Gravel driveway cost in Janesville, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,000 sq ft)
- $2,600 – $10,600
- Per sq ft
- $2.60 – $10.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +4%
- US $6,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #93
- 1 = most expensive
Janesville homeowners pay roughly $2,600 to $10,600 to install a gravel driveway at 1,000 sq ft, or $2.60 to $10.50 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Janesville is 4% higher. Construction laborers earn a median of $26.77 an hour in the Janesville area, 18% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in Janesville, WI, standard level
$5,000 to $8,200
About $4.95 to $8.05 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 55% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,200 | $3,600 |
| Labor | $2,750 | $4,450 |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $130 |
| Total | $5,000 | $8,200 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Janesville, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $2,900 | $4,700 | 44% |
| Labor | $1,500 | $3,600 | $5,700 | 55% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $95 | $190 | 1% |
| Total | $2,600 | $6,600 | $10,600 | 100% |
Where the Janesville 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, Janesville wages are 1.14 times the national level. Labor makes up about 55% of the midpoint estimate (50% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Janesville metro is 93.8 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 1,000 sq ft comes to $2,900, compared with $3,100 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (93.7) and land at $0 to $190.
Janesville against nearby metros and the rest of Wisconsin
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 1,000 sq ft range from $6,600 to $7,500 across Janesville and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville, WIthis page | $2,600 – $10,600 | $6,600 | |
| Rockford, IL25 miles | $3,000 – $12,000 | $7,500 | +14% |
| Madison, WI40 miles | $2,800 – $11,400 | $7,100 | +7% |
| Kenosha, WI60 miles | $2,750 – $11,200 | $7,000 | +6% |
| Milwaukee, WI65 miles | $2,800 – $11,200 | $7,000 | +6% |
| Racine, WI65 miles | $2,850 – $11,500 | $7,200 | +9% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $2,700 – $11,000 | $6,850 | +4% |
| United States | $2,500 – $10,200 | $6,350 | −4% |
Across 300 US metros, Janesville comes in at #93 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, Janesville is 4% below the Wisconsin figure.
Other Wisconsin metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $2,800 – $11,200 | $7,000 | +6% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $2,800 – $11,400 | $7,100 | +7% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $2,700 – $11,000 | $6,850 | +4% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $2,850 – $11,500 | $7,150 | +8% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $2,650 – $10,800 | $6,750 | +2% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $2,750 – $11,100 | $6,950 | +5% |
Cities with a workforce like Janesville's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Janesville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $2,500 – $10,100 | $6,300 | −4% |
| Wausau, WI | 69,530 jobs | $2,850 – $11,500 | $7,150 | +8% |
| Bismarck, ND | 71,270 jobs | $2,500 – $10,200 | $6,350 | −4% |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $2,350 – $9,550 | $5,950 | −10% |
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 Janesville is 1.14 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $26.77 an hour, 18% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.00 and $36.28 an hour. About 480 work in the metro. That is 68.7 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 $31.88 an hour, which is 11% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $27.94 and $44.34 an hour. BLS counts 240 of them working in the area, 34.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is about average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($36.28 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $660. At the 25th percentile ($22.00) it shrinks by about $330. The total moves by 10.0% or 5.0%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 69,870 jobs in the Janesville-Beloit area. That makes it the 260th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $22.00 | $26.77 | $36.28 | $22.66 | 1.18 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 50% | $27.94 | $31.88 | $44.34 | $28.78 | 1.11 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.14 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Janesville
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Janesville 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
$2,600 to $5,800
Crusher-run spread and compacted on firm ground
Standard
$5,000 to $8,200
Excavated base plus top course, fabric, light grading
Premium
$7,400 to $10,600
Deep multi-layer build, edging, culvert or drainage
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| single car (500 sq ft) | $1,300 – $2,950 | $2,550 – $4,150 | $3,750 – $5,400 |
| two car (1,000 sq ft) | $2,600 – $5,800 | $5,000 – $8,200 | $7,400 – $10,600 |
| 100 ft x 10 ft (1,000 sq ft) | $2,600 – $5,800 | $5,000 – $8,200 | $7,400 – $10,600 |
| long rural (2,000 sq ft) | $5,250 – $11,500 | $9,950 – $16,300 | $14,700 – $21,000 |
When to schedule gravel driveway in Janesville
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Afton - Janesville Wwtp (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
April through October is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Janesville (7 of 12 months). January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, November 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 148 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Janesville gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 37 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, July and August (5.0 inches in June). Inside the workable window, April and October are the driest, at 3.6 and 3.0 inches. The station averages about 13 days a year at 90°F or above.
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 | 28 | 12 | 1.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 32 | 15 | 1.6 | Cold |
| Mar | 45 | 25 | 2.1 | Cold |
| Apr | 58 | 36 | 3.6 | Workable |
| May | 70 | 48 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jun | 80 | 58 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 83 | 62 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Aug | 82 | 60 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Sep | 75 | 51 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 62 | 40 | 3.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 46 | 29 | 2.3 | Cold |
| Dec | 34 | 18 | 1.9 | Cold |
Planning more than one job in Janesville?
Because every project leans on different trades, Janesville's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, concrete driveway runs +17% and sod installation −3%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,150 – $7,800 | +5% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,150 – $10,800 | +17% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $670 – $2,350 | +11% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −3% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,700 – $5,550 | +8% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,250 – $5,900 | +8% |
Optional extras in Janesville
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Janesville by the average of the local wage index (1.14) and goods index (0.94), a factor of 1.04. 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) | $520 – $1,850 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Janesville bid
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.
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 $5,000 to $8,200 for Janesville, WI is attached.
Detailed gravel driveway report for Janesville, WI, $9
Multi-page report for Janesville, WI: 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 Janesville: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a gravel driveway in Janesville?
For 1,000 sq ft, expect $2,600 to $10,600 in the Janesville area. A standard-spec job lands at $5,000 to $8,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for gravel driveway in Janesville?
About $2.60 to $10.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $190 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $2.50 to $10.
+Is gravel driveway cheaper in Janesville or Rockford?
Rockford is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 1,000 sq ft there is $7,500, which is 14% more than Janesville ($6,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Janesville?
About 55% at the midpoint, or $3,600 out of $6,600. Materials are 44% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 50%.
+What would 100 ft x 10 ft (1,000 sq ft) cost in Janesville?
$2,600 to $10,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does gravel driveway need a permit in Janesville?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $190 for fees in the Janesville area (our national range of $0 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Janesville expensive for gravel driveway compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Janesville is 4% below the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($6,850 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Janesville?
The BLS median is $26.77 an hour in the Janesville area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.00 to $36.28.
+What do basic and premium gravel driveway work cost in Janesville?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $2,600 to $5,800 and premium work $7,400 to $10,600. 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 Janesville?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. April and October 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 Janesville?
$520 to $1,850 for 1,000 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Gravel driveway near Janesville
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.