Know what your well drilling should cost
A 200 ft deep well drilling costs $5,350 to $9,450 in 2026, about $37 per ft deep installed. Across every option it runs from $3,100 (geothermal loop) to $17,700 (irrigation well).
Four questions gets you an itemised range, adjusted for construction wages where you live. The whole number, up front, before we ask for anything.
What well drilling work costs in 2026
| Project | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Residential water well Drinking water for a house | $5,350 – $9,450 |
| Irrigation well Higher flow rate, wider bore | $9,050 – $16,100 |
| Geothermal loop For a ground-source heat pump, not for water | $3,200 – $5,700 |
Where the money goes
Drilling
$3,330 · 45% of the job
Casing and grouting
$1,180 · 16% of the job
Pump and pressure tank
$1,480 · 20% of the job
Electrical hookup and trenching
$670 · 9% of the job
Permits, testing and inspection
$740 · 10% of the job
Well Drilling cost by state
Labour is the part of this job that moves with geography. These are the same 200 ft deep project, priced against construction wages in each state.
- California $5,600 – $9,900 +4.6% vs national
- Texas $5,400 – $9,600 +1.3% vs national
- Florida $5,000 – $8,900 -6.0% vs national
- New York $5,600 – $9,900 +4.4% vs national
- South Carolina $5,150 – $9,150 -3.6% vs national
- South Dakota $4,950 – $8,750 -7.3% vs national
- Tennessee $5,300 – $9,400 -0.9% vs national
- Utah $5,000 – $8,900 -6.0% vs national
- Virginia $5,250 – $9,350 -1.3% vs national
- Vermont $5,000 – $8,900 -5.9% vs national
- Washington $5,450 – $9,750 +2.5% vs national
- Wisconsin $5,300 – $9,400 -0.8% vs national
Questions homeowners ask
How much does it cost to drill a 200 ft deep well?
About $5,350 to $9,450 for a residential water well, including casing, pump and permits. That brackets the $7,500 national average. Hard rock can add most of that again, and it is usually found rather than predicted.
How much is a 1000 foot well?
Roughly $26,600 to $47,400. Depth is close to linear on cost, so a thousand-foot well runs about five times a two-hundred-foot one. Wells that deep are driven by geology rather than choice, which is why the rate per foot matters more than the headline.
Can I legally drill my own well?
In many states yes, on your own land, but almost all of them require a permit, minimum setbacks from septic systems and property lines, and a licensed driller past a shallow depth. Some counties ban private wells where mains water is available. Check with the county health department before you price anything.
Why do well quotes vary so much?
Because the biggest cost is underground. Two properties on the same road can need very different depths, and hitting rock changes the rate per foot rather than adding a fixed sum. Compare quotes on the rate per foot, and on what happens if the well comes in deeper than estimated, not on the headline total.
Reviewed and maintained by Anchorcost. Last checked September 3, 2026. Figures are verified against this page's own calculator on every build. How these figures are worked out.