Ready-mix concrete costs about $160 per cubic yard delivered in 2026. Installed, most residential flatwork (slabs, driveways, patios, sidewalks) runs $6–$18 per square foot, with the spread driven by thickness, finish, site prep, and region. The material itself is only about 18–36% of an installed slab; the rest is labor, forming, base, and finishing.
Data · updated June 2026
PourMath Concrete Cost Index (2026)
National reference prices for concrete: ready-mix per cubic yard, installed cost per square foot by project type, and bagged concrete. Free to cite (CC BY 4.0): download the data (CSV).
National concrete prices (2026)
| Item | Unit | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ready-mix concrete (delivered) | $ / cubic yard | $160 | US national ballpark before delivery and short-load fees |
| Concrete slab | $ / sq ft | $6 – $12 | Patios, shed and garage floors; 4 in standard |
| Concrete driveway | $ / sq ft | $8 – $18 | Residential, 5-6 in thick |
| Concrete patio | $ / sq ft | $8 – $16 | Finish (broom vs stamped) drives the range |
| Concrete sidewalk | $ / sq ft | $6 – $12 | Walkways and garden paths |
| Concrete wall (face) | $ / sq ft of face | $25 – $50 | Foundation and retaining walls |
| Bagged concrete (80 lb) | $ / bag | $6.50 | Big-box price; ~45 bags = 1 yd3 (about $292/yd3) |
Download CSV · Reuse with attribution under CC BY 4.0.
How much does ready-mix concrete cost?
Ready-mix concrete costs about $160 per cubic yard delivered in 2026, before any short-load fee on small orders. It is sold by the cubic yard (one cubic yard is 27 cubic feet). Size any pour with the free concrete calculators.
How much does bagged concrete cost?
Bagged concrete costs about $6.50 per 80 lb bag, or roughly $292.50 per cubic yard once you buy the ~45 bags it takes to equal one yard, well above ready-mix. It trades that higher per-yard price for no delivery minimum, so it wins on small jobs. Bags per cubic yard: ~45 (80 lb), ~60 (60 lb), ~90 (40 lb). Count bags for your job with the bag calculator.
What does installed concrete cost?
Installed concrete runs about $6–$18 per square foot for residential flatwork, covering labor, forming, a compacted base, reinforcement, and finishing. Drill into what drives each range in the slab, driveway, and patio cost guides.
Where do these numbers come from?
The dollar ranges are US national planning estimates compiled by PourMath from current ready-mix and big-box retail pricing, shown as ranges because real prices vary by region, site conditions, finish, and contractor. The engineering constants behind them (bag yields, the 27-cubic-foot yard, and strength figures) follow the published standards listed below. The same numbers power every calculator on this site, so the index and the tools can never disagree. They are planning estimates, not quotes. Last reviewed June 2026, and reviewed periodically as market prices move.
How to cite this page
This data is free to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0). Suggested citation:
PourMath. "PourMath Concrete Cost Index (2026)." PourMath, updated June 2026. https://pourmath.com/concrete-cost-index/
Sources & references
Our figures follow these published standards and data sources:
- National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA): Ready-mixed concrete industry data and the Concrete in Practice technical series.
- Portland Cement Association (PCA): Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, the standard reference for mix proportioning and water–cement ratios.
- Manufacturer product data (e.g. Quikrete, Sakrete): Published bag yields (about 0.60 ft³ per 80 lb bag) and mixing-water amounts printed on product data sheets.
- ASTM International: Material specifications ASTM C94 (ready-mixed concrete) and C150 (portland cement).