French drain cost in Youngstown, OH
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (60 linear ft)
- $630 – $2,200
- Per linear ft
- $10.50 – $36.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +4%
- US $1,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #106
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a French drain in the Youngstown area: $630 to $2,200 for 60 linear ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 4% higher than the US figure. Construction laborers earn a median of $23.36 an hour in the Youngstown area, 3% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 60 linear ft in Youngstown, OH, standard level
$1,100 to $1,700
About $18.50 to $28.50 per linear ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $470 | $740 |
| Labor | $620 | $980 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,100 | $1,700 |
Cost breakdown for 60 linear ft in Youngstown, OH
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $270 | $610 | $940 | 43% |
| Labor | $360 | $800 | $1,250 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $630 | $1,400 | $2,200 | 100% |
What is behind the Youngstown number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: construction laborers at 50%, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at 30%, pipelayers at 20%. Weighted together, Youngstown wages are 1.14 times the national level. Labor makes up about 57% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Youngstown is at 93.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $650 nationally becomes $610 here (midpoint, 60 linear ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 87.4: $0 to $0.
The best months for French drain in Youngstown
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Youngstown Rgnl Ap (10 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in Youngstown are April through November: 8 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 127 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Youngstown gets about 41 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 68 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, July and September (4.3 inches in July). Inside the workable window, October and November are the driest, at 3.3 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 8 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 | 34 | 19 | 3.0 | Cold |
| Feb | 37 | 21 | 2.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 47 | 28 | 3.2 | Cold |
| Apr | 60 | 38 | 3.8 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 48 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 79 | 56 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 83 | 60 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 81 | 59 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 74 | 52 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 62 | 42 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Nov | 50 | 33 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 39 | 26 | 3.2 | Cold |
Who does the work: Youngstown trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 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 Youngstown the blend is 1.14.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $23.36 an hour, which is 3% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.83 and $31.39 an hour. BLS counts 850 of them working in the area, 53.1 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), 30% of the weighting: a median of $28.47 an hour, in line with the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $24.54 and $40.17 an hour. About 420 work in the metro. That is 26.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For pipelayers (47-2151, weighted 20%) the local median is $39.06 an hour, which is 66% above the national $23.56. The middle half of them earn between $28.74 and $40.30 an hour. BLS counts 30 of them working in the area, 1.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.1), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $120 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $70. That is a swing of roughly 5.0% to 8.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Youngstown-Warren has 160,160 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 148th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $18.83 | $23.36 | $31.39 | $22.66 | 1.03 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $24.54 | $28.47 | $40.17 | $28.78 | 0.99 | metro |
| Pipelayers (47-2151) | 20% | $28.74 | $39.06 | $40.30 | $23.56 | 1.66 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.14 | |||||
French drain: what moves the price in Youngstown
Exterior versus interior
A shallow exterior French drain is $10-$35 per linear foot; an interior basement drain is $40-$85 per foot, or $4,000-$17,000 installed (HomeGuide).
Where the water goes
A sump pump adds $500-$1,800 and a dry well $50-$3,000+. Discharging to a storm drain can mean extra permit fees.
Depth and soil
Rocky or clay soil and long trenches raise excavation time.
Is Youngstown cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Youngstown. Erie is the lowest at about $1,300 (midpoint, 60 linear ft), 75 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youngstown, OHthis page | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | |
| Akron, OH30 miles | $660 – $2,300 | $1,450 | +5% |
| Canton, OH40 miles | $630 – $2,200 | $1,400 | +1% |
| Cleveland, OH45 miles | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +7% |
| Pittsburgh, PA70 miles | $610 – $2,150 | $1,350 | −3% |
| Erie, PA75 miles | $590 – $2,050 | $1,300 | −6% |
| Ohio (statewide) | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +3% |
| United States | $600 – $2,100 | $1,350 | −4% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Youngstown ranks #106 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Youngstown is 3% below the Ohio figure.
Elsewhere in Ohio
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 1,105,580 jobs | $680 – $2,400 | $1,550 | +9% |
| Cincinnati, OH | 1,101,030 jobs | $650 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +3% |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,031,130 jobs | $670 – $2,350 | $1,500 | +7% |
| Dayton, OH | 372,660 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +2% |
| Akron, OH | 319,560 jobs | $660 – $2,300 | $1,450 | +5% |
| Toledo, OH | 291,530 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Youngstown against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury, CT | 160,710 jobs | $650 – $2,300 | $1,450 | +4% |
| Gulfport, MS | 158,310 jobs | $540 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −15% |
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $530 – $1,850 | $1,200 | −15% |
| Eugene, OR | 157,710 jobs | $640 – $2,250 | $1,450 | +3% |
Youngstown: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Youngstown. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from short run (30 linear ft) to long run (120 linear ft).
Basic
$630 to $1,250
Shallow yard drain, easy digging
Standard
$1,100 to $1,700
Standard drain with fabric, gravel and a pop-up outlet
Premium
$1,550 to $2,200
Deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| short run (30 linear ft) | $310 – $630 | $550 – $860 | $780 – $1,100 |
| side yard (60 linear ft) | $630 – $1,250 | $1,100 – $1,700 | $1,550 – $2,200 |
| long run (120 linear ft) | $1,250 – $2,500 | $2,200 – $3,450 | $3,150 – $4,400 |
What nearby projects cost in Youngstown
Jobs that often go together with French drain are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Youngstown wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, concrete slab comes out highest (−2%) and sod installation lowest (−7%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,850 – $12,900 | −4% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,450 – $9,900 | −3% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −7% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,400 – $5,050 | −2% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,850 – $9,600 | −4% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,000 – $109,500 | −3% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed french drain report for Youngstown, OH, $9
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French drain in Youngstown: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a French drain in Youngstown?
For 60 linear ft, expect $630 to $2,200 in the Youngstown area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,100 to $1,700. Small jobs usually cost more per linear ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per linear ft for French drain in Youngstown?
About $10.50 to $36.50 per linear ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $35.
+Is French drain cheaper in Youngstown or Akron?
Akron is 30 miles away. The midpoint for 60 linear ft there is $1,450, which is 5% more than Youngstown ($1,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Youngstown?
About 57% at the midpoint, or $800 out of $1,400. Materials are 43% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would side yard (60 linear ft) cost in Youngstown?
$630 to $2,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does French drain need a permit in Youngstown?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Youngstown area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Youngstown expensive for French drain compared with the rest of Ohio?
Youngstown is 3% below the Ohio statewide estimate ($1,450 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Ohio; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Youngstown?
The BLS median is $23.36 an hour in the Youngstown area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.83 to $31.39.
+What do basic and premium French drain work cost in Youngstown?
For 60 linear ft, basic work runs $630 to $1,250 and premium work $1,550 to $2,200. Basic means: shallow yard drain, easy digging. Premium means: deep or long drain, hard soil, dry well or sump discharge.
+When is the best time to install a French drain in Youngstown?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through November. October and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
French drain near Youngstown
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 French Drain Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (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 = 48% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range 'Outdoor Living' category split (44% labor, 48% materials). It is a category average, not a French-drain figure, so the materials line here is a rough one.