Paver patio cost in Knoxville, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $2,900 – $5,300
- Per sq ft
- $9.75 – $16.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $4,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #164
- 1 = most expensive
Knoxville homeowners pay roughly $2,900 to $5,300 to install a paver patio at 300 sq ft, or $9.75 to $16.50 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Knoxville is almost level. Building materials run about 4% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 96.2).
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Knoxville, TN, standard level
$3,650 to $4,600
About $12 to $14.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 61% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,350 | $1,550 |
| Labor | $2,200 | $2,800 |
| Permits and fees | $95 | $230 |
| Total | $3,650 | $4,600 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Knoxville, TN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,450 | $1,750 | 35% |
| Labor | $1,750 | $2,500 | $3,250 | 61% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $160 | $320 | 4% |
| Total | $2,900 | $4,100 | $5,300 | 100% |
Why Knoxville 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 $22.18 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Knoxville is 0.98 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 61% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Knoxville metro is 96.2 (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 (92.6) and land at $0 to $320.
Paver patio: what moves the price in Knoxville
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.
Related projects, priced for Knoxville
Because every project leans on different trades, Knoxville's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, retaining wall runs −3% and concrete driveway −11%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,150 – $3,600 | −9% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $3,000 – $7,200 | −9% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,800 – $13,000 | −3% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,950 – $13,900 | −8% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,250 – $4,800 | −8% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,300 – $8,200 | −11% |
When to schedule paver patio in Knoxville
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Ap (10 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 Knoxville (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 67 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Knoxville gets about 52 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 5 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, July and December (5.3 inches in July). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.5 and 2.8 inches. The station averages about 37 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 | 48 | 30 | 4.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 53 | 33 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 61 | 40 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Apr | 71 | 48 | 4.7 | Workable |
| May | 79 | 57 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jun | 86 | 65 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 88 | 69 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 88 | 68 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 83 | 61 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Oct | 72 | 49 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 60 | 38 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 51 | 33 | 5.0 | Workable |
Optional extras in Knoxville
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Knoxville by the average of the local wage index (0.98) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 0.97. 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 | $290 – $1,450 |
Knoxville against nearby metros and the rest of Tennessee
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 $3,650 to $4,100 across Knoxville and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, TNthis page | $2,900 – $5,300 | $4,100 | |
| Asheville, NC95 miles | $2,850 – $5,150 | $4,000 | −3% |
| Dalton, GA95 miles | $2,600 – $4,700 | $3,650 | −11% |
| Chattanooga, TN95 miles | $2,900 – $5,300 | $4,100 | level |
| Johnson City, TN100 miles | $2,850 – $5,100 | $3,950 | −4% |
| Kingsport, TN100 miles | $2,850 – $5,150 | $4,000 | −3% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $2,900 – $5,250 | $4,100 | −1% |
| United States | $3,000 – $5,450 | $4,250 | +3% |
Across 300 US metros, Knoxville comes in at #164 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $5,650; the cheapest is Dothan, AL at $3,500 (midpoints, 300 sq ft). Statewide, Knoxville is 1% above the Tennessee figure.
Other Tennessee metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $2,950 – $5,400 | $4,150 | +1% |
| Memphis, TN | 611,670 jobs | $2,900 – $5,300 | $4,100 | level |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $2,900 – $5,300 | $4,100 | level |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $2,850 – $5,150 | $4,000 | −3% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $2,850 – $5,150 | $4,000 | −3% |
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $2,900 – $5,200 | $4,050 | −2% |
Cities with a workforce like Knoxville's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Knoxville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $2,750 – $5,000 | $3,900 | −5% |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 409,690 jobs | $2,700 – $4,900 | $3,800 | −8% |
| New Orleans, LA | 445,550 jobs | $2,700 – $4,900 | $3,800 | −7% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $3,350 – $6,100 | $4,700 | +15% |
Local wages behind the labor line
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 Knoxville is 0.98 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $22.18 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.16 and $25.87 an hour. About 3,640 work in the metro. That is 85.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021), 30% of the weighting: a median of $30.81 an hour, 3% above the US median of $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $23.35 and $36.36 an hour. About 70 work in the metro. That is 1.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 3.4 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 20%) the local median is $17.33 an hour, which is 8% below the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $16.86 and $20.80 an hour. BLS counts 3,020 of them working in the area, 71.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($25.87 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $210. At the 25th percentile ($18.16) it shrinks by about $230. The total moves by 5.0% or 5.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 424,600 jobs in the Knoxville area. That makes it the 59th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.27% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $18.16 | $22.18 | $25.87 | $22.66 | 0.98 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 30% | $23.35 | $30.81 | $36.36 | $29.87 | 1.03 | metro |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 20% | $16.86 | $17.33 | $20.80 | $18.82 | 0.92 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.98 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Knoxville
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Knoxville 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
$2,900 to $3,850
Basic concrete pavers, simple pattern, level yard
Standard
$3,650 to $4,600
Mid-grade pavers, a border or curve, some regrading
Premium
$4,350 to $5,300
Natural stone or clay brick, complex pattern, slope or retaining edge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $1,400 – $1,950 | $1,800 – $2,300 | $2,200 – $2,700 |
| 16x16 (256 sq ft) | $2,500 – $3,350 | $3,100 – $3,950 | $3,750 – $4,550 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $3,900 – $5,100 | $4,800 – $6,050 | $5,750 – $6,950 |
| pool deck (800 sq ft) | $7,800 – $10,100 | $9,550 – $11,900 | $11,300 – $13,600 |
Get 3 local quotes
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Paver patio in Knoxville: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a paver patio in Knoxville?
For 300 sq ft, expect $2,900 to $5,300 in the Knoxville area. A standard-spec job lands at $3,650 to $4,600. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for paver patio in Knoxville?
About $9.75 to $16.50 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 Knoxville or Asheville?
Asheville is 95 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $4,000, which is 3% less than Knoxville ($4,100). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Knoxville?
About 61% at the midpoint, or $2,500 out of $4,100. Materials are 35% and permits 4%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 20x20 (400 sq ft) cost in Knoxville?
$3,900 to $6,950. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does paver patio need a permit in Knoxville?
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 Knoxville area (our national range of $0 to $350 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Knoxville expensive for paver patio compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Knoxville is 1% above the Tennessee statewide estimate ($4,100 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Tennessee; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Knoxville?
The BLS median is $22.18 an hour in the Knoxville area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.16 to $25.87.
+What do basic and premium paver patio work cost in Knoxville?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $2,900 to $3,850 and premium work $4,350 to $5,300. 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 Knoxville?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through December. 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 Knoxville?
$290 to $1,450 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Paver patio near Knoxville
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