Data & Research
U.S. Landfill Pricing Guide: What Tipping Fees Cost in 2026
Landfill cost quietly decides whether a dumpster order made money. Here is what verified tipping fees look like, the fees that never make the quote, and how to pay less.
By Daniel Teixeira Founder, Dumpster ControlsUpdated September 28, 2026 3 min read
Among the 25 US landfills in our database with a per-ton price verified against a published source, the median tipping fee is $46 per ton, and the range runs from $30.30 to $129. On top of the base rate, many facilities add environmental fees, gate fees, minimum charges and material surcharges that never appear in the quote. Knowing which gate charges what is often the whole difference between a thin margin and a healthy one.
$46
Median verified tipping fee, per ton 25 facilities
$30.30 to $129
Range of verified per-ton prices
2,916
Active facilities in the database Hours, accepted waste, fees where known
43
Prices verified against a published source 25 per ton, 3 per yard
If one thing quietly destroys hauling margins, it is landfill cost. Most operators quote a flat rate, drop the load at the closest gate, and hope the disposal bill leaves something behind.
I put this guide together because I have watched haulers lose money for a year without knowing what the landfill down the road charges. The numbers below are from our own landfill database, with the collection dates and the sources stated.
How landfill tipping fees work
Most common
Per ton
You cross the scale loaded, dump, cross it empty, and pay the difference. That is the rule at most municipal and large commercial landfills.
Changes the math
Per yard
You pay for the volume of the container regardless of weight. More common at smaller transfer stations and some private facilities, and it changes the math completely for heavy debris.
In practice: Ask each facility which way it charges before the first load. A per-yard gate can be the cheap one for heavy concrete and the expensive one for light household debris.
Landfill tipping fees in the US: what the data shows (2026)
Our database has 2,916 active facilities. Of those, 43 carry a price verified against a published source, 25 of them per ton and 3 per yard.
It is a small verified set, and I would rather show you a small honest number than a big invented one.
| State | Medianper ton | Lowestper ton | Highestper ton | Facilitiesverified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $54.20 | $30.30 | $100 | 11 |
| North Carolina | $53 | $46 | $60 | 2 |
| Arizona | $45 | $35 | $55 | 2 |
| Texas | $38.80 | $38.80 | $38.80 | 2 |
At least 5% below the US median ($46) Within 5% of the US median ($46) At least 5% above the US median ($46)
Source: Dumpster Controls landfill database, 25 facilities with a verified per-ton price, updated September 28, 2026
*How much do landfills charge per ton, by state?
Read it: the verified US median is $46 per ton. States with one or two facilities are shown for transparency, not as a state average.*
Read it: Collected between 2026-08-15 and 2026-09-27, refreshed monthly. These are published rates: confirm the current one with the facility. The tiered state view, with the per-ton range each state tends to fall in, is on the landfill tipping fees page.
For the states outside the verified set, the tipping fees page publishes an approximate per-ton range for every state. It is a compilation, not a measured rate, and it answers a different question: where a state tends to fall.
