Concrete Driveway Cost: Per Square Foot, by Size and by Finish
Driveways are priced by area and then again by finish, so a plain 24 by 24 slab and a stamped one of the same size are different projects.
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Installed rates by finish. Labour is assumed at 40%. Breaking up and removing an existing driveway adds $1 to $4 per square foot.
Finish is the bigger variable
The per-square-foot price runs from $6 for plain concrete to $20 for stained or saw-cut work. That is more than three to one on the same area, the same thickness and the same crew.
| Finish | Per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Plain | $6 – $8 |
| Broom finish | $8 – $12 |
| Textured | $8 – $12 |
| Coloured | $8 – $12 |
| Exposed aggregate | $8 – $12 |
| Polished | $8 – $12 |
| Salt finish | $8 – $12 |
| Slate pattern | $12 – $18 |
| Stamped | $12 – $18 |
| Imprinted | $12 – $18 |
| Saw cut | $18 – $20 |
| Stained | $18 – $20 |
Most driveways land in the $8 to $12 band, which is the broom-finish, textured, coloured and exposed-aggregate group. People are usually surprised that a broom finish and a coloured driveway cost the same — the texture and the colour are both surface treatments applied in one pass.
By size
| Layout | Feet | Area | Cost range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single stall | 10 × 20 | 200 sq ft | $800 – $4,000 |
| Single | 12 × 24 | 288 sq ft | $1,152 – $5,760 |
| Double stall | 20 × 20 | 400 sq ft | $1,600 – $8,000 |
| Double | 24 × 24 | 576 sq ft | $2,304 – $11,520 |
| Triple | 24 × 36 | 864 sq ft | $3,456 – $17,280 |
Standard layouts dominate the market: a single stall, a single, a double stall and a double. A double garage driveway of 24 by 24 feet is 576 sq ft, which is the reference size most quotes are built from.
What is under the concrete matters as much
A driveway is a slab on a sub-base, and the sub-base is where cheap jobs cut corners.
New builds need excavation and grading at $50 to $70 an hour, then a sub-base of sand and gravel at $12 to $18 a cubic yard. Paving over an existing gravel drive skips both, which is why that quote can be a third lower.
Forms and labour add $1.50 to $2 a square foot before any finish. Concrete itself is $125 to $150 a cubic yard delivered.
The climate problem nobody mentions in the brochure
Concrete performs well in hot climates and badly in freeze-thaw cycles. It is the dominant driveway material in the South and the West, and asphalt dominates in the North — not because of cost but because concrete cracks when water freezes inside it.
If you are in a cold state and want concrete anyway, expect a thicker slab, more joints and a shorter interval between repairs.
A heated driveway, at $5,000 to $10,000, exists precisely to solve this, and only makes sense in a cold climate where snow removal is a real annual cost.
What it costs in six states
Material does not change at the state line. Labour does. These are the same 400 sq ft job priced with six different wage markets.
| State | Labour factor | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | ×0.79 | $1,762 | $7,612 |
| Kentucky | ×0.84 | $1,800 | $7,801 |
| West Virginia | ×0.92 | $1,849 | $8,044 |
| New Hampshire | ×1.08 | $1,949 | $8,543 |
| New Jersey | ×1.38 | $2,141 | $9,506 |
| Illinois | ×1.40 | $2,157 | $9,583 |
Only the labour line moves. That is a stated limitation of this model, not an oversight.
Frequently asked
How thick should a driveway be?
Four inches minimum, and five if you park a truck or an SUV. Thickness is not where to save; the concrete under a car is doing structural work.
Concrete or asphalt?
Concrete is more expensive up front and lasts longer in moderate climates. Asphalt is cheaper and handles freeze-thaw better but needs sealing every few years.
When can I drive on it?
About a week. The surface cures enough to finish in two to three days, but full strength takes longer than most people expect.
Updated October 2026