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.
Ready-mix (material) cost
Ready-mix concrete is sold by the cubic yard — one cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. The national ballpark is $160/yd³ before delivery, with short-load fees on small orders. Size any pour with the free concrete calculators.
Bagged concrete cost
For small jobs, bagged concrete trades a higher per-yard price for no delivery minimum. At $6.50 per 80 lb bag it takes about 45 bags to equal one cubic yard — roughly $292.50/yd³, well above ready-mix. Bags per cubic yard: ~45 (80 lb), ~60 (60 lb), ~90 (40 lb). Count bags for your job with the bag calculator.
Installed cost by project
Installed cost includes labor, forming, a compacted base, reinforcement, and finishing. Drill into what drives each range in the slab, driveway, and patio cost guides.
Methodology
Figures are US national estimates compiled by PourMath from 2026 cost-guide research and typical ready-mix and big-box pricing, expressed as ranges because real prices vary by region, site conditions, finish, and contractor. They are planning estimates, not quotes. The same numbers power every calculator on this site, so the index and the tools can never disagree. Last reviewed June 2026; reviewed periodically as market prices move.
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/