Concrete slab cost in Boston, MA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (400 sq ft)
- $2,700 – $5,650
- Per sq ft
- $6.60 – $13
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +9%
- US $3,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #35
- 1 = most expensive
A concrete slab in Boston, MA usually costs $2,700 to $5,650 for 400 sq ft. That works out to about $6.60 to $13 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $340 more. Cement masons and concrete finishers earn a median of $30.23 an hour in the Boston area, 10% above the US median of $27.41.
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Estimated cost for 400 sq ft in Boston, MA, standard level
$3,600 to $4,750
About $8.55 to $11 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,650 | $2,300 |
| Labor | $1,750 | $2,150 |
| Permits and fees | $170 | $320 |
| Total | $3,600 | $4,750 |
Cost breakdown for 400 sq ft in Boston, MA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,200 | $2,000 | $2,800 | 48% |
| Labor | $1,450 | $1,950 | $2,400 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $240 | $430 | 6% |
| Total | $2,700 | $4,150 | $5,650 | 100% |
What is behind the Boston 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, Boston wages are 1.21 times the national level. Labor makes up about 46% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Boston is at 99.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $2,000 nationally becomes $2,000 here (midpoint, 400 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 108.3: $55 to $430.
How Boston compares
Same job, same size (400 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Boston is the priciest of the group. Manchester is the cheapest at $3,800.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, MAthis page | $2,700 – $5,650 | $4,150 | |
| Manchester, NH45 miles | $2,450 – $5,150 | $3,800 | −9% |
| Worcester, MA50 miles | $2,650 – $5,550 | $4,100 | −2% |
| Providence, RI60 miles | $2,600 – $5,450 | $4,000 | −4% |
| Barnstable, MA70 miles | $2,650 – $5,450 | $4,050 | −3% |
| Portland, ME85 miles | $2,500 – $5,250 | $3,850 | −7% |
| Massachusetts (statewide) | $2,700 – $5,600 | $4,150 | level |
| United States | $2,450 – $5,200 | $3,850 | −8% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Boston ranks #35 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Boston is 0% above the Massachusetts figure.
Elsewhere in Massachusetts
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | 349,880 jobs | $2,650 – $5,550 | $4,100 | −2% |
| Springfield, MA | 201,240 jobs | $2,650 – $5,500 | $4,100 | −2% |
| Barnstable, MA | 94,110 jobs | $2,650 – $5,450 | $4,050 | −3% |
| Amherst, MA | 65,670 jobs | $2,600 – $5,400 | $4,000 | −4% |
| Pittsfield, MA | 56,810 jobs | $2,550 – $5,300 | $3,900 | −6% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Boston against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | 2,819,940 jobs | $2,350 – $5,150 | $3,750 | −10% |
| Phoenix, AZ | 2,375,760 jobs | $2,400 – $5,100 | $3,750 | −10% |
| Atlanta, GA | 2,889,670 jobs | $2,250 – $4,900 | $3,600 | −14% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $3,150 – $6,450 | $4,800 | +15% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Boston bid
Truck and pump access
If the mixer truck can't back up to the forms, someone has to wheelbarrow it in or hire a pump. Pump or line-pump hire is typically billed per day.
Small-job minimums
Many crews have a minimum charge, so a 10x10 pad can cost more per square foot than a 20x20 slab.
Finish
A broom finish is the baseline. Stamped, stained, or exposed-aggregate finishes are priced as add-ons on top of the slab.
Cost by quality level and size in Boston
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Boston. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 10x10 pad (100 sq ft) to 30x40 foundation (1,200 sq ft).
