Well Drilling Cost: What a New Water Well Costs and Why

A new residential water well typically costs $5,500 to $35,000, and a complete system with the pump and pressure tank most often lands around $9,000 to $16,000. Depth is the biggest driver, and what the drill has to go through is the second: drillers usually charge about $25 to $65 per foot, with sand and soft sediment at the low end and hard rock at the high end. The ranges below are national; prices vary by region, so use them to read a quote, not as a quote.

Well drilling cost by scenario

These are illustrations of how the factors combine. They are not quotes, and the pieces are often priced separately.

Scenario	Typical drilling cost	What else to expect
Shallow well, 50 to 100 ft, soft ground	About $1,250 to $6,500	Complete system often in the $5,500 to $9,000 range
Mid-depth well, 150 to 250 ft	About $3,750 to $16,250	Complete system commonly $9,000 to $16,000
Deep well, 300 ft or more	About $7,500 to $19,500 and up	Bigger pump, more pipe and wire, complete system can pass $20,000
Hard rock, sloped lot, or remote site	$50 to $75 per foot is a prudent budget	Slower drilling, more wear on the bit, harder rig access

Those drilling figures multiply depth by the national per-foot range, so a 200-foot well in mixed ground might be $5,000 to $13,000 for the drilling alone. The pump and tank come on top.

What a complete system includes

A working well is more than a hole. Typical pieces, with national ranges:

Drilling: priced per foot, usually about $25 to $65.
Casing: steel or PVC pipe that keeps the borehole open and seals out surface water. PVC runs roughly $6 to $10 per foot; steel costs more. How much casing you need depends on how deep the loose soil goes before solid rock.
Well cap and seal: a sanitary cap and a grout seal around the casing, usually included.
Pump: a submersible typically runs about $900 to $2,800 installed, with around $1,800 common. A deeper well needs more horsepower. Our well pump cost guide explains the price of pumps over time.
Pressure tank and switch: about $800 to $1,500 for the tank installed, and wiring adds a few hundred dollars.
Water line to the house: trenching from the wellhead to the house can run $50 to $150 per foot, so a well sited close to the house saves real money.

What drives the price

Depth: the single biggest factor. Depth depends on where the water is, which varies by aquifer, not by property lines.
Geology: sand and clay drill quickly. Granite, basalt, and other hard rock take longer and wear out bits. In some areas, a driller has to reach deep bedrock fractures to get a usable supply.
Casing length: deep soil over rock means more casing.
Yield: a well that tests low may need to go deeper, or be hydrofractured to increase flow.
Site access: a rig needs a clear path. Steep, wooded, or boggy lots add time and sometimes require clearing.
Distance to the house: longer pipe and wire runs add materials and trenching.
Pump and tank: a bigger household needs more flow, and a constant-pressure system costs more than a standard pump and tank.
Timing and demand: in busy seasons the schedule fills up, and rural areas with few drillers have less competition.

Included, or extra?

A quote that looks cheap often leaves things out. Ask whether each of these is included, extra, or the homeowner's job:

The permit and the well log filing.
Casing beyond a set length, and the rate per extra foot.
The pump, tank, switch, and wiring.
Trenching and pipe to the house, and the electrical hookup by a licensed electrician.
Disinfecting the well after drilling.
A water test. See our well water testing guide for what to test and when.
Landscape repair where the rig and trench tore up the yard.
Hauling away drill cuttings and mud.

Per-foot price or turnkey price?

A per-foot quote prices the drilling by the foot. It is a fair way to price work whose depth nobody knows yet, but the final bill moves with the depth, so ask for the assumed depth and the price per extra foot. A turnkey quote gives one number for a finished, working well, and the driller carries the risk if the depth runs long, up to a stated limit. A turnkey number is easier to compare, but only if each driller is pricing the same depth, casing, pump, and tank.

