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Cost to drill a well in Massachusetts: $9,000–$52,600 by county

A drilled, finished water well in Massachusetts typically costs $9,000–$52,600, with a midpoint of $26,300. Depth sets most of that price. Domestic wells here have a median depth of 340 ft across 6,404 completion reports filed 2016–2025, priced at national driller rates.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Key figures for Massachusetts

ItemFigure
Finished well, typical range (midpoint $26,300) $9,000–$52,6001,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
Drilling and casing only (no pump, tank, or hookup) $6,400–$41,5001,2,3,4,5
Median well depth (6,404 reports) 340 ft1
Middle half of wells 220 ft to 500 ft1
Drilling rate (national rates) $25–$75/ft2
Median casing depth 20 ft1
Median reported yield 10 gpm1

Estimate a well in Massachusetts

Typical total: $9,000–$52,600, midpoint $26,300.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Depths from 6,404 domestic well reports in Massachusetts, 2016–2025: 220 ft (25th percentile), 340 ft (median), 500 ft (75th percentile).

Low uses the 25th percentile depth at low rates; high uses the 75th percentile at high rates.
Line itemLowMidHigh
Drilling (per foot of depth) (340 ft × $50/ft)$5,500$17,000$37,5002
Casing, installed (22 ft × $28/ft)$200$600$1,0003
Rig mobilization and setup ($550–$2,500)$600$1,500$2,5004
Well permit ($50–$500)$100$300$5005
Pump, wire, and drop pipe, installed ($1,000–$4,000)$1,000$2,500$4,0006
Pressure tank and switch, installed ($500–$1,800)$500$1,200$1,8006
Trench, water line, and electrical to the house ($1,000–$5,000)$1,000$3,000$5,0007
Water quality test ($50–$250)$100$200$3008
Total$9,000$26,300$52,600

No state rate survey yet, so national driller rates are used.

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Well depth by county in Massachusetts

Total depth of domestic wells by county, Massachusetts. Bar shows the middle half of wells; tick marks the median.
County Reports Median depth (ft) Middle half (ft) 0 to 700 ft
Worcester 2,089 410 280–510
Middlesex 712 410 300–540
Bristol 600 300 190–410
Berkshire 525 330 220–450
Hampden 478 320 220–500
Hampshire 456 320 240–440
Barnstable 398 60 40–80
Franklin 298 340 240–460
Plymouth 291 270 140–420
Essex 257 420 320–600
Norfolk 179 510 320–700
Dukes 74 50 40–60
Nantucket 47 70 70–90

Median depth runs from 50 ft in Dukes County to 510 ft in Norfolk County. At national rates that difference is worth about $22,400 at the midpoint estimate.

Sources1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Where the money goes on a Massachusetts well

Drilling is billed by the foot at $25–$75/ft, so the hole alone runs $5,500–$37,500 at the depths above. Casing, the steel or PVC pipe that lines the upper borehole, adds $200–$1,000 at $10–$45/ft. Rig setup is a flat $600–$2,500.

The pump, pressure tank, and trench to the house add $2,500–$10,800 on top of the hole. A quote that looks low next to the range above often leaves those three out, so ask for it itemized.

Sources2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Permits and driller licensing in Massachusetts

Water wells in Massachusetts fall under Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Supply Protection, with local boards of health. Private wells are permitted by the local board of health, and the state private well guidelines list a private well construction permit among the local permits. Rules differ by town. Anyone who drills water wells in Massachusetts must hold a MassDEP well driller certification under 310 CMR 46.00. The certified well driller files a well completion report with MassDEP within 30 days after completing a well, and sends a copy to the local board of health.

Sources9,10

Groundwater and well construction in Massachusetts

Well cap Submersible pump Casing to about 20 ft Total depth about 340 ft Soil and loose rock Open hole in rock
Cross-section of a 340 ft well with casing to 20 ft, the Massachusetts median

USGS describes New England's crystalline-rock aquifer and its valley-fill sand and gravel deposits as the main sources of ground water in the region.

A well at the Massachusetts median reaches