Gravel Prices 2026: Cost per Ton, per Yard and per Truckload
Updated · Sources: USGS, BLS and Build Material Planner estimates
Gravel costs about $35 to $75 a ton, or $52 to $97 a cubic yard, before delivery. A delivered and spread 10-ton dump truck load runs about $700 to $1,000.
Official US plant prices are much lower ($13.15 to $16.78 a short ton in 2025), because that is the price at the quarry for bulk buyers. Why you pay more.
The free gravel calculator turns your length, width and depth into tons, yards, truckloads and a cost range, and can ask local suppliers for delivered prices.
Gravel price per ton and per cubic yard, by type
National-average retail prices for bulk gravel picked up at a supplier, before delivery. Per-yard prices use each material's weight per cubic yard.
| Gravel | Price per ton | Price per cubic yard | Tons per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed Stone (3/4 in, #57) | $45–$65 | $61–$88 | 1.35 |
| Crusher Run (compactable base) | $35–$55 | $52–$82 | 1.49 |
| Pea Gravel | $50–$75 | $65–$97 | 1.30 |
| River Rock (decorative) | $70–$110 | $90–$141 | 1.28 |
Build Material Planner estimates of national-average DIY retail prices as of September 2026. They are planning figures, not quotes, and your local price can be well outside them. The same figures drive the gravel calculator's cost range. For decorative stone by size (river rock 1–3 in, beach pebbles, lava rock), see the river rock calculator.
How much does a truckload of gravel cost?
A standard single-axle dump truck carries about 10 tons of gravel. That is about 6.7 cubic yards of crusher run, 7.4 of #57 crushed stone or 7.7 of pea gravel. Tri-axle trucks carry more, so ask the supplier what their truck holds.
- Material only: about $350 to $750 for 10 tons at $35 to $75 a ton.
- Delivered and spread: about $700 to $1,000 a load ($70 to $100 a ton).
- Delivery fees depend mostly on distance from the quarry or yard. Many suppliers have a minimum order, and a short load can cost nearly as much to deliver as a full one.
Official US gravel prices (USGS)
The US Geological Survey reports the average value of crushed stone and construction sand and gravel at the plant each year in its Mineral Commodity Summaries. These are national averages for bulk sales at the quarry or pit. US buyers pay by the short ton (2,000 lb), so both units are shown.
| Year | Crushed stone, per metric ton | Crushed stone, per short ton | Sand and gravel, per metric ton | Sand and gravel, per short ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $13.26 | $12.03 | $10.52 | $9.54 |
| 2022 | $14.31 | $12.98 | $11.35 | $10.30 |
| 2023 | $15.86 | $14.39 | $12.54 | $11.38 |
| 2024 (estimate) | $17.50 | $15.88 | $13.90 | $12.61 |
| 2025 (estimate) | $18.50 | $16.78 | $14.50 | $13.15 |
From 2021 to 2025, the plant price rose 39.5% for crushed stone and 37.8% for construction sand and gravel. The US produced about 1.5 billion metric tons of crushed stone and 870 million metric tons of construction sand and gravel in 2025 (USGS estimates).
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026), Salient Statistics, average unit value at the plant. Short-ton figures converted by Build Material Planner (1 metric ton = 1.1023 short tons).
Are gravel prices going up?
Yes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics producer price index for construction sand, gravel and crushed stone (series WPU1321) was 563.0 in September 2026 (preliminary), up 6.3% on a year earlier. The 2025 annual average was up 7.0% on 2024. The index tracks the trend in what producers charge; it is not a dollar price.
Why your gravel price is higher than the official number
The retail prices above are about 2.7 to 3.9 times the USGS plant price for #57 crushed stone, and 3.8 to 5.7 times for pea gravel. The gap is real cost, not a mistake:
- Volume: the plant price is an average over huge contract sales to road builders and ready-mix plants. A homeowner buys a few tons.
- The yard in between: a landscape or stone yard trucks the stone in, stores it, loads it and runs a business.
- Processing: washed, screened or decorative stone like pea gravel and river rock costs more to produce than plain base material.
- Distance: gravel is heavy and cheap, so hauling it is a big share of the price. The further you are from a quarry, the more you pay.
- Delivery: retail prices above are before delivery, which adds a fee per load.
Frequently asked questions
How much does gravel cost per ton?
About $35 to $75 a ton at retail before delivery: crusher run $35 to $55, #57 crushed stone $45 to $65 and pea gravel $50 to $75. Decorative river rock runs $70 to $110. These are Build Material Planner estimates of national-average retail prices, not quotes.
How much is a yard of gravel?
About $52 to $97 a cubic yard before delivery. A cubic yard of gravel weighs about 1.3 to 1.5 tons, so the per-yard price is the per-ton price times that weight: #57 crushed stone works out to $61 to $88 a yard and crusher run to $52 to $82.
How much does a dump truck load of gravel cost?
A standard single-axle dump truck carries about 10 tons. That much gravel costs about $350 to $750 for the material alone, or about $700 to $1,000 delivered and spread ($70 to $100 a ton). Delivery fees depend on distance from the quarry or yard.
How much does pea gravel cost?
Pea gravel runs about $50 to $75 a ton, or $65 to $97 a cubic yard, before delivery. Bagged pea gravel at a home center costs much more per ton than bulk.
What is the official price of gravel?
The US Geological Survey puts the 2025 average plant price at $14.50 a metric ton for construction sand and gravel ($13.15 a short ton) and $18.50 a metric ton for crushed stone ($16.78 a short ton). That is the price at the pit for bulk buyers, not what a homeowner pays at a landscape yard.
Why have gravel prices gone up?
USGS plant prices rose 39.5% for crushed stone and 37.8% for sand and gravel from 2021 to 2025, and the BLS producer price index for sand, gravel and crushed stone was up 6.3% in the year to September 2026. Fuel, labor, equipment and permitting costs at quarries have all risen.
Is gravel cheaper by the ton or by the yard?
Neither: they are the same gravel measured two ways. Quarries and aggregate yards usually sell by the ton, landscape yards often by the cubic yard. Ask which unit the quote uses and how much a yard weighs, then compare on the same unit.
Sources and method
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Stone (crushed) and Sand and gravel (construction) chapters, Salient Statistics table.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Producer Price Index WPU1321, Construction sand, gravel and crushed stone.
- Retail ranges per ton, delivered-and-spread prices and truck size: Build Material Planner estimates as of September 2026, the same figures the gravel calculator uses. Per-yard prices are per-ton prices times each material's weight per cubic yard (100 lb/cu ft for crushed stone, 110 lb/cu ft for crusher run, 96 lb/cu ft for pea gravel, 95 lb/cu ft for river rock).
We update the USGS figures each February when the new Mineral Commodity Summaries comes out, and the BLS index each quarter.
Cite this data
Quoting these gravel prices in an article, a report or a class? Copy a ready-made reference, and link to the original USGS and BLS sources above for the official figures: