Paver patio cost in Hickory, NC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $2,800 – $5,000
- Per sq ft
- $9.25 – $15.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $4,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #219
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a paver patio in Hickory, plan on $2,800 to $5,000 for 300 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $9.25 to $15.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 8% lower than the national one. Construction laborers earn a median of $21.42 an hour in the Hickory area, 5% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Hickory, NC, standard level
$3,450 to $4,350
About $11 to $14 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 59% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,350 | $1,550 |
| Labor | $2,050 | $2,550 |
| Permits and fees | $95 | $220 |
| Total | $3,450 | $4,350 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Hickory, NC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,450 | $1,750 | 37% |
| Labor | $1,600 | $2,300 | $2,950 | 59% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $150 | $310 | 4% |
| Total | $2,800 | $3,900 | $5,000 | 100% |
Why Hickory 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 $21.42 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Hickory is 0.90 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 59% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Hickory metro is 96.6 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 300 sq ft comes to $1,450, compared with $1,500 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (88.5) and land at $0 to $310.
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 Hickory. The wage table below marks each row.
Extras that change the Hickory total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Hickory by the average of the local wage index (0.90) and goods index (0.97), a factor of 0.93. 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 |
|---|---|
| Excavation and haul-away | $280 – $1,400 |
Pick a size, pick a tier: paver patio pricing in Hickory
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Hickory 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
$2,800 to $3,700
Basic concrete pavers, simple pattern, level yard
Standard
$3,450 to $4,350
Mid-grade pavers, a border or curve, some regrading
Premium
$4,100 to $5,000
Natural stone or clay brick, complex pattern, slope or retaining edge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $1,350 – $1,850 | $1,700 – $2,200 | $2,100 – $2,550 |
| 16x16 (256 sq ft) | $2,350 – $3,150 | $2,950 – $3,750 | $3,550 – $4,350 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $3,700 – $4,850 | $4,550 – $5,750 | $5,450 – $6,600 |
| pool deck (800 sq ft) | $7,400 – $9,600 | $9,050 – $11,200 | $10,700 – $12,900 |
Hickory labor market for paver patio
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Hickory is 0.90 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $21.42 an hour, 5% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.03 and $24.58 an hour. About 800 work in the metro. That is 51.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 30% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Hickory metro, so we used the North Carolina statewide median: $24.01 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $21.78 and $27.70 an hour.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 20%) the local median is $17.57 an hour, which is 7% below the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $16.52 and $20.52 an hour. BLS counts 790 of them working in the area, 51.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), 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 ($24.58 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $180. At the 25th percentile ($17.03) it shrinks by about $250. The total moves by 4.6% or 6.3%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 154,090 jobs in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton area. That makes it the 152nd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.10% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $17.03 | $21.42 | $24.58 | $22.66 | 0.95 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 30% | $21.78 | $24.01 | $27.70 | $29.87 | 0.80 | state |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 20% | $16.52 | $17.57 | $20.52 | $18.82 | 0.93 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.90 | |||||
How Hickory compares
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Charlotte is the priciest of the group at $4,000. Spartanburg is the cheapest at $3,800.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory, NCthis page | $2,800 – $5,000 | $3,900 | |
| Johnson City, TN60 miles | $2,850 – $5,100 | $3,950 | +2% |
| Charlotte, NC60 miles | $2,850 – $5,150 | $4,000 | +3% |
| Asheville, NC65 miles | $2,850 – $5,150 | $4,000 | +2% |
| Winston, NC65 miles | $2,750 – $4,950 | $3,850 | −2% |
| Spartanburg, SC70 miles | $2,700 – $4,900 | $3,800 | −2% |
| North Carolina (statewide) | $2,800 – $5,050 | $3,950 | +1% |
| United States | $3,000 – $5,450 | $4,250 | +8% |
Across 300 US metros, Hickory comes in at #219 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $5,650; the cheapest is Dothan, AL at $3,500 (midpoints, 300 sq ft). Statewide, Hickory is 1% below the North Carolina figure.
Other North Carolina metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 1,358,370 jobs | $2,850 – $5,150 | $4,000 | +3% |
| Raleigh, NC | 743,120 jobs | $2,800 – $5,150 | $3,950 | +2% |
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $2,700 – $4,900 | $3,800 | −2% |
| Durham, NC | 344,020 jobs | $2,850 – $5,150 | $4,000 | +2% |
| Winston, NC | 271,980 jobs | $2,750 – $4,950 | $3,850 | −2% |
| Wilmington, NC | 191,280 jobs | $2,800 – $5,100 | $3,950 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like Hickory's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Hickory against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville, TX | 157,450 jobs | $2,550 – $4,600 | $3,550 | −9% |
| Roanoke, VA | 153,980 jobs | $2,650 – $4,750 | $3,700 | −5% |
| Eugene, OR | 157,710 jobs | $3,250 – $5,900 | $4,600 | +18% |
| Gainesville, FL | 152,670 jobs | $2,750 – $5,000 | $3,850 | −1% |
Paver patio: what moves the price in Hickory
Base prep
The base (road base, fabric, edging, bedding and joint sand) is $1.40-$2.20 per sq ft of the materials number.
Excavation and grading
Digging out is $1-$5 per sq ft; regrading a sloped yard is $0.40-$2.00 per sq ft.
Pattern
Herringbone and curves take longer to lay and waste more stone than a running bond.
Climate in Hickory: timing your paver patio job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Hickory Faa Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
February through December is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Hickory (11 of 12 months). January has an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 69 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Hickory gets about 47 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (4.6 inches in August). Inside the workable window, February and October are the driest, at 3.2 and 3.5 inches. The station averages about 33 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 | 49 | 30 | 3.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 53 | 33 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Mar | 61 | 40 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Apr | 70 | 48 | 4.1 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 56 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 84 | 64 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 68 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 86 | 67 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 80 | 61 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Oct | 70 | 49 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 60 | 39 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Dec | 52 | 33 | 3.9 | Workable |
What nearby projects cost in Hickory
Because every project leans on different trades, Hickory's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, retaining wall runs −9% and concrete driveway −13%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,550 | −11% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $2,950 – $7,100 | −10% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,300 – $12,300 | −9% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,850 – $13,700 | −10% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,200 – $4,750 | −9% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,250 – $8,000 | −13% |
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 $3,450 to $4,350 for Hickory, NC is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
The report lays out the paver patio numbers for Hickory, NC line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Paver patio in Hickory: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a paver patio in Hickory?
For 300 sq ft, expect $2,800 to $5,000 in the Hickory area. A standard-spec job lands at $3,450 to $4,350. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for paver patio in Hickory?
About $9.25 to $15.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $310 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $17.
+Is paver patio cheaper in Hickory or Johnson City?
Johnson City is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $3,950, which is 2% more than Hickory ($3,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Hickory?
About 59% at the midpoint, or $2,300 out of $3,900. Materials are 37% and permits 4%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 20x20 (400 sq ft) cost in Hickory?
$3,700 to $6,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does paver patio need a permit in Hickory?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $310 for fees in the Hickory area (our national range of $0 to $350 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Hickory expensive for paver patio compared with the rest of North Carolina?
Hickory is 1% below the North Carolina statewide estimate ($3,950 at the midpoint). We cover 11 metros in North Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Hickory?
The BLS median is $21.42 an hour in the Hickory area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.03 to $24.58.
+What do basic and premium paver patio work cost in Hickory?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $2,800 to $3,700 and premium work $4,100 to $5,000. 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 Hickory?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through December. February 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 Hickory?
$280 to $1,400 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Paver patio near Hickory
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