How much is a cubic yard of gravel in 2026?

Roughly 1.4 times the per-ton price, because a loose cubic yard of common gravel weighs about 1.4 tons. That gives crusher run $20–45 per yard, #57 stone $35–65, pea gravel $40–80, and river rock $60–180 — before a $50–150 delivery fee.

How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?

About 1.4 US tons (2,800 lb) for common gravel, loose. Pea gravel is lighter at roughly 1.3 tons per yard, clean #57 stone about 1.35, and compacted crusher run up to 1.9. The exact factor is the material's density — it is the bridge between every yard quote and every ton quote.

How do I convert a per-yard price to a per-ton price?

Divide the yard price by the material's tons-per-yard factor. A $49-per-yard quote for common gravel is $49 ÷ 1.4 = $35 per ton. Going the other way, multiply: $30 per ton × 1.4 = $42 per yard. Match the factor to the specific stone — using 1.4 for everything misprices pea gravel and crusher run in opposite directions.

How much area does a cubic yard of gravel cover?

A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it covers 162 ft² at 2 inches deep, 108 ft² at 3 inches, and 81 ft² at 4 inches — for any material, since volume does not care about density. That universality is why landscape yards like the unit: one coverage chart works for mulch, soil and stone alike.

Why did my supplier's yard measure look small?

A loose yard is measured by loader bucket, not by scale, and material consolidates in the truck on the ride over. A legitimate yard can arrive looking like 10% less than you pictured. This is normal settling, not shorting — but it is also why quarries selling by certified scale weight are the more precise option for big orders.

Is it cheaper to buy gravel by the yard or by the ton?

Neither unit is inherently cheaper — they are the same stone measured differently. What matters is converting both quotes to one unit before comparing. As a rule, quarries quote tons off a scale and landscape yards quote loose yards off a bucket; the ton is more precise, the yard is more intuitive for coverage math.

Gravel · Cost Series

Gravel cost per cubic yard

Landscape yards sell by the loose cubic yard; quarries sell by the ton. One density factor — about 1.4 tons per yard — connects the two prices, and not applying it is the most expensive mistake in gravel shopping.

MaterialsCalc Editorial TeamConstruction Estimating EditorsJuly 16, 2026

Contents

1.Price per cubic yard by type (2026)
2.Converting yard prices to ton prices
3.The quote-comparison trap
4.Worked example: two quotes, one answer

Price per cubic yard by type (2026)

US bulk pricing per loose cubic yard, mid-2026, before delivery. Each figure is simply the per-ton price × the material's tons-per-yard factor.
Item	Unit	Low	High	Average
Crusher run≈1.4–1.9 t/yd³ depending on compaction	per yd³	$20	$45	$33
#57 crushed stone≈1.35 t/yd³ loose	per yd³	$35	$65	$50
Pea gravel≈1.3 t/yd³ — the lightest common type	per yd³	$40	$80	$60
River rockWashed decorative; freight sets the ceiling	per yd³	$60	$180	$120
Decorative specialty stoneMarble chips, lava rock, polished pebble	per yd³	$70	$280	$175

One cubic yard covers 162 ft² at 2 inches, 108 ft² at 3 inches, or 81 ft² at 4 inches — identical for every material, which is the yard's great virtue as a unit. The per-ton counterparts to this table live in the cost-per-ton guide.

Converting yard prices to ton prices

Formula

$/ton = $/yd³ ÷ (tons per yd³) · $/yd³ = $/ton × (tons per yd³)

common gravel: 1.4 tons per cubic yard (loose)
pea gravel: 1.3 tons per cubic yard (loose)
#57 stone: 1.35 tons per cubic yard (loose)
crusher run: 1.4 loose / up to 1.9 compacted (t/yd³)

The factor is just density: 105 lb/ft³ × 27 ft³ = 2,835 lb ≈ 1.4 US tons per loose cubic yard of common gravel. Look up other materials in the gravel density chart before converting.

The quote-comparison trap

The trap looks like this: a landscape yard quotes $52 per cubic yard, a quarry quotes $38 per ton, and the yard quote gets rejected as 37% more expensive. But those units differ by a factor of 1.4 — the yard quote is really $37 per ton, making the two suppliers essentially tied before delivery fees. People fall for it in both directions: yard prices always look higher than they are, and ton prices always look lower.

Worked example: two quotes, one answer

Worked example

You need gravel for a 12 × 25 ft parking pad at 4 inches — 100 ft³ = 3.7 yd³, or about 5.2 tons of common gravel. Supplier A: $52/yd³ plus $75 delivery. Supplier B: $34/ton plus $110 delivery.

1
Supplier A total
3.7 yd³ × $52 = $192 + $75 = $267 delivered
2
Supplier B total
5.2 t × $34 = $177 + $110 = $287 delivered
3
Sanity-check the units
A: $52 ÷ 1.4 = $37/t · B: $34/t — B looks cheaper per ton
4
But delivery flips it
B's higher trucking fee erases its $3/ton material edge on a 5-ton job

Result: Supplier A wins by $20 despite the scarier sticker price. Two conversions decide every gravel comparison: units to units, and quote to delivered total. Do both, every time.

Frequently asked questions

Skip the hand conversions

The Gravel Cost Calculator takes yards or tons, applies the right density, and prices the whole job.

Gravel Cost Calculator

Keep comparing like a pro

Gravel Cost Per TonTon pricing and how to compare quotes.Guide Gravel Price Guide2026 pricing across every common type.Guide Gravel Density ChartUnit weights for every common gravel type.Chart

Sources & references

[1]ASTM C29/C29M: Bulk Density (Unit Weight) and Voids in Aggregate — ASTM International, 2017
[2]The Aggregates Handbook, 2nd ed. — National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, 2013