Concrete driveway cost in Wausau, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (600 sq ft)
- $3,800 – $9,800
- Per sq ft
- $6.30 – $16
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +6%
- US $6,450
- Rank of 300 metros
- #83
- 1 = most expensive
A concrete driveway in Wausau, WI usually costs $3,800 to $9,800 for 600 sq ft. That works out to about $6.30 to $16 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $370 more. Cement masons and concrete finishers earn a median of $29.82 an hour in the Wausau area, 9% above the US median of $27.41.
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Estimated cost for 600 sq ft in Wausau, WI, standard level
$5,600 to $8,000
About $9.20 to $13 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 72% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,600 | $1,950 |
| Labor | $3,950 | $5,900 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $140 |
| Total | $5,600 | $8,000 |
Cost breakdown for 600 sq ft in Wausau, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,300 | $1,750 | $2,250 | 26% |
| Labor | $2,450 | $4,900 | $7,350 | 72% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $120 | $190 | 2% |
| Total | $3,800 | $6,800 | $9,800 | 100% |
Where the Wausau price comes from
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 $29.82 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Wausau is 1.11 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 72% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Wausau is at 93.8 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 92.7: $45 to $190.
Is Wausau cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Wausau. La Crosse comes closest at about $6,850.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WIthis page | $3,800 – $9,800 | $6,800 | |
| Eau Claire, WI75 miles | $3,850 – $9,900 | $6,850 | +1% |
| Oshkosh, WI80 miles | $4,100 – $10,700 | $7,400 | +9% |
| Appleton, WI80 miles | $4,050 – $10,500 | $7,300 | +7% |
| Green Bay, WI90 miles | $3,850 – $9,950 | $6,900 | +2% |
| La Crosse, WI105 miles | $3,850 – $9,850 | $6,850 | +1% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $3,900 – $10,000 | $6,950 | +2% |
| United States | $3,650 – $9,200 | $6,450 | −5% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Wausau ranks #83 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Wausau is 2% below the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $4,150 – $10,800 | $7,450 | +10% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $3,950 – $10,300 | $7,100 | +5% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $3,850 – $9,950 | $6,900 | +2% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $4,050 – $10,500 | $7,300 | +7% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $4,100 – $10,700 | $7,400 | +9% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $3,850 – $9,900 | $6,850 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Wausau against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $4,150 – $10,800 | $7,500 | +10% |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $3,300 – $8,250 | $5,800 | −15% |
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $3,550 – $8,850 | $6,200 | −9% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $3,800 – $9,650 | $6,750 | −1% |
Related projects, priced for Wausau
Jobs that often go together with concrete driveway are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Wausau wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, gravel driveway comes out highest (+13%) and concrete slab lowest (+1%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,250 – $8,150 | +9% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,850 – $11,500 | +13% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,500 – $5,200 | +1% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $3,350 – $8,250 | +3% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,200 – $5,750 | +6% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,250 – $4,150 | +3% |
Extras that change the Wausau total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.03 for Wausau, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.11) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add rebar reinforcement | $620 – $1,850 |
| Remove the old driveway | $1,250 – $3,700 |
What local crews earn in Wausau
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 Wausau the blend is 1.11.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 50% of the weighting: a median of $29.82 an hour, 9% above the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $27.76 and $35.90 an hour. About 110 work in the metro. That is 15.8 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 $25.30 an hour, which is 12% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.07 and $30.00 an hour. BLS counts 510 of them working in the area, 73.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 10% of the weighting: a median of $43.70 an hour, 52% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $30.94 and $45.52 an hour. About 200 work in the metro. That is 28.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $24.03 an hour, 17% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.14 and $29.66 an hour. About 370 work in the metro. That is 53.2 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 $490 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $170. That is a swing of roughly 2.4% to 7.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Wausau has 69,530 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 261st 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% | $27.76 | $29.82 | $35.90 | $27.41 | 1.09 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.07 | $25.30 | $30.00 | $22.66 | 1.12 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 10% | $30.94 | $43.70 | $45.52 | $28.78 | 1.52 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $23.14 | $24.03 | $29.66 | $29.12 | 0.83 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.11 | |||||
Wausau 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, Wausau Dwtn 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 Wausau 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.
Wausau gets about 34 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 64 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, July and August (4.7 inches in June). Inside the workable window, May and September are the driest, at 3.8 and 3.8 inches. The station averages about 5 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 | 7 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 27 | 10 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 40 | 21 | 1.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 54 | 32 | 3.1 | Cold |
| May | 67 | 45 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 76 | 55 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 80 | 59 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 78 | 57 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 70 | 49 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 56 | 37 | 3.1 | Cold |
| Nov | 40 | 25 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 28 | 14 | 1.5 | Cold |
Why two Wausau 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.
Wausau: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Wausau. 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
$3,800 to $6,200
Plain gray, 4-inch broom finish, flat site
Standard
$5,600 to $8,000
5-inch with rebar and saw-cut joints, a border or one color
Premium
$7,400 to $9,800
6-inch for heavy vehicles, stamped or colored, grading needed
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $1,550 – $2,550 | $2,300 – $3,300 | $3,050 – $4,000 |
| 2-car (20x24), 480 sq ft | $3,050 – $5,000 | $4,500 – $6,400 | $5,950 – $7,850 |
| 2-car + apron (600 sq ft) | $3,800 – $6,200 | $5,600 – $8,000 | $7,400 – $9,800 |
| 3-car (900 sq ft) | $5,700 – $9,250 | $8,350 – $11,900 | $11,000 – $14,600 |
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 $5,600 to $8,000 for Wausau, WI is attached.
Detailed concrete driveway report for Wausau, WI, $9
Multi-page report for Wausau, 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.
Concrete driveway in Wausau: your questions
+How much does it cost to pour a concrete driveway in Wausau?
For 600 sq ft, expect $3,800 to $9,800 in the Wausau area. A standard-spec job lands at $5,600 to $8,000. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for concrete driveway in Wausau?
About $6.30 to $16 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $45 to $190 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $6 to $15.
+Is concrete driveway cheaper in Wausau or Eau Claire?
Eau Claire is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 600 sq ft there is $6,850, which is 1% more than Wausau ($6,800). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Wausau?
About 72% at the midpoint, or $4,900 out of $6,800. Materials are 26% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 69%.
+What would 2-car + apron (600 sq ft) cost in Wausau?
$3,800 to $9,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does concrete driveway need a permit in Wausau?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $45 to $190 for fees in the Wausau area (our national range of $50 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Wausau expensive for concrete driveway compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Wausau is 2% below the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($6,950 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do cement masons and concrete finishers earn in Wausau?
The BLS median is $29.82 an hour in the Wausau area, compared with $27.41 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.76 to $35.90.
+What do basic and premium concrete driveway work cost in Wausau?
For 600 sq ft, basic work runs $3,800 to $6,200 and premium work $7,400 to $9,800. 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 Wausau?
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 Wausau?
$620 to $1,850 for 600 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Concrete driveway near Wausau
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.