Gravel driveway cost in Bellingham, WA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,000 sq ft)
- $3,050 – $12,400
- Per sq ft
- $3.05 – $12
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +22%
- US $6,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #16
- 1 = most expensive
Bellingham homeowners pay roughly $3,050 to $12,400 to install a gravel driveway at 1,000 sq ft, or $3.05 to $12 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Bellingham is 22% higher. Construction laborers earn a median of $28.06 an hour in the Bellingham area, 24% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in Bellingham, WA, standard level
$5,850 to $9,600
About $5.80 to $9.45 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,450 | $4,050 |
| Labor | $3,350 | $5,400 |
| Permits and fees | $60 | $140 |
| Total | $5,850 | $9,600 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Bellingham, WA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,250 | $3,250 | $5,250 | 42% |
| Labor | $1,800 | $4,350 | $6,900 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $100 | $210 | 1% |
| Total | $3,050 | $7,700 | $12,400 | 100% |
Where the Bellingham price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: construction laborers at 50%, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at 50%. Weighted together, Bellingham wages are 1.38 times the national level. Labor makes up about 56% of the midpoint estimate (50% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Bellingham metro is 105.0 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 1,000 sq ft comes to $3,250, compared with $3,100 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (103.3) and land at $0 to $210.
How Bellingham compares
Of the five closest metros, 3 are cheaper than Bellingham. Yakima is the lowest at about $6,850 (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft), 175 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WAthis page | $3,050 – $12,400 | $7,700 | |
| Bremerton, WA90 miles | $2,850 – $11,600 | $7,250 | −6% |
| Seattle, WA95 miles | $3,100 – $12,600 | $7,850 | +2% |
| Olympia, WA140 miles | $3,100 – $12,600 | $7,850 | +2% |
| Yakima, WA175 miles | $2,700 – $11,000 | $6,850 | −11% |
| Spokane, WA200 miles | $2,750 – $11,300 | $7,000 | −9% |
| Washington (statewide) | $2,950 – $11,900 | $7,400 | −4% |
| United States | $2,500 – $10,200 | $6,350 | −18% |
Across 300 US metros, Bellingham comes in at #16 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $9,500; the cheapest is McAllen, TX at $5,200 (midpoints, 1,000 sq ft). Statewide, Bellingham is 4% above the Washington figure.
Other Washington metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | 2,086,210 jobs | $3,100 – $12,600 | $7,850 | +2% |
| Spokane, WA | 255,820 jobs | $2,750 – $11,300 | $7,000 | −9% |
| Olympia, WA | 130,300 jobs | $3,100 – $12,600 | $7,850 | +2% |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $2,900 – $11,700 | $7,300 | −6% |
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $2,700 – $11,000 | $6,850 | −11% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $2,850 – $11,600 | $7,250 | −6% |
Cities with a workforce like Bellingham's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Bellingham against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $2,850 – $11,600 | $7,250 | −6% |
| Panama City, FL | 90,610 jobs | $2,300 – $9,350 | $5,800 | −25% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $2,650 – $10,800 | $6,750 | −13% |
| St. George, UT | 90,500 jobs | $2,400 – $9,850 | $6,150 | −20% |
When to schedule gravel driveway in Bellingham
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Bellingham Intl Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
Weather is not a serious constraint for digging, grading and setting material in the ground in Bellingham: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F)) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Bellingham gets about 35 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, November and December (5.2 inches in November).
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46 | 34 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Feb | 49 | 35 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Mar | 53 | 38 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 58 | 42 | 2.8 | Workable |
| May | 64 | 47 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 68 | 52 | 1.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 73 | 55 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 73 | 55 | 1.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 68 | 50 | 2.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 59 | 43 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 51 | 38 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 46 | 34 | 4.3 | Workable |
Extras that change the Bellingham total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Bellingham by the average of the local wage index (1.38) and goods index (1.05), a factor of 1.22. 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) | $610 – $2,200 |
Pick a size, pick a tier: gravel driveway pricing in Bellingham
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Bellingham wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$3,050 to $6,800
Crusher-run spread and compacted on firm ground
Standard
$5,850 to $9,600
Excavated base plus top course, fabric, light grading
Premium
$8,650 to $12,400
Deep multi-layer build, edging, culvert or drainage
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| single car (500 sq ft) | $1,550 – $3,450 | $2,950 – $4,850 | $4,400 – $6,300 |
| two car (1,000 sq ft) | $3,050 – $6,800 | $5,850 – $9,600 | $8,650 – $12,400 |
| 100 ft x 10 ft (1,000 sq ft) | $3,050 – $6,800 | $5,850 – $9,600 | $8,650 – $12,400 |
| long rural (2,000 sq ft) | $6,100 – $13,500 | $11,600 – $19,000 | $17,200 – $24,500 |
Related projects, priced for Bellingham
Because every project leans on different trades, Bellingham's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, concrete driveway runs +24% and sod installation +10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,650 – $9,250 | +24% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,450 – $11,500 | +24% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $740 – $2,600 | +24% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,650 – $3,600 | +10% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,900 – $6,000 | +17% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,500 – $6,350 | +17% |
Why two Bellingham quotes can differ
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.
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Bellingham is 1.38 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $28.06 an hour, 24% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.41 and $36.85 an hour. About 1,030 work in the metro. That is 112.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 50%) the local median is $44.00 an hour, which is 53% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $37.44 and $55.46 an hour. BLS counts 400 of them working in the area, 43.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($36.85 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $610. At the 25th percentile ($22.41) it shrinks by about $390. The total moves by 7.9% or 5.1%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 91,390 jobs in the Bellingham area. That makes it the 217th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.06% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $22.41 | $28.06 | $36.85 | $22.66 | 1.24 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 50% | $37.44 | $44.00 | $55.46 | $28.78 | 1.53 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.38 | |||||
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed gravel driveway report for Bellingham, WA, $9
Multi-page report for Bellingham, WA: 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 Bellingham: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a gravel driveway in Bellingham?
For 1,000 sq ft, expect $3,050 to $12,400 in the Bellingham area. A standard-spec job lands at $5,850 to $9,600. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for gravel driveway in Bellingham?
About $3.05 to $12 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $210 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $2.50 to $10.
+Is gravel driveway cheaper in Bellingham or Bremerton?
Bremerton is 90 miles away. The midpoint for 1,000 sq ft there is $7,250, which is 6% less than Bellingham ($7,700). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Bellingham?
About 56% at the midpoint, or $4,350 out of $7,700. Materials are 42% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 50%.
+What would 100 ft x 10 ft (1,000 sq ft) cost in Bellingham?
$3,050 to $12,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does gravel driveway need a permit in Bellingham?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $210 for fees in the Bellingham area (our national range of $0 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Bellingham expensive for gravel driveway compared with the rest of Washington?
Bellingham is 4% above the Washington statewide estimate ($7,400 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Washington; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Bellingham?
The BLS median is $28.06 an hour in the Bellingham area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.41 to $36.85.
+What do basic and premium gravel driveway work cost in Bellingham?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $3,050 to $6,800 and premium work $8,650 to $12,400. Basic means: crusher-run spread and compacted on firm ground. Premium means: deep multi-layer build, edging, culvert or drainage.
+Is there a bad season to install a gravel driveway in Bellingham?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
+What does "add edging" add in Bellingham?
$610 to $2,200 for 1,000 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Gravel driveway near Bellingham
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.