Aggregate prices climbed ~8% year over year
The clearest signal is the producer price index (PPI) for construction sand, gravel, and crushed stone, tracked by the Federal Reserve's FRED database. It rose from 483.3 in 2024 to 520.4 in 2025 — a 7.7% jump in a single year. That's the wholesale price producers charge; it flows through to the per-ton and per-yard prices a homeowner pays.
Producer price index — construction sand, gravel & crushed stone
Index values, not dollars. Source: FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data).
A 7.7% rise means a project that cost $1,000 in materials a year ago is closer to $1,080 now, before any change in your local delivery or labor rates.
And supply got tighter
Higher prices usually follow tighter supply, and that's exactly what the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries show: U.S. construction sand and gravel production dropped from about 967 million tons in 2023 to roughly 890 million in 2024 — an ~8% decline. Zoning limits on new quarries, higher fuel and trucking costs, and metro-area demand all pull in the same direction: up.
What it costs to gravel a project in 2026
National planning ranges for common projects, using current benchmark prices (roughly $20–$40 per ton delivered for driveway-grade crushed stone) and the standard volume math. These are starting points — your delivery distance, minimum load, and labor move the final number.
| Project | Size / depth | Gravel | Material (DIY) | Installed (pro) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garden path | 3×30 ft, 2" | ~0.7 t | $30–$70 | — |
| Shed pad | 10×12 ft, 4" | ~2.4 t | $50–$100 | $150–$400 |
| Patio base | 12×16 ft, 4" | ~3.3 t | $65–$130 | $240–$770 |
| Single-car driveway | 10×50 ft, 6" | ~13 t | $260–$520 | $625–$2,000 |
| Two-car driveway | 20×50 ft, 6" | ~26 t | $520–$1,040 | $1,250–$4,000 |
Installed figures assume roughly $1.25–$4.00 per square foot for grading, spreading, and compaction on top of the material. For an exact number matched to your dimensions and material, use the gravel calculator, and see the gravel driveway cost guide for the full breakdown.
Why your price will still differ
A national average is a planning tool, not a quote. Four things move your actual price more than the headline index:
- Delivery distance. Bulk gravel is cheap; hauling it isn't. Delivery can start around $5 per mile, and a below-minimum load adds a surcharge.
- Region and quarry access. Prices near a working quarry can be a fraction of prices in a metro area that trucks everything in.
- Season. Demand peaks in spring and summer. Ordering in late fall or winter often shaves 5–15%.
- Material and grade. Crusher run and recycled concrete sit at the low end; #57 limestone, decorative river rock, and pea gravel run higher.
Methodology and sources
The price-trend and production figures are federal data, cited directly. Project costs combine those benchmarks with the volume and density math documented on our methodology page. Where a figure depends on your location or supplier, we've said so rather than invent a number.
- Price trend: FRED — producer price index for construction sand, gravel, and crushed stone (483.3 in 2024 → 520.4 in 2025).
- Production / supply: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries — U.S. construction sand and gravel production (~967 Mt in 2023 → ~890 Mt in 2024).
- Density and volume math: ASTM C136/D2940 aggregate standards, applied in our calculator.
Journalists and site owners are welcome to cite these figures with a link to this page. For the underlying calculator, the free embeddable widget is available for any site.