Paver patio cost in Athens, GA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $2,650 – $4,750
- Per sq ft
- $8.80 – $15
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −12%
- US $4,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #276
- 1 = most expensive
A paver patio in Athens, GA usually costs $2,650 to $4,750 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $8.80 to $15 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $520 less. Construction laborers earn a median of $17.85 an hour in the Athens area, 21% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Athens, GA, standard level
$3,250 to $4,150
About $10.50 to $13 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,350 | $1,550 |
| Labor | $1,850 | $2,350 |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $230 |
| Total | $3,250 | $4,150 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Athens, GA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,450 | $1,750 | 39% |
| Labor | $1,500 | $2,100 | $2,700 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $160 | $330 | 4% |
| Total | $2,650 | $3,700 | $4,750 | 100% |
Where the Athens price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: construction laborers at 50%, brickmasons and blockmasons at 30%, landscaping and groundskeeping workers at 20%. Weighted together, Athens wages are 0.82 times the national level. Labor makes up about 57% of the midpoint estimate (60% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Athens is at 96.3 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,500 nationally becomes $1,450 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 93.3: $0 to $330.
Data note: 30% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Athens. The wage table below marks each row.
Cost by quality level and size in Athens
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Athens. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 12x12 (144 sq ft) to pool deck (800 sq ft).
Basic
$2,650 to $3,500
Basic concrete pavers, simple pattern, level yard
Standard
$3,250 to $4,150
Mid-grade pavers, a border or curve, some regrading
Premium
$3,900 to $4,750
Natural stone or clay brick, complex pattern, slope or retaining edge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $1,250 – $1,750 | $1,600 – $2,100 | $2,000 – $2,450 |
| 16x16 (256 sq ft) | $2,250 – $3,000 | $2,800 – $3,550 | $3,350 – $4,100 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $3,500 – $4,600 | $4,350 – $5,450 | $5,150 – $6,250 |
| pool deck (800 sq ft) | $7,000 – $9,100 | $8,550 – $10,600 | $10,100 – $12,200 |
How Athens compares
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Athens. Gainesville comes closest at about $3,750.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens, GAthis page | $2,650 – $4,750 | $3,700 | |
| Gainesville, GA45 miles | $2,650 – $4,850 | $3,750 | +1% |
| Greenville, SC70 miles | $2,750 – $5,000 | $3,900 | +5% |
| Atlanta, GA70 miles | $2,850 – $5,200 | $4,000 | +8% |
| Augusta, GA80 miles | $2,650 – $4,850 | $3,750 | +1% |
| Macon, GA80 miles | $2,700 – $4,850 | $3,800 | +2% |
| Georgia (statewide) | $2,700 – $4,950 | $3,850 | +3% |
| United States | $3,000 – $5,450 | $4,250 | +14% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Athens ranks #276 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Athens is 3% below the Georgia figure.
Elsewhere in Georgia
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GA | 2,889,670 jobs | $2,850 – $5,200 | $4,000 | +8% |
| Augusta, GA | 231,930 jobs | $2,650 – $4,850 | $3,750 | +1% |
| Savannah, GA | 198,360 jobs | $2,650 – $4,800 | $3,750 | +1% |
| Columbus, GA | 116,380 jobs | $2,600 – $4,700 | $3,650 | −2% |
| Gainesville, GA | 103,870 jobs | $2,650 – $4,850 | $3,750 | +1% |
| Macon, GA | 95,030 jobs | $2,700 – $4,850 | $3,800 | +2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Athens against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $3,300 – $5,950 | $4,650 | +25% |
| Fort Smith, AR | 95,560 jobs | $2,650 – $4,750 | $3,700 | level |
| Binghamton, NY | 97,030 jobs | $3,250 – $5,900 | $4,550 | +23% |
| Macon, GA | 95,030 jobs | $2,700 – $4,850 | $3,800 | +2% |
Athens weather and the paver patio calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Athens Ben Epps Ap (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 Athens are September through June: 10 of 12. Outside them, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Athens gets about 49 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, August and December (4.9 inches in June). Inside the workable window, May and October are the driest, at 3.3 and 3.3 inches. The station averages about 62 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 | 55 | 34 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 59 | 37 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Mar | 67 | 43 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 75 | 50 | 3.5 | Workable |
| May | 82 | 59 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 67 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 92 | 70 | 4.2 | Hot |
| Aug | 90 | 69 | 4.5 | Hot |
| Sep | 85 | 63 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Oct | 75 | 52 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Nov | 65 | 42 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Dec | 57 | 36 | 4.4 | Workable |
Extras that change the Athens total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.89 for Athens, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.82) and goods price index (0.96). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Excavation and haul-away | $270 – $1,350 |
Planning more than one job in Athens?
