Gravel & Aggregate
Gravel Prices per Ton (2026)
Bulk gravel costs $10-$50 per ton in 2026, with crushed stone at $25-$40, pea gravel $30-$50, and river rock $40-$75. Full price table, delivery fees, and how to read quarry quotes.
Gravel is priced like freight, not like retail goods: the rock itself is cheap and moving it is not. That is why the same ton of crushed stone can cost $22 at a quarry pit and $45 delivered across the county. Here is the full 2026 price picture and how to compare quotes properly.
2026 bulk prices by material
| Material | Per ton (at quarry) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Crusher run / quarry process | $10-$30 | Driveway base, compacted layers |
| Road base / dense-graded aggregate | $12-$30 | Slab base, parking pads |
| Clean crushed stone (3/4 in, #57) | $25-$40 | Drainage, concrete aggregate, surfacing |
| Pea gravel | $30-$50 | Paths, playgrounds, decorative beds |
| Washed drainage stone | $30-$50 | French drains, foundation drains |
| River rock / decorative | $40-$75 | Landscaping, dry creek beds |
Ranges compiled from 2026 national cost guides including HomeGuide. Local availability rules everything: limestone country sells limestone cheap; granite country sells granite cheap.
Delivery: the other half of the bill
Most quarries and yards charge either a flat delivery fee ($50-$150 within their service area) or a per-ton freight adder ($10-$20). Two practical consequences:
Order full loads when you can. The truck costs the same to send whether it carries 5 tons or 15. Per delivered ton, a full tandem load is the cheapest gravel you will ever buy; the math is worked through in the truckload cost guide.
Use the closest acceptable material. If the nearby quarry's #57 limestone does the same job as the distant pit's granite, the limestone wins on the delivered price every time.
Reading a quarry quote
Quotes come per ton or per yard, sometimes both on one sheet. Convert everything to delivered cost per ton for your address: a $38/yd³ price at 1.35 tons per yard is $28/ton, competitive with a $25/ton quote that carries a $15/ton freight adder. The yards-to-tons guide has density tables for each material, and the gravel calculator converts your project dimensions straight to tons with compaction and waste included.
Worked example: 50 × 10 ft driveway topping
- Volume at 3 compacted inches with corrections: about 5.6 loose yd³ = 7.5 tons
- Material (clean crushed stone at $30/ton): $225
- Delivery (flat fee): $100
- Delivered total: about $325, one truck trip
Prices are national 2026 ranges; quarry pricing is intensely local. Call two or three suppliers with your material spec and tonnage, and always ask for the delivered price to your address rather than the pit price.
Sources & standards: quantities and factors in this guide follow the references documented in our methodology, including ACI 302/318 (concrete practice), OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P (excavation safety), ASTM aggregate designations, and the International Residential Code. Local codes, climate, and site conditions govern.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a ton of gravel in 2026?
Common construction gravel and crushed stone runs $10 to $50 per ton at the quarry. Crusher run and road base sit at the low end, washed decorative stone at the high end. Delivery adds $10-$20 per ton depending on distance.
How much does a ton of gravel cover?
About 100 square feet at 2 inches deep, 65 at 3 inches, and 50 at 4 inches for typical crushed stone. Multiply your area by depth in the gravel calculator to convert to tons directly.
Why do quarry quotes vary so much?
Distance is the main driver: aggregate is cheap to dig and expensive to haul, so a quarry 30 miles farther can erase its per-ton discount in freight. Material type, washing, and gradation account for the rest.
Is gravel cheaper by the ton or by the yard?
It is the same material priced two ways. A cubic yard of crushed stone weighs 1.2-1.45 tons, so multiply a per-yard price by about 1.35 to compare it with a per-ton quote.
What is the cheapest gravel?
Crusher run, quarry process, and unwashed road base are usually cheapest at $10-$30 per ton because they skip washing and include fines. They compact well for driveways and bases but must not be used in French drains.