Why prices differ by region

Depth to water varies from place to place, and so does the rock. A county with water at 80 feet in sand and a county with 400-foot wells in granite can differ by many thousands of dollars before labor rates are considered. Drilling rigs also have to travel, so rural areas with few drillers can cost more. Permit and testing requirements differ by state, and some areas require a minimum casing depth or a well log filed with the state. Ask drillers in your county what depth is typical, and ask the county or state well program for logs from nearby wells.

When the cheap bid costs more

A low per-foot price with a high price per extra foot of casing. If the loose soil is deep, the casing charge can erase the savings.
A low assumed depth. A bid written for 150 feet when nearby wells are 300 feet is not cheaper; it is incomplete.
No pump, tank, or wiring in the price. You will pay for them later, at whatever the installer charges.
Skipping the disinfection and water test. If the water is not safe to drink, the cost to fix it is yours.
An unlicensed driller. A well that does not meet state rules can fail the lender's inspection or the permit sign-off, and it may have to be redone.

How to read a quote

Ask every driller to price the same job and to put it in writing. A good quote lists:

The depth the price assumes, and the rate for each foot beyond it.
The casing material, the length included, and the rate for extra casing.
The pump brand, type, and horsepower, and why that size fits the well.
The pressure tank size and the switch.
Who files the permit and the well log.
Pipe and trench to the house, and who does the electrical work.
Disinfection and a water sample.
What happens if the well comes up dry or low-yield, and what the driller guarantees.

Red flags

A price that will not say what depth it assumes.
A driller who cannot show a state license number, or who says no permit is needed when your county requires one.
A large cash payment demanded before the rig arrives.
No written terms for a dry hole or low yield.
A promise to find water at an exact depth. Nobody knows until the drill is down.
Pressure to skip the water test.

Before you hire

Licensing rules for drillers differ by state. Many states license well drillers directly, and some require a permit and a filed well log for every well. Find out what applies where you live, then check the driller's license with the agency that issued it. You can search licensed contractors near you; GroundRoster lists businesses whose license class covers well drilling, checked against state and county license rosters, and does not collect or publish prices. Once the well is in, a pump that is sized correctly and a healthy pressure tank protect your investment; see well pump troubleshooting for what to check if the water stops. To compare real local numbers, request free quotes for well drilling and we will route the job to licensed well drillers who serve your area.

Common questions

How much does it cost to drill a well?

A new residential water well typically costs $5,500 to $35,000, and a complete system with pump and pressure tank commonly lands around $9,000 to $16,000. Depth is the biggest driver: drilling is usually priced at about $25 to $65 per foot, and hard rock sits at the top of that range.

How much does well drilling cost per foot?

Most drillers charge about $25 to $65 per foot of drilled depth. Sand, clay, and soft sediment cost the least, and granite or other hard rock the most. Casing, the pump, the pressure tank, and the line to the house are usually priced separately from the drilling footage.

How deep does a residential well need to be?

It depends on where the water is. Some areas reach a good supply at 50 to 100 feet, and others need 300 feet or more. Neighbors' well logs, which the state usually keeps on file, are the best guide to what depth to expect on your lot.

Is the pump included in the drilling price?

Often it is not. A per-foot price usually covers drilling and sometimes casing only. A turnkey price covers the pump, tank, wiring, and connection to the house. Ask each driller which one they are quoting, and get the items in writing.

What happens if the driller does not hit water?

Policies differ. Some drillers charge for every foot drilled whether or not the well produces, and others offer a guarantee on yield. Ask before work starts, and get the answer in the written quote. A low-producing well may need to be drilled deeper or hydrofractured, which adds cost.

Do I need a permit to drill a well?

In most states, yes. Many require the driller to hold a state license, file the permit, and submit a well log when the job is done. Rules differ by state and county, so ask your county or state well program what applies to your address.

Can I get a well cheaper by drilling shallower?

Not safely. A well has to reach enough water and be cased and sealed to keep surface contamination out. A shallow well can run dry in a drought or test poorly. Spend the money on getting the depth and casing right, then have the water tested.

Counted by the county of the address on each license record, which can be a mailing address. Each page lists every licensed water well contractor based in that county, with the license number and a link to the roster it came from.