Basic
$2,700 to $3,900
4-inch broom-finish slab, light mesh, easy truck access
Standard
$3,600 to $4,750
4-5 inch slab with rebar or heavier mesh and standard base prep
Premium
$4,450 to $5,650
6-inch slab, heavy reinforcement, thick base, pump truck or tight access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x10 pad (100 sq ft) | $720 – $1,100 | $1,000 – $1,450 | $1,350 – $1,750 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $1,000 – $1,550 | $1,400 – $1,900 | $1,800 – $2,300 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $2,700 – $3,900 | $3,600 – $4,750 | $4,450 – $5,650 |
| 24x24 garage floor (576 sq ft) | $3,850 – $5,500 | $5,100 – $6,700 | $6,300 – $7,950 |
| 30x40 foundation (1,200 sq ft) | $8,000 – $11,200 | $10,400 – $13,600 | $12,800 – $16,100 |
Add-ons priced for Boston
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.10 for Boston, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.21) and goods price index (1.00). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add rebar reinforcement | $440 – $1,300 |
| Remove old concrete first | $880 – $2,650 |
What local crews earn in Boston
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 Boston the blend is 1.21.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 50% of the weighting: a median of $30.23 an hour, 10% above the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $26.87 and $37.47 an hour. About 950 work in the metro. That is 3.5 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 $30.49 an hour, which is 35% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $26.22 and $45.11 an hour. BLS counts 11,580 of them working in the area, 42.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 10% of the weighting: a median of $36.99 an hour, 29% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $30.11 and $55.00 an hour. About 6,370 work in the metro. That is 23.6 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 $36.16 an hour, 24% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $29.26 and $47.47 an hour. About 12,720 work in the metro. That is 47.0 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 $210 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $100. That is a swing of roughly 2.4% to 5.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Boston-Cambridge-Newton has 2,703,890 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 10th 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% | $26.87 | $30.23 | $37.47 | $27.41 | 1.10 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $26.22 | $30.49 | $45.11 | $22.66 | 1.35 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 10% | $30.11 | $36.99 | $55.00 | $28.78 | 1.29 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $29.26 | $36.16 | $47.47 | $29.12 | 1.24 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.21 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Boston
Jobs that often go together with concrete slab are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Boston wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, gravel driveway comes out highest (+16%) and stamped concrete lowest (+9%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,100 – $10,600 | +14% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,350 – $4,500 | +11% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $32,400 – $64,900 | +12% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $3,500 – $8,750 | +9% |
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,350 – $8,400 | +12% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,900 – $11,800 | +16% |
Boston weather and the concrete slab calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Boston Logan Intl 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 Boston are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, 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.
Boston gets about 44 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 49 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, October and December (4.3 inches in December). Inside the workable window, May and August are the driest, at 3.3 and 3.2 inches. The station averages about 14 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 | 37 | 23 | 3.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 39 | 25 | 3.2 | Cold |
| Mar | 46 | 31 | 4.2 | Cold |
| Apr | 56 | 41 | 3.6 | Workable |
| May | 67 | 50 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 76 | 60 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 82 | 66 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 80 | 65 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 73 | 58 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Oct | 62 | 48 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 52 | 38 | 3.7 | Cold |
| Dec | 42 | 29 | 4.3 | Cold |
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Concrete slab in Boston: your questions
+How much does it cost to pour a concrete slab in Boston?
For 400 sq ft, expect $2,700 to $5,650 in the Boston area. A standard-spec job lands at $3,600 to $4,750. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for concrete slab in Boston?
About $6.60 to $13 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $55 to $430 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $6 to $12.
+Is concrete slab cheaper in Boston or Manchester?
Manchester is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 400 sq ft there is $3,800, which is 9% less than Boston ($4,150). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Boston?
About 46% at the midpoint, or $1,950 out of $4,150. Materials are 48% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 20x20 (400 sq ft) cost in Boston?
$2,700 to $5,650. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does concrete slab need a permit in Boston?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $55 to $430 for fees in the Boston area (our national range of $50 to $400 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Boston expensive for concrete slab compared with the rest of Massachusetts?
Boston is 0% above the Massachusetts statewide estimate ($4,150 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Massachusetts; see the state page to compare them.
+What do cement masons and concrete finishers earn in Boston?
The BLS median is $30.23 an hour in the Boston area, compared with $27.41 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $26.87 to $37.47.
+What do basic and premium concrete slab work cost in Boston?
For 400 sq ft, basic work runs $2,700 to $3,900 and premium work $4,450 to $5,650. Basic means: 4-inch broom-finish slab, light mesh, easy truck access. Premium means: 6-inch slab, heavy reinforcement, thick base, pump truck or tight access.
+When is the best time to pour a concrete slab in Boston?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. May and August 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 Boston?
$440 to $1,300 for 400 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Concrete slab near Boston
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 Slab Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Estimators.us: Concrete Slab Cost in 2026 | $6-$12/Sq Ft Guide (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Concrete Patio Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Concrete Driveway Cost? (2026) (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