Stamped concrete cost in Chicago, IL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (400 sq ft)
- $3,950 – $9,850
- Per sq ft
- $9.75 – $24
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +24%
- US $5,600
- Rank of 300 metros
- #6
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for stamped concrete in the Chicago area: $3,950 to $9,850 for 400 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 24% higher than the US figure. Cement masons and concrete finishers earn a median of $38.95 an hour in the Chicago area, 42% above the US median of $27.41.
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Estimated cost for 400 sq ft in Chicago, IL, standard level
$5,750 to $8,100
About $14 to $19.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 55% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,500 | $3,300 |
| Labor | $3,100 | $4,550 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $270 |
| Total | $5,750 | $8,100 |
Cost breakdown for 400 sq ft in Chicago, IL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,950 | $2,900 | $3,850 | 42% |
| Labor | $2,000 | $3,800 | $5,650 | 55% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $210 | $360 | 3% |
| Total | $3,950 | $6,900 | $9,850 | 100% |
Why Chicago prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on cement masons and concrete finishers, who do 60% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $38.95 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Chicago is 1.41 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 55% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Chicago is at 107.3 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $2,700 nationally becomes $2,900 here (midpoint, 400 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 103.6: $50 to $360.
Optional extras in Chicago
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.24 for Chicago, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.41) and goods price index (1.07). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a vapor barrier | $250 – $500 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Chicago bid
Sealing and vapor barrier
Sealer is usually quoted separately; vapor barrier material is $0.20-$1.50 per sq ft depending on thickness (HomeGuide).
Not included
These prices don't include site prep that depends on the project: demolition, grading, or a thicker base.
Pattern and color
Basic to average coloring runs $8-$19 per sq ft. A 2-car stamped driveway runs $12-$18 per sq ft (HomeGuide); Estimators.us puts decorative slabs at $15-$30.
Cost by quality level and size in Chicago
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Chicago. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 10x20 patio (200 sq ft) to 2-car driveway (600 sq ft).
Basic
$3,950 to $6,350
Basic pattern, one integral color
Standard
$5,750 to $8,100
Two-tone color release and a border
Premium
$7,500 to $9,850
Multi-color, hand-detailed, sealed to a high finish
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x20 patio (200 sq ft) | $2,000 – $3,250 | $2,950 – $4,200 | $3,850 – $5,100 |
| 20x20 patio (400 sq ft) | $3,950 – $6,350 | $5,750 – $8,100 | $7,500 – $9,850 |
| 2-car driveway (600 sq ft) | $5,900 – $9,400 | $8,550 – $12,000 | $11,100 – $14,600 |
Who does the work: Chicago trade wages
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 Chicago the blend is 1.41.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 60% of the weighting: a median of $38.95 an hour, 42% above the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $28.71 and $50.74 an hour. About 3,890 work in the metro. That is 8.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 13.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $29.27 an hour, which is 29% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.25 and $48.44 an hour. BLS counts 26,690 of them working in the area, 59.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 10% of the weighting: a median of $49.57 an hour, 72% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $37.78 and $56.42 an hour. About 7,930 work in the metro. That is 17.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (cement masons and concrete finishers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $700 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $610. That is a swing of roughly 8.8% to 10.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has 4,513,280 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 3rd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 60% | $28.71 | $38.95 | $50.74 | $27.41 | 1.42 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $22.25 | $29.27 | $48.44 | $22.66 | 1.29 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 10% | $37.78 | $49.57 | $56.42 | $28.78 | 1.72 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.41 | |||||
Chicago against nearby metros and the rest of Illinois
Same job, same size (400 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Chicago is the priciest of the group. Niles is the cheapest at $5,350.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, ILthis page | $3,950 – $9,850 | $6,900 | |
| Niles, MI55 miles | $3,100 – $7,600 | $5,350 | −22% |
| Kenosha, WI55 miles | $3,450 – $8,500 | $6,000 | −14% |
| Racine, WI70 miles | $3,350 – $8,350 | $5,850 | −15% |
| Rockford, IL75 miles | $3,600 – $9,000 | $6,300 | −9% |
| Milwaukee, WI80 miles | $3,550 – $8,850 | $6,200 | −10% |
| Illinois (statewide) | $3,850 – $9,600 | $6,700 | −3% |
| United States | $3,250 – $7,950 | $5,600 | −19% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Chicago ranks #6 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Chicago is 3% above the Illinois figure.
