The SlabCalc Concrete Cost Index: What Flatwork Actually Costs in 30 US Metros (2026)

Methodology

Every figure above is pulled from SlabCalc's cost matrix, which is built from public state DOT bid-tabulation records — the actual contract prices contractors submitted to win government concrete work. Of the 30 metros in this index, 29 are backed by real DOT bid data (21 pulled directly from metro- or district-specific bid tabs, 8 calibrated or transferred from a neighboring jurisdiction's bid data), representing 617 individual bid records across 18 state DOT agencies (FDOT, TxDOT, CDOT, NCDOT, Caltrans, IDOT, and others — see the full list on our methodology page).

Phoenix, AZ currently has no direct DOT bid data and is flagged with an asterisk in the table above — its cost figures are modeled from regional labor and material indices rather than observed bids. (Arizona DOT does not offer a public bulk bid-tab export.)

Bid records from prior years are converted to current dollars using the BLS Producer Price Index for Ready-Mix Concrete (series WPU1321). Atlanta, GA carries the largest adjustment in the dataset: raw 2021 bid prices scaled ×1.3684 to 2025 dollars.

This index uses the sidewalk project type as its baseline because it maps most directly onto the underlying DOT bid item across states — a standard concrete flatwork placement — without the additional residential multipliers SlabCalc applies to driveways, patios, foundations, retaining walls, and pool decks. “Low” reflects an efficient contractor working in favorable site conditions; “high” reflects a more complex project or higher-demand contractor market.

Which cost series this index uses: the cost matrix carries two series per metro. The figures on this page are the professional installed series — the estimate of what a hired contractor charges, derived from the DOT unit-bid prices. SlabCalc's consumer cost pages additionally show a DIY-adjusted range, which scales the professional figures down by each metro's labor share to approximate a materials-and-rental self-build. The DIY series is deliberately not used for metro-to-metro ranking here: the labor deflator differs by metro, so ranking on it would reflect local wage structures more than actual concrete prices. If a number on a city cost page looks lower than this index, that is the DIY series doing its job, not a discrepancy.

Limitations

• DOT bid contracts are large-volume infrastructure pours, not residential jobs. The professional installed series shown here is derived from those bid-item prices; small residential jobs typically price above the low end of these ranges because minimum mobilization costs dominate small pours. For project-type-specific homeowner estimates, see the cost pages.
• The four Texas metros in this dataset (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin) currently carry identical per-square-foot figures because all four draw from the same statewide TxDOT Bid Item Average Cost Dashboard rather than metro-specific bid tabs. Treat metro-to-metro comparisons within Texas with that in mind.
• 8 metros (marked † above) use bid data calibrated or transferred from a neighboring jurisdiction's DOT records rather than a direct pull of that metro's own bid tabs.
• Some DOT contracts require prevailing-wage or union labor, which can run above typical residential rates. See the full discussion of scale and labor-agreement limitations on the methodology page.