| State | MSW midpointper ton | MSW rangeper ton | C&D rangeper ton | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $122.50 | $95 to $150 | $110 to $165 | Very High |
| Massachusetts | $115 | $90 to $140 | $105 to $155 | Very High |
| Rhode Island | $107.50 | $85 to $130 | $95 to $145 | Very High |
| Hawaii | $105 | $85 to $125 | $95 to $135 | Very High |
| New Jersey | $105 | $80 to $130 | $95 to $145 | Very High |
| Vermont | $95 | $75 to $115 | $85 to $125 | High |
| California | $90 | $70 to $110 | $82 to $125 | High |
| New Hampshire | $90 | $70 to $110 | $82 to $122 | High |
| New York | $90 | $65 to $115 | $75 to $130 | High |
| Alaska | $77.50 | $60 to $95 | $70 to $110 | High |
| Maine | $77.50 | $60 to $95 | $70 to $110 | High |
| Washington | $72.50 | $55 to $90 | $65 to $105 | Moderate-High |
| Delaware | $70 | $55 to $85 | $65 to $95 | Moderate-High |
| Maryland | $70 | $55 to $85 | $65 to $98 | Moderate-High |
| Oregon | $66 | $50 to $82 | $60 to $95 | Moderate-High |
| Pennsylvania | $58.50 | $45 to $72 | $55 to $82 | Moderate |
| Illinois | $57.50 | $40 to $75 | $48 to $85 | Moderate |
| Nevada | $57 | $42 to $72 | $50 to $85 | Moderate |
| Arizona | $56 | $42 to $70 | $50 to $78 | Moderate |
| Colorado | $56 | $40 to $72 | $50 to $82 | Moderate |
| Virginia | $54 | $40 to $68 | $48 to $78 | Moderate |
| Florida | $53 | $38 to $68 | $45 to $78 | Moderate |
| Minnesota | $53 | $38 to $68 | $45 to $78 | Moderate |
| Wisconsin | $48.50 | $35 to $62 | $42 to $72 | Low-Moderate |
| Indiana | $47.50 | $35 to $60 | $42 to $70 | Low-Moderate |
| North Carolina | $47.50 | $35 to $60 | $42 to $70 | Low-Moderate |
| Michigan | $45 | $32 to $58 | $40 to $68 | Low-Moderate |
| New Mexico | $45 | $32 to $58 | $38 to $68 | Low-Moderate |
| Ohio | $45 | $32 to $58 | $40 to $68 | Low-Moderate |
| Texas | $44 | $30 to $58 | $38 to $68 | Low-Moderate |
| Georgia | $43.50 | $32 to $55 | $38 to $65 | Low-Moderate |
| South Carolina | $43.50 | $32 to $55 | $38 to $65 | Low-Moderate |
| Utah | $43.50 | $32 to $55 | $40 to $65 | Low-Moderate |
| Kentucky | $41 | $30 to $52 | $36 to $62 | Low-Moderate |
| Tennessee | $41 | $30 to $52 | $36 to $62 | Low-Moderate |
| West Virginia | $41 | $30 to $52 | $36 to $62 | Low-Moderate |
| Louisiana | $40 | $30 to $50 | $36 to $60 | Low |
| Missouri | $40 | $28 to $52 | $35 to $60 | Low |
| Alabama | $39 | $30 to $48 | $35 to $55 | Low |
| Iowa | $39 | $28 to $50 | $35 to $58 | Low |
| Montana | $39 | $28 to $50 | $35 to $58 | Low |
| Kansas | $38 | $28 to $48 | $35 to $55 | Low |
| Arkansas | $36.50 | $28 to $45 | $35 to $52 | Low |
| Nebraska | $36 | $26 to $46 | $32 to $55 | Low |
| North Dakota | $36 | $26 to $46 | $32 to $55 | Low |
| Wyoming | $36 | $26 to $46 | $32 to $55 | Low |
| Oklahoma | $35.50 | $26 to $45 | $32 to $54 | Low |
| South Dakota | $35.50 | $26 to $45 | $32 to $52 | Low |
| Idaho | $33.50 | $25 to $42 | $32 to $48 | Low |
| Mississippi | $31 | $22 to $40 | $28 to $48 | Very Low |
At least 5% below the median midpoint ($47.50) Within 5% of the median midpoint ($47.50) At least 5% above the median midpoint ($47.50)
Source: Dumpster Controls Data Desk compilation of EREF 2024, state agencies and hauler reports, compiled March 16, 2026
*What range of landfill tipping fees should I expect in each state?
Read it: the bar is the midpoint of each state's household waste (MSW) range; the median midpoint across 50 states is $47.50 per ton. Approximate ranges, not facility quotes.*
The disposal-cost gap most haulers never measure
Per-yard landfill pricing, with sources
Three facilities in the verified set publish a price per cubic yard. Each one links to the rate sheet it came from.
| Facility | City | Price per yard | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington SLF | Crescent City, FL | $15 | published rate sheet |
| South Side Landfill Inc. | Indianapolis, IN | $25.50 | published rate sheet |
| GreenWaste Zanker Resource Recovery Facility | San Jose, CA | $46 | published rate sheet |
Source: each facility's own published rate sheet, collected 2026-08-15 to 2026-09-27.
Bridges Land Management offloading at a Maryland disposal site. Photo courtesy of Bridges Land Management , Maryland 410-820-4784Used with permission.
