Gravel driveway cost in Oshkosh, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,000 sq ft)
- $2,650 – $10,800
- Per sq ft
- $2.65 – $10.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +6%
- US $6,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #83
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a gravel driveway in Oshkosh, plan on $2,650 to $10,800 for 1,000 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $2.65 to $10.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 6% higher than the national one. Construction laborers earn a median of $24.65 an hour in the Oshkosh area, 9% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in Oshkosh, WI, standard level
$5,100 to $8,350
About $5.05 to $8.25 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 55% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,200 | $3,600 |
| Labor | $2,850 | $4,600 |
| Permits and fees | $55 | $130 |
| Total | $5,100 | $8,350 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Oshkosh, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $2,900 | $4,700 | 43% |
| Labor | $1,550 | $3,750 | $5,950 | 55% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $95 | $190 | 1% |
| Total | $2,650 | $6,750 | $10,800 | 100% |
Why Oshkosh prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $24.65 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Oshkosh is 1.19 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 55% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Oshkosh 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 (92.9) and land at $0 to $190.
Oshkosh against nearby metros and the rest of Wisconsin
Same job, same size (1,000 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Appleton is the priciest of the group at $7,150. Sheboygan is the cheapest at $6,600.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oshkosh, WIthis page | $2,650 – $10,800 | $6,750 | |
| Appleton, WI20 miles | $2,850 – $11,500 | $7,150 | +6% |
| Green Bay, WI45 miles | $2,700 – $11,000 | $6,850 | +2% |
| Sheboygan, WI50 miles | $2,600 – $10,600 | $6,600 | −2% |
| Wausau, WI80 miles | $2,850 – $11,500 | $7,150 | +6% |
| Madison, WI85 miles | $2,800 – $11,400 | $7,100 | +5% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $2,700 – $11,000 | $6,850 | +2% |
| United States | $2,500 – $10,200 | $6,350 | −6% |
Across 300 US metros, Oshkosh comes in at #83 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, Oshkosh is 2% below the Wisconsin figure.
Other Wisconsin metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $2,800 – $11,200 | $7,000 | +4% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $2,800 – $11,400 | $7,100 | +5% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $2,700 – $11,000 | $6,850 | +2% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $2,850 – $11,500 | $7,150 | +6% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $2,750 – $11,100 | $6,950 | +3% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $2,700 – $11,000 | $6,850 | +2% |
Cities with a workforce like Oshkosh's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Oshkosh against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | 93,760 jobs | $2,450 – $9,950 | $6,200 | −8% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $2,850 – $11,600 | $7,250 | +7% |
| Billings, MT | 93,800 jobs | $2,500 – $10,200 | $6,350 | −6% |
| Bellingham, WA | 91,390 jobs | $3,050 – $12,400 | $7,700 | +15% |
Climate in Oshkosh: timing your gravel driveway job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Oshkosh (in the city). 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 Oshkosh (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 143 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Oshkosh gets about 33 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 39 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and July (4.8 inches in June). Inside the workable window, April and October are the driest, at 3.2 and 2.9 inches. The station averages about 8 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 | 26 | 10 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Feb | 30 | 13 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 41 | 24 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Apr | 54 | 36 | 3.2 | Workable |
| May | 67 | 48 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 77 | 59 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 82 | 63 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 80 | 61 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Sep | 73 | 53 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 59 | 41 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 44 | 29 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Dec | 32 | 18 | 1.6 | Cold |
Cost by quality level and size in Oshkosh
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Oshkosh 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
$2,650 to $5,950
Crusher-run spread and compacted on firm ground
Standard
$5,100 to $8,350
Excavated base plus top course, fabric, light grading
Premium
$7,550 to $10,800
Deep multi-layer build, edging, culvert or drainage
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| single car (500 sq ft) | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,600 – $4,250 | $3,850 – $5,500 |
| two car (1,000 sq ft) | $2,650 – $5,950 | $5,100 – $8,350 | $7,550 – $10,800 |
| 100 ft x 10 ft (1,000 sq ft) | $2,650 – $5,950 | $5,100 – $8,350 | $7,550 – $10,800 |
| long rural (2,000 sq ft) | $5,350 – $11,800 | $10,200 – $16,600 | $15,000 – $21,400 |
What nearby projects cost in Oshkosh
Because every project leans on different trades, Oshkosh's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, concrete driveway runs +15% and sod installation −3%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,150 – $7,900 | +6% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,100 – $10,700 | +15% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $670 – $2,350 | +12% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,450 – $3,200 | −3% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,650 – $5,500 | +7% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,150 – $5,750 | +5% |
Gravel driveway: what moves the price in Oshkosh
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.
Oshkosh labor market for gravel driveway
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 Oshkosh is 1.19 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $24.65 an hour, 9% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.00 and $34.81 an hour. About 560 work in the metro. That is 59.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 50%) the local median is $37.03 an hour, which is 29% above the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $29.76 and $44.71 an hour. BLS counts 150 of them working in the area, 16.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($34.81 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $710. At the 25th percentile ($21.00) it shrinks by about $250. The total moves by 10.5% or 3.8%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 93,750 jobs in the Oshkosh-Neenah area. That makes it the 215th 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% | $21.00 | $24.65 | $34.81 | $22.66 | 1.09 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 50% | $29.76 | $37.03 | $44.71 | $28.78 | 1.29 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.19 | |||||
Add-ons priced for Oshkosh
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Oshkosh by the average of the local wage index (1.19) and goods index (0.94), a factor of 1.06. 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) | $530 – $1,900 |
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 $5,100 to $8,350 for Oshkosh, WI is attached.
Take this estimate with you: PDF report, $9
Multi-page report for Oshkosh, 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 Oshkosh: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a gravel driveway in Oshkosh?
For 1,000 sq ft, expect $2,650 to $10,800 in the Oshkosh area. A standard-spec job lands at $5,100 to $8,350. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for gravel driveway in Oshkosh?
About $2.65 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 Oshkosh or Appleton?
Appleton is 20 miles away. The midpoint for 1,000 sq ft there is $7,150, which is 6% more than Oshkosh ($6,750). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Oshkosh?
About 55% at the midpoint, or $3,750 out of $6,750. Materials are 43% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 50%.
+What would 100 ft x 10 ft (1,000 sq ft) cost in Oshkosh?
$2,650 to $10,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does gravel driveway need a permit in Oshkosh?
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 Oshkosh area (our national range of $0 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Oshkosh expensive for gravel driveway compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Oshkosh is 2% 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 Oshkosh?
The BLS median is $24.65 an hour in the Oshkosh area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.00 to $34.81.
+What do basic and premium gravel driveway work cost in Oshkosh?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $2,650 to $5,950 and premium work $7,550 to $10,800. 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 Oshkosh?
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 Oshkosh?
$530 to $1,900 for 1,000 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Gravel driveway near Oshkosh
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.