Illinois Concrete Prices, Codes & Climate

Ready-mix cost range

$130–$170per cubic yard

Frost depth reference

36″reference only

ACI 318 exposure classes

F3 · C2 · S0

Air entrainment

required for exterior flatwork

How much does concrete cost in Illinois?

Ready-mix in Illinois runs roughly $130 to $170 per cubic yard. That is an estimated band, not a quote — published US price sources disagree with each other by nearly two to one. How we source price figures.

What does the Illinois climate require?

Cold wet winters with heavy statewide road salt and hot humid summers mean air-entrained F3 mixes with a low water-cement ratio, plus ACI 306 winter protection north of I-70.

Under ACI 318, Illinois falls in exposure classes F3, C2, S0. Air entrainment is required for exterior flatwork. Air entrainment is required for classes F1, F2 and F3.

How deep is the frost line in Illinois?

Compiled reference tables put Illinois at about 36 inches. That figure is orientation only. The footing depth you actually have to build to is determined by your local building department — IRC R403.1.4 requires footings to extend below the locally determined frost line, and there is no national number.

Soil concerns

Deep glacial till and prairie silt loam cover most of the state, while southern Illinois has expansive clay and steep loess bluffs along the Mississippi that need careful subgrade prep.

Seismic

Far southern Illinois sits in the New Madrid and Wabash Valley seismic zones with high design categories, while Chicago and the northern counties are low.

Contractor licensing

Illinois has no statewide general contractor license. Illinois does not license general or concrete contractors at the state level. Licensing and registration are handled by cities and villages; check the local building department. Check the official source.

Cities

• Chicago
• Aurora
• Joliet
• Naperville
• Rockford
• Springfield
• Peoria