Concrete driveway cost in Bismarck, ND
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $3,600 – $9,200
- Per sq ft
- $5.95 – $15
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $6,450
- Rank of 300 metros
- #143
- 1 = most expensive
A concrete driveway in Bismarck, ND usually costs $3,600 to $9,200 for 600 sq ft. That works out to about $5.95 to $15 per sq ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Building materials run about 4% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 95.7).
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Bismarck, ND, standard level
$5,300 to $7,500
About $8.65 to $12.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 70% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,600 | $2,000 |
| Labor | $3,600 | $5,350 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $140 |
| Total | $5,300 | $7,500 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Bismarck, ND
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,300 | $1,800 | $2,300 | 28% |
| Labor | $2,250 | $4,500 | $6,700 | 70% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $110 | $180 | 2% |
| Total | $3,600 | $6,400 | $9,200 | 100% |
Where the Bismarck price comes from
Labor is 70% 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 Bismarck the blended ratio comes out at 1.02.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Bismarck is at 95.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,900 nationally becomes $1,800 here (midpoint, 600 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 91.0: $45 to $180.
Is Bismarck cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (600 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. St. Cloud is the priciest of the group at $6,950. Rapid City is the cheapest at $5,850.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, NDthis page | $3,600 – $9,200 | $6,400 | |
| Fargo, ND190 miles | $3,600 – $9,200 | $6,400 | level |
| Rapid City, SD210 miles | $3,350 – $8,400 | $5,850 | −8% |
| Sioux Falls, SD305 miles | $3,350 – $8,400 | $5,900 | −8% |
| St. Cloud, MN325 miles | $3,900 – $9,950 | $6,950 | +8% |
| Sioux City, IA380 miles | $3,550 – $9,000 | $6,300 | −2% |
| North Dakota (statewide) | $3,600 – $9,200 | $6,400 | level |
| United States | $3,650 – $9,200 | $6,450 | level |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Bismarck ranks #143 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Bismarck is 0% below the North Dakota figure.
Elsewhere in North Dakota
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND | 148,660 jobs | $3,600 – $9,200 | $6,400 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Bismarck against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redding, CA | 71,550 jobs | $4,050 – $10,200 | $7,150 | +12% |
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $3,550 – $8,850 | $6,200 | −3% |
| Bozeman, MT | 72,210 jobs | $3,900 – $10,000 | $6,950 | +9% |
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $4,150 – $10,800 | $7,500 | +17% |
Optional extras in Bismarck
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.99 for Bismarck, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.02) and goods price index (0.96). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add rebar reinforcement | $590 – $1,800 |
| Remove the old driveway | $1,200 – $3,550 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Bismarck 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.
Bismarck: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Bismarck. 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
$3,600 to $5,850
Plain gray, 4-inch broom finish, flat site
Standard
$5,300 to $7,500
5-inch with rebar and saw-cut joints, a border or one color
Premium
$6,950 to $9,200
6-inch for heavy vehicles, stamped or colored, grading needed
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,500 – $2,400 | $2,150 – $3,100 | $2,850 – $3,800 |
| 2-car (20x24), 480 sq ft | $2,900 – $4,700 | $4,250 – $6,050 | $5,600 – $7,400 |
| 2-car + apron (600 sq ft) | $3,600 – $5,850 | $5,300 – $7,500 | $6,950 – $9,200 |
| 3-car (900 sq ft) | $5,400 – $8,700 | $7,900 – $11,200 | $10,400 – $13,700 |
Bismarck weather and the concrete driveway calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Bismarck (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 Bismarck are May through September: 5 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, April, October, 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.
Bismarck gets about 19 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 51 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and July (3.4 inches in June). Inside the workable window, May and September are the driest, at 2.5 and 1.7 inches. The station averages about 21 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 | 23 | 2 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 28 | 7 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 41 | 19 | 0.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 56 | 30 | 1.3 | Cold |
| May | 68 | 42 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 78 | 53 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 58 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 56 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 73 | 46 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 57 | 33 | 1.4 | Cold |
| Nov | 41 | 19 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Dec | 28 | 8 | 0.6 | Cold |
What local crews earn in Bismarck
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 Bismarck the blend is 1.02.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 50% of the weighting: a median of $27.66 an hour, in line with the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $23.01 and $30.05 an hour. About 190 work in the metro. That is 26.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 13.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $23.93 an hour, which is 6% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.87 and $29.41 an hour. BLS counts 620 of them working in the area, 87.0 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 $29.88 an hour, 4% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $25.67 and $35.15 an hour. About 580 work in the metro. That is 81.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $26.28 an hour, 10% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.75 and $30.71 an hour. About 510 work in the metro. That is 71.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of 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 $190 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $370. That is a swing of roughly 5.8% to 3.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Bismarck has 71,270 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 258th 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% | $23.01 | $27.66 | $30.05 | $27.41 | 1.01 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $21.87 | $23.93 | $29.41 | $22.66 | 1.06 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 10% | $25.67 | $29.88 | $35.15 | $28.78 | 1.04 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $22.75 | $26.28 | $30.71 | $29.12 | 0.90 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.02 | |||||
Related projects, priced for Bismarck
Jobs that often go together with concrete driveway are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Bismarck wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+7%) and concrete slab lowest (−2%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,000 – $7,300 | −2% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,500 – $10,200 | level |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,400 – $5,050 | −2% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $3,200 – $7,850 | −1% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,200 – $5,850 | +7% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,950 | −2% |
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 $5,300 to $7,500 for Bismarck, ND is attached.
Detailed concrete driveway report for Bismarck, ND, $9
Multi-page report for Bismarck, ND: 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 Bismarck: your questions
+How much does it cost to pour a concrete driveway in Bismarck?
For 600 sq ft, expect $3,600 to $9,200 in the Bismarck area. A standard-spec job lands at $5,300 to $7,500. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for concrete driveway in Bismarck?
About $5.95 to $15 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 Bismarck or Fargo?
Fargo is 190 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $6,400, which is 0% more than Bismarck ($6,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Bismarck?
About 70% at the midpoint, or $4,500 out of $6,400. Materials are 28% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 69%.
+What would 2-car + apron (600 sq ft) cost in Bismarck?
$3,600 to $9,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does concrete driveway need a permit in Bismarck?
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 Bismarck area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Bismarck expensive for concrete driveway compared with the rest of North Dakota?
Bismarck is 0% below the North Dakota statewide estimate ($6,400 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in North Dakota; see the state page to compare them.
+What do cement masons and concrete finishers earn in Bismarck?
The BLS median is $27.66 an hour in the Bismarck area, compared with $27.41 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.01 to $30.05.
+What do basic and premium concrete driveway work cost in Bismarck?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $3,600 to $5,850 and premium work $6,950 to $9,200. 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 Bismarck?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through September. May and September 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 Bismarck?
$590 to $1,800 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Concrete driveway near Bismarck
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.