Paver patio cost in Bismarck, ND
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $3,200 – $5,850
- Per sq ft
- $10.50 – $18.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +7%
- US $4,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #83
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a paver patio in Bismarck, plan on $3,200 to $5,850 for 300 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $10.50 to $18.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 7% higher than the national one. Construction laborers earn a median of $23.93 an hour in the Bismarck area, 6% above the US median of $22.66.
Estimate your paver patio cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Bismarck, ND, standard level
$4,000 to $5,050
About $13 to $16 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 65% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,300 | $1,550 |
| Labor | $2,600 | $3,300 |
| Permits and fees | $95 | $220 |
| Total | $4,000 | $5,050 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Bismarck, ND
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,450 | $1,700 | 32% |
| Labor | $2,050 | $2,950 | $3,800 | 65% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $160 | $320 | 4% |
| Total | $3,200 | $4,550 | $5,850 | 100% |
Where the Bismarck price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on construction laborers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $23.93 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Bismarck is 1.15 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 65% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Bismarck metro is 95.7 (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 (91.0) and land at $0 to $320.
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 Bismarck. The wage table below marks each row.
Planning more than one job in Bismarck?
Because every project leans on different trades, Bismarck's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, retaining wall runs +5% and wood deck −5%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,950 | −2% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $3,200 – $7,850 | −1% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,650 – $13,900 | +5% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,150 – $14,300 | −5% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,400 – $5,050 | −2% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,600 – $9,200 | level |
Why two Bismarck quotes can differ
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).
Base prep
The base (road base, fabric, edging, bedding and joint sand) is $1.40-$2.20 per sq ft of the materials number.
Climate in Bismarck: timing your paver patio job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Bismarck (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
May through October is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Bismarck (6 of 12 months). January, February, March, April, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, April, 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 184 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Bismarck gets about 19 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 51 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and July (3.4 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 1.7 and 1.4 inches. The station averages about 21 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 | 23 | 2 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 28 | 7 | 0.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 41 | 19 | 0.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 56 | 30 | 1.3 | Cold |
| May | 68 | 42 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 78 | 53 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 58 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Aug | 84 | 56 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 73 | 46 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Oct | 57 | 33 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Nov | 41 | 19 | 0.7 | Cold |
| Dec | 28 | 8 | 0.6 | Cold |
Bismarck: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Bismarck 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
$3,200 to $4,250
Basic concrete pavers, simple pattern, level yard
Standard
$4,000 to $5,050
Mid-grade pavers, a border or curve, some regrading
Premium
$4,800 to $5,850
Natural stone or clay brick, complex pattern, slope or retaining edge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $1,550 – $2,100 | $1,950 – $2,550 | $2,400 – $2,950 |
| 16x16 (256 sq ft) | $2,750 – $3,650 | $3,450 – $4,350 | $4,100 – $5,050 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $4,300 – $5,650 | $5,300 – $6,650 | $6,300 – $7,700 |
| pool deck (800 sq ft) | $8,600 – $11,200 | $10,500 – $13,100 | $12,500 – $15,000 |
Optional extras in Bismarck
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Bismarck by the average of the local wage index (1.15) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 1.05. 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 | $320 – $1,600 |
Bismarck against nearby metros and the rest of North Dakota
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 300 sq ft range from $4,000 to $4,750 across Bismarck and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, NDthis page | $3,200 – $5,850 | $4,550 | |
| Fargo, ND190 miles | $3,050 – $5,500 | $4,300 | −5% |
| Rapid City, SD210 miles | $2,850 – $5,200 | $4,000 | −11% |
| Sioux Falls, SD305 miles | $2,900 – $5,300 | $4,100 | −9% |
| St. Cloud, MN325 miles | $3,400 – $6,150 | $4,750 | +5% |
| Sioux City, IA380 miles | $3,000 – $5,450 | $4,250 | −6% |
| North Dakota (statewide) | $3,150 – $5,700 | $4,450 | −2% |
| United States | $3,000 – $5,450 | $4,250 | −7% |
Across 300 US metros, Bismarck comes in at #83 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $5,650; the cheapest is Dothan, AL at $3,500 (midpoints, 300 sq ft). Statewide, Bismarck is 2% above the North Dakota figure.
Other North Dakota metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND | 148,660 jobs | $3,050 – $5,500 | $4,300 | −5% |
Cities with a workforce like Bismarck's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Bismarck against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redding, CA | 71,550 jobs | $3,350 – $6,050 | $4,700 | +4% |
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $3,000 – $5,450 | $4,200 | −7% |
| Bozeman, MT | 72,210 jobs | $3,150 – $5,700 | $4,400 | −2% |
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $3,250 – $5,900 | $4,550 | +1% |
Bismarck 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 Bismarck is 1.15 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $23.93 an hour, 6% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.87 and $29.41 an hour. About 620 work in the metro. That is 87.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 30% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Bismarck metro, so we used the North Dakota statewide median: $38.43 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $27.65 and $39.59 an hour.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 20%) the local median is $22.27 an hour, which is 18% above the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $18.20 and $26.27 an hour. BLS counts 320 of them working in the area, 44.9 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 ($29.41 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $310. At the 25th percentile ($21.87) it shrinks by about $120. The total moves by 6.8% or 2.6%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 71,270 jobs in the Bismarck area. That makes it the 258th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.05% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $21.87 | $23.93 | $29.41 | $22.66 | 1.06 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 30% | $27.65 | $38.43 | $39.59 | $29.87 | 1.29 | state |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 20% | $18.20 | $22.27 | $26.27 | $18.82 | 1.18 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.15 | |||||
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 $4,000 to $5,050 for Bismarck, ND is attached.
Detailed paver patio report for Bismarck, ND, $9
The report lays out the paver patio numbers for Bismarck, ND 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 Bismarck: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a paver patio in Bismarck?
For 300 sq ft, expect $3,200 to $5,850 in the Bismarck area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,000 to $5,050. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for paver patio in Bismarck?
About $10.50 to $18.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $320 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $17.
+Is paver patio cheaper in Bismarck or Fargo?
Fargo is 190 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $4,300, which is 5% less than Bismarck ($4,550). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Bismarck?
About 65% at the midpoint, or $2,950 out of $4,550. Materials are 32% and permits 4%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 20x20 (400 sq ft) cost in Bismarck?
$4,300 to $7,700. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does paver patio need a permit in Bismarck?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $320 for fees in the Bismarck area (our national range of $0 to $350 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Bismarck expensive for paver patio compared with the rest of North Dakota?
Bismarck is 2% above the North Dakota statewide estimate ($4,450 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in North Dakota; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Bismarck?
The BLS median is $23.93 an hour in the Bismarck area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.87 to $29.41.
+What do basic and premium paver patio work cost in Bismarck?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $3,200 to $4,250 and premium work $4,800 to $5,850. 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 Bismarck?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through October. September 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 Bismarck?
$320 to $1,600 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Paver patio near Bismarck
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