Gravel driveway cost in Charlottesville, VA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,000 sq ft)
- $2,450 – $9,950
- Per sq ft
- $2.45 – $9.75
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $6,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #162
- 1 = most expensive
A gravel driveway in Charlottesville, VA usually costs $2,450 to $9,950 for 1,000 sq ft. That works out to about $2.45 to $9.75 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 3% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 96.8).
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in Charlottesville, VA, standard level
$4,700 to $7,700
About $4.60 to $7.55 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 50% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,250 | $3,750 |
| Labor | $2,350 | $3,800 |
| Permits and fees | $60 | $140 |
| Total | $4,700 | $7,700 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Charlottesville, VA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $3,000 | $4,850 | 49% |
| Labor | $1,250 | $3,100 | $4,900 | 50% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $100 | $200 | 2% |
| Total | $2,450 | $6,200 | $9,950 | 100% |
What is behind the Charlottesville number
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $21.67 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Charlottesville is 0.98 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 50% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Charlottesville is at 96.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,100 nationally becomes $3,000 here (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 99.1: $0 to $200.
How Charlottesville compares
Same job, same size (1,000 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Washington is the priciest of the group at $6,550. Roanoke is the cheapest at $5,650.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VAthis page | $2,450 – $9,950 | $6,200 | |
| Harrisonburg, VA40 miles | $2,300 – $9,400 | $5,850 | −5% |
| Lynchburg, VA55 miles | $2,250 – $9,150 | $5,700 | −8% |
| Richmond, VA75 miles | $2,350 – $9,600 | $5,950 | −3% |
| Washington, DC85 miles | $2,600 – $10,600 | $6,550 | +6% |
| Roanoke, VA85 miles | $2,200 – $9,100 | $5,650 | −8% |
| Virginia (statewide) | $2,450 – $9,900 | $6,150 | level |
| United States | $2,500 – $10,200 | $6,350 | +3% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Charlottesville ranks #162 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Charlottesville is 0% above the Virginia figure.
Elsewhere in Virginia
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, VA | 763,060 jobs | $2,250 – $9,250 | $5,750 | −7% |
| Richmond, VA | 660,350 jobs | $2,350 – $9,600 | $5,950 | −3% |
| Roanoke, VA | 153,980 jobs | $2,200 – $9,100 | $5,650 | −8% |
| Lynchburg, VA | 97,190 jobs | $2,250 – $9,150 | $5,700 | −8% |
| Blacksburg, VA | 74,070 jobs | $2,300 – $9,300 | $5,800 | −6% |
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $2,300 – $9,400 | $5,850 | −5% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Charlottesville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler, TX | 115,220 jobs | $2,150 – $8,800 | $5,500 | −11% |
| Laredo, TX | 109,370 jobs | $2,100 – $8,600 | $5,350 | −14% |
| Topeka, KS | 115,750 jobs | $2,400 – $9,700 | $6,050 | −2% |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $2,200 – $8,900 | $5,550 | −10% |
Why two Charlottesville quotes can differ
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.
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.
Optional extras in Charlottesville
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.97 for Charlottesville, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.98) and goods price index (0.97). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add edging (approx. 1 ft per 10 sq ft) | $490 – $1,750 |
What local crews earn in Charlottesville
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 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 Charlottesville the blend is 0.98.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $21.67 an hour, which is 4% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.49 and $22.62 an hour. BLS counts 570 of them working in the area, 49.7 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), 50% of the weighting: a median of $28.75 an hour, in line with the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $24.22 and $30.44 an hour. About 310 work in the metro. That is 27.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $65 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $220. That is a swing of roughly 3.6% to 1.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Charlottesville has 114,780 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 190th 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% | $18.49 | $21.67 | $22.62 | $22.66 | 0.96 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 50% | $24.22 | $28.75 | $30.44 | $28.78 | 1.00 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.98 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Charlottesville?
Jobs that often go together with gravel driveway are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Charlottesville wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (−3%) and concrete driveway lowest (−6%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $2,950 – $7,100 | −4% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,450 – $8,650 | −6% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $580 – $2,050 | −3% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −3% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,350 – $4,950 | −5% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,850 – $5,150 | −6% |
Cost by quality level and size in Charlottesville
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Charlottesville. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from single car (500 sq ft) to long rural (2,000 sq ft).
Basic
$2,450 to $5,450
Crusher-run spread and compacted on firm ground
Standard
$4,700 to $7,700
Excavated base plus top course, fabric, light grading
Premium
$6,950 to $9,950
Deep multi-layer build, edging, culvert or drainage
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| single car (500 sq ft) | $1,200 – $2,750 | $2,350 – $3,900 | $3,500 – $5,050 |
| two car (1,000 sq ft) | $2,450 – $5,450 | $4,700 – $7,700 | $6,950 – $9,950 |
| 100 ft x 10 ft (1,000 sq ft) | $2,450 – $5,450 | $4,700 – $7,700 | $6,950 – $9,950 |
| long rural (2,000 sq ft) | $4,850 – $10,800 | $9,300 – $15,200 | $13,700 – $19,700 |
Charlottesville weather and the gravel driveway calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Charlottesville 2 Sse (5 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 Charlottesville are March through November: 9 of 12. Outside them, January, February and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February 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 73 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Charlottesville gets about 48 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, July and September (4.9 inches in September). Inside the workable window, June and November are the driest, at 3.7 and 3.4 inches. The station averages about 10 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 | 44 | 28 | 3.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 48 | 31 | 3.0 | Cold |
| Mar | 55 | 37 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Apr | 66 | 47 | 4.2 | Workable |
| May | 72 | 55 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 80 | 64 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 84 | 68 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 82 | 66 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 76 | 61 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Oct | 66 | 50 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 56 | 40 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 47 | 32 | 3.8 | Cold |
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 $4,700 to $7,700 for Charlottesville, VA is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Charlottesville, VA: 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.
Gravel driveway in Charlottesville: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a gravel driveway in Charlottesville?
For 1,000 sq ft, expect $2,450 to $9,950 in the Charlottesville area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,700 to $7,700. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for gravel driveway in Charlottesville?
About $2.45 to $9.75 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $200 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $2.50 to $10.
+Is gravel driveway cheaper in Charlottesville or Harrisonburg?
Harrisonburg is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 1,000 sq ft there is $5,850, which is 5% less than Charlottesville ($6,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Charlottesville?
About 50% at the midpoint, or $3,100 out of $6,200. Materials are 49% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 50%.
+What would 100 ft x 10 ft (1,000 sq ft) cost in Charlottesville?
$2,450 to $9,950. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does gravel driveway need a permit in Charlottesville?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $200 for fees in the Charlottesville area (our national range of $0 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Charlottesville expensive for gravel driveway compared with the rest of Virginia?
Charlottesville is 0% above the Virginia statewide estimate ($6,150 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Virginia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Charlottesville?
The BLS median is $21.67 an hour in the Charlottesville area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.49 to $22.62.
+What do basic and premium gravel driveway work cost in Charlottesville?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $2,450 to $5,450 and premium work $6,950 to $9,950. Basic means: crusher-run spread and compacted on firm ground. Premium means: deep multi-layer build, edging, culvert or drainage.
+When is the best time to install a gravel driveway in Charlottesville?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. June 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.
+What does "add edging" add in Charlottesville?
$490 to $1,750 for 1,000 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Gravel driveway near Charlottesville
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.