Jobs that often go together with paver patio are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Athens wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, concrete slab comes out highest (−11%) and concrete driveway lowest (−16%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,100 – $3,450 | −13% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $2,900 – $7,000 | −12% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,050 – $12,000 | −12% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,550 – $13,200 | −13% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,150 – $4,650 | −11% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,150 – $7,700 | −16% |
Why two Athens quotes can differ
Pattern
Herringbone and curves take longer to lay and waste more stone than a running bond.
Permit
At-grade patios often need no permit; add a retaining wall, a cover, or a connection to the house and that changes.
Paver material
Pavers alone average $2-$4 per sq ft but the full range is $1-$15 depending on concrete, brick, or natural stone (HomeGuide).
What local crews earn in Athens
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 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 Athens the blend is 0.82.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $17.85 an hour, which is 21% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.56 and $23.50 an hour. BLS counts 420 of them working in the area, 43.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 30% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Athens metro, so we used the Georgia statewide median: $24.35 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $18.00 and $32.90 an hour.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 20% of the weighting: a median of $17.22 an hour, 9% below the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $14.66 and $20.72 an hour. About 580 work in the metro. That is 60.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 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 $320 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $75. That is a swing of roughly 2.0% to 8.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Athens-Clarke County has 95,800 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 209th 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% | $16.56 | $17.85 | $23.50 | $22.66 | 0.79 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 30% | $18.00 | $24.35 | $32.90 | $29.87 | 0.82 | state |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 20% | $14.66 | $17.22 | $20.72 | $18.82 | 0.91 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.82 | |||||
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Detailed paver patio report for Athens, GA, $9
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Paver patio in Athens: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a paver patio in Athens?
For 300 sq ft, expect $2,650 to $4,750 in the Athens area. A standard-spec job lands at $3,250 to $4,150. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for paver patio in Athens?
About $8.80 to $15 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $330 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $17.
+Is paver patio cheaper in Athens or Gainesville?
Gainesville is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $3,750, which is 1% more than Athens ($3,700). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Athens?
About 57% at the midpoint, or $2,100 out of $3,700. Materials are 39% and permits 4%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 20x20 (400 sq ft) cost in Athens?
$3,500 to $6,250. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does paver patio need a permit in Athens?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $330 for fees in the Athens area (our national range of $0 to $350 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Athens expensive for paver patio compared with the rest of Georgia?
Athens is 3% below the Georgia statewide estimate ($3,850 at the midpoint). We cover 10 metros in Georgia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Athens?
The BLS median is $17.85 an hour in the Athens area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $16.56 to $23.50.
+What do basic and premium paver patio work cost in Athens?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $2,650 to $3,500 and premium work $3,900 to $4,750. Basic means: basic concrete pavers, simple pattern, level yard. Premium means: natural stone or clay brick, complex pattern, slope or retaining edge.
+When is the best time to install a paver patio in Athens?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. May 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 "excavation and haul-away" add in Athens?
$270 to $1,350 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Paver patio near Athens
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: 2026 Paver Patio Cost | Paver Installation Costs (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Stamped Concrete Cost? (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