Gravel driveway cost in Tennessee
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,000 sq ft)
- $2,350 – $9,550
- Per sq ft
- $2.35 – $9.35
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $6,350
- Metros covered
- 8
Across Tennessee, a gravel driveway costs about $2,350 to $9,550 for 1,000 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 6% below the US figure of $6,350. Construction laborers earn a median $21.64 an hour in Tennessee (US: $22.66).
Inside Tennessee, the metros we cover range from $5,700 (Johnson City) to $6,100 (Nashville) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in Tennessee (statewide), standard level
$4,500 to $7,400
About $4.45 to $7.25 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 48% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,250 | $3,700 |
| Labor | $2,200 | $3,550 |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $130 |
| Total | $4,500 | $7,400 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Tennessee
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $3,000 | $4,800 | 50% |
| Labor | $1,200 | $2,850 | $4,550 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $90 | $180 | 2% |
| Total | $2,350 | $5,950 | $9,550 | 100% |
Other Tennessee jobs that often go with gravel driveway
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Tennessee wages and prices. Against national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (−3%) and concrete driveway lowest (−10%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $2,850 – $6,800 | −8% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,300 – $8,300 | −10% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $570 – $2,000 | −6% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,150 | −5% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,800 | −8% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,900 – $5,250 | −3% |
Tennessee versus the states around it
Tennessee ranks 38 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for gravel driveway, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $9,200 and the cheapest Arkansas at $5,400, both for 1,000 sq ft at the midpoint. Tennessee sits at $5,950. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 170 miles away | $2,400 – $9,800 | $6,100 | +3% |
| Alabama | 190 miles away | $2,200 – $8,950 | $5,550 | −7% |
| Georgia | 210 miles away | $2,250 – $9,200 | $5,750 | −4% |
| Indiana | 300 miles away | $2,700 – $10,900 | $6,800 | +15% |
| Mississippi | 330 miles away | $2,200 – $8,950 | $5,600 | −6% |
Gravel driveway: what moves the price in Tennessee
Depth and layers
A proper driveway is a 4-inch base plus a 2-inch top course. Each extra inch of stone adds weight in tons and money.
Labor share
HomeGuide puts labor at about 50% of a gravel driveway's total cost, so a longer or harder-to-reach site moves the price more than the stone does.
Grading and edging
Grading runs $1-$3 per sq ft. Edging to keep the stone in is $5-$18 per linear foot.
Stone is sold by weight
Stone is priced by the ton, so every extra inch of depth or foot of width adds loads of delivery.
Permit
A driveway permit is typically $50-$200 where one is needed for a new curb cut or connection; plenty of rural counties require none.
Which Tennessee city is cheapest for gravel driveway?
3 of the 8 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $5,950, and the top-to-bottom gap is 7%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (1,000 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | $2,400 – $9,800 | $6,100 | +3% |
| Kingsport, TN | $2,400 – $9,750 | $6,050 | +2% |
| Memphis, TN | $2,350 – $9,600 | $6,000 | +1% |
| Knoxville, TN | $2,300 – $9,500 | $5,900 | −1% |
| Chattanooga, TN | $2,300 – $9,400 | $5,850 | −2% |
| Clarksville, TN | $2,300 – $9,350 | $5,800 | −2% |
| Jackson, TN | $2,300 – $9,300 | $5,800 | −2% |
| Johnson City, TN | $2,250 – $9,150 | $5,700 | −4% |
Quality levels and sizes in Tennessee
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Tennessee wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$2,350 to $5,250
Crusher-run spread and compacted on firm ground
Standard
$4,500 to $7,400
Excavated base plus top course, fabric, light grading
Premium
$6,650 to $9,550
Deep multi-layer build, edging, culvert or drainage
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| single car (500 sq ft) | $1,150 – $2,650 | $2,300 – $3,750 | $3,400 – $4,850 |
| two car (1,000 sq ft) | $2,350 – $5,250 | $4,500 – $7,400 | $6,650 – $9,550 |
| 100 ft x 10 ft (1,000 sq ft) | $2,350 – $5,250 | $4,500 – $7,400 | $6,650 – $9,550 |
| long rural (2,000 sq ft) | $4,700 – $10,400 | $8,950 – $14,700 | $13,200 – $18,900 |
Weather windows across Tennessee
Season matters for gravel driveway. For each Tennessee metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for digging and ground work.
Knoxville has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Tennessee at 11 months (February through December); Jackson has the shortest at 7 (March through June and September through November). Rainfall runs from 44 inches a year in Johnson City to 57 inches in Jackson.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 30 | 91 | 51 | 9: February through June and September through December |
| Memphis | 33 | 92 | 55 | 10: September through June |
| Knoxville | 30 | 88 | 52 | 11: February through December |
| Chattanooga | 32 | 91 | 55 | 9: February through June and September through December |
| Kingsport | 27 | 87 | 45 | 9: March through November |
| Clarksville | 28 | 90 | 54 | 7: March through June and September through November |
| Jackson | 27 | 91 | 57 | 7: March through June and September through November |
| Johnson City | 26 | 86 | 44 | 9: March through November |
What construction laborers and the other trades earn in Tennessee
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 0.91 for Tennessee.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $21.64 an hour, 5% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.11 and $23.78 an hour. About 26,250 work in the state. That is 80.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 50%) the local median is $25.00 an hour, which is 13% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $22.35 and $28.54 an hour. BLS counts 10,660 of them working in the state, 32.5 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is about average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for construction laborers ($23.78 an hour) would add about $150 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($18.11) would take off about $250. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 3,278,760 jobs across Tennessee (May 2025), which is 2.1% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $18.11 | $21.64 | $23.78 | $22.66 | 0.95 | state |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 50% | $22.35 | $25.00 | $28.54 | $28.78 | 0.87 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.91 | |||||
Optional extras in Tennessee
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Tennessee by the average of the local wage index (0.91) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 0.94. 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 edging (approx. 1 ft per 10 sq ft) | $470 – $1,700 |
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Gravel driveway in Tennessee: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a gravel driveway in Tennessee?
$2,350 to $9,550 for 1,000 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Tennessee can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Tennessee is cheapest for gravel driveway?
Johnson City at about $5,700 (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft). The priciest is Nashville at $6,100.
+Is gravel driveway cheaper in Tennessee than the US average?
It is 6% cheaper: $5,950 against $6,350 for 1,000 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Tennessee?
About 48% ($2,850). Materials are 50%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.91x the national wage level.
+What do construction laborers earn in Tennessee?
The BLS statewide median is $21.64 an hour, against $22.66 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.11 to $23.78.
+Where does Tennessee rank for gravel driveway costs?
38th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $5,950 for 1,000 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium gravel driveway work cost in Tennessee?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $2,350 to $5,250 and premium work $6,650 to $9,550. Basic means: crusher-run spread and compacted on firm ground. Premium means: deep multi-layer build, edging, culvert or drainage.
+Does the season matter for gravel driveway in Tennessee?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Tennessee metros we cover, Knoxville has the most comfortable months (11 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
+What does "add edging" add in Tennessee?
$470 to $1,700 for 1,000 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Gravel driveway by city in Tennessee
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 Gravel Driveway Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- CalculateGravel: Gravel Driveway Cost in 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: Installed range spans a basic spread-and-compact job ($2.50/sq ft low, CalculateGravel) to a full build with excavation ($10/sq ft high, HomeGuide). Materials low end is DIY stone ($1.20/sq ft, CalculateGravel); high end is half of HomeGuide's $10 because it says labor is about 50% of the project.