Hidden landfill fees beyond the tipping fee
Watch out: Base tipping fees are only half the story. The fees below land on the receipt, not on the price list; if you quote flat and dump blind, they quietly eat your margin.
Per ton
Environmental fees
Many states fund landfill monitoring, groundwater testing and closure reserves with a surcharge per ton. Rarely advertised, always on the receipt.
Per entry
Gate fees and minimum charges
Some facilities charge a flat fee every time you enter. Others set a minimum tonnage, so a light cleanout pays as if it were heavy.
Per material
Special waste surcharges
Concrete, roofing shingles, mixed construction debris, mattresses and tires each carry their own premium, and it differs from gate to gate.
Same can
Weight variability
A 20-yard can full of household debris weighs a fraction of the same can full of concrete. Same can, very different disposal bill.
This is why flat-rate pricing without a weight limit is risky. You need an included weight with a charge per extra ton, or debris-specific pricing, to protect the margin; the dumpster rental pricing guide walks through it.
Why landfill management software matters
With this much variation, disposal needs a system, not a spreadsheet.
Before
Compare before dispatching
See the fee per facility and the estimated real cost of the dump for the tons you expect, before the truck leaves.
After
Track the real cost per order
The landfill you pick travels with the order and lands in the profit per order, so margin is measured, not assumed.
Always
Catch the hidden fees
Verified and reported badges on each price, and a cost estimate that says whether typical extra fees are included.
Dumpster Controls ships a nationwide landfill database with fees, reviews and facility details, wired into dispatch and the driver app. The feature page is landfill management software, and it is part of the free dumpster rental software plan.
How to reduce landfill costs
These are the approaches I have seen work at hauling companies of every size.
1
Negotiate volume rates
Commit to a monthly tonnage and ask for a better per-ton rate. Even a small discount compounds over a year of loads.
2
Sort before you dump
Clean loads of one material cost less than mixed waste at almost every facility.
3
Use transfer stations on purpose
A nearby transfer station is sometimes cheaper per ton than a distant landfill once fuel and driver time are counted.
4
Track cost per order, always
You cannot optimize what you do not measure. Every order gets a real disposal cost attached.
5
Keep the weight tickets
Digital tickets for invoicing, for overage disputes, and for your own margin analysis.
What this means for you
- Open a second landfill account this month. The option to choose is what makes the price matter.
- Put an included weight and a per-ton overage on every size; flat-rate with no limit is the leak.
- Check the fee and the estimated real cost in the Landfill Finder before dispatch, and let the choice ride with the order.
The route side of the same decision is on dumpster route optimization.
Landfill data and resources
The numbers in this guide come from the same open database that powers the free Landfill Finder. Three reference pages go deeper, and the dumpster price index sits next to them.
Landfill data
landfill tipping fees by state
Per-ton ranges by state for household and construction waste, with the method.
What each state requires of haulers and facilities, in plain language.
Where the data comes from, how it is verified and how to cite it.
2,916 active facilities, free, no account needed.
What a dumpster rental costs across the country, rebuilt every month.
Landfill pricing: frequently asked questions
How much does a landfill charge per ton in 2026?
Among the 25 facilities in the Dumpster Controls landfill database with a per-ton price verified against a published source, the median is $46 per ton and the range runs from $30.30 to $129 (collected 2026-08-15 to 2026-09-27). It is a small verified set, so treat it as a reference and confirm the current rate with the facility before you dump.
Do landfills charge by the ton or by the yard?
Most municipal and large commercial landfills charge per ton: you cross the scale loaded, dump, cross it empty and pay the difference. Some smaller transfer stations and private facilities charge per cubic yard of container, whatever the weight, which changes the math completely for heavy debris.
What fees does a landfill add on top of the tipping fee?
Environmental fees per ton, flat gate fees per entry, minimum charges that make a light load pay like a heavy one, and surcharges for specific materials such as concrete, shingles, mattresses and tires. They show up on the receipt, not in the quote, which is why the real disposal cost belongs on every order.
Where can I find landfill tipping fees near me?
The free Landfill Finder at dumpstercontrols.io/landfills lists 2,916 active facilities with hours, accepted waste and tipping fees where we have them, each price marked verified or reported. No account is needed.