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 Lake Charles area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Lake Charles expensive for concrete driveway compared with the rest of Louisiana?
Lake Charles 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 Lake Charles?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $23.64 an hour, compared with $27.41 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $19.54 to $30.00.
+What do basic and premium concrete driveway work cost in Lake Charles?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $3,300 to $5,250 and premium work $6,250 to $8,200. 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 Lake Charles?
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 Lake Charles?
$540 to $1,650 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Concrete driveway near Lake Charles
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.