Elsewhere in Illinois
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | 166,020 jobs | $3,550 – $8,950 | $6,250 | −10% |
| Rockford, IL | 137,650 jobs | $3,600 – $9,000 | $6,300 | −9% |
| Champaign, IL | 105,500 jobs | $3,600 – $8,950 | $6,300 | −9% |
| Springfield, IL | 100,810 jobs | $3,450 – $8,550 | $6,000 | −13% |
| Bloomington, IL | 88,110 jobs | $3,400 – $8,450 | $5,950 | −14% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Chicago against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $3,650 – $9,050 | $6,350 | −8% |
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $3,150 – $7,600 | $5,350 | −23% |
| New York, NY | 9,492,000 jobs | $3,800 – $9,300 | $6,550 | −5% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $3,050 – $7,300 | $5,200 | −25% |
The best months for stamped concrete in Chicago
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Chicago Midway Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For pouring concrete, the comfortable months in Chicago are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low of 40°F or below.
The 40°F line is a deliberately cautious stand-in. The American Concrete Institute's cold-weather guide (ACI 306R-16) defines cold-weather concreting around an average daily air temperature below 40°F, which is colder than our test of an average overnight low at or below 40°F, so we flag a few extra shoulder months. In cold weather crews may need heated enclosures, insulating blankets or accelerated mixes, and those measures can raise a quote.
Chicago gets about 34 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are May, June and August (4.1 inches in May). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 2.8 and 3.5 inches. The station averages about 20 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 | 33 | 19 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 37 | 23 | 1.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 48 | 32 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Apr | 60 | 41 | 3.6 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 52 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Jun | 81 | 62 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 85 | 68 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 83 | 66 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 76 | 59 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 63 | 47 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Nov | 49 | 35 | 2.4 | Cold |
| Dec | 38 | 25 | 1.8 | Cold |
Related projects, priced for Chicago
Jobs that often go together with stamped concrete are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Chicago wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, concrete driveway comes out highest (+30%) and concrete slab lowest (+21%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,500 – $5,000 | +24% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,650 – $12,000 | +30% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,650 – $6,600 | +22% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $3,000 – $6,200 | +21% |
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,700 – $9,350 | +25% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $3,250 – $13,100 | +29% |
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Stamped concrete in Chicago: your questions
+How much does it cost to pour stamped concrete in Chicago?
For 400 sq ft, expect $3,950 to $9,850 in the Chicago area. A standard-spec job lands at $5,750 to $8,100. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for stamped concrete in Chicago?
About $9.75 to $24 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $50 to $360 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $8 to $19.
+Is stamped concrete cheaper in Chicago or Niles?
Niles is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 400 sq ft there is $5,350, which is 22% less than Chicago ($6,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Chicago?
About 55% at the midpoint, or $3,800 out of $6,900. Materials are 42% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 48%.
+What would 20x20 patio (400 sq ft) cost in Chicago?
$3,950 to $9,850. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does stamped concrete need a permit in Chicago?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $360 for fees in the Chicago area (our national range of $50 to $350 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Chicago expensive for stamped concrete compared with the rest of Illinois?
Chicago is 3% above the Illinois statewide estimate ($6,700 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Illinois; see the state page to compare them.
+What do cement masons and concrete finishers earn in Chicago?
The BLS median is $38.95 an hour in the Chicago area, compared with $27.41 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.71 to $50.74.
+What do basic and premium stamped concrete work cost in Chicago?
For 400 sq ft, basic work runs $3,950 to $6,350 and premium work $7,500 to $9,850. Basic means: basic pattern, one integral color. Premium means: multi-color, hand-detailed, sealed to a high finish.
+When is the best time to pour stamped concrete in Chicago?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April 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 "add a vapor barrier" add in Chicago?
$250 to $500 for 400 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Stamped concrete near Chicago
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 Stamped Concrete Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- SimplyWise: Concrete Estimate Template: Free PDF + Excel (2026) (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: Materials = SimplyWise's 200 sq ft stamped-patio line ($900-$1,800), divided by 200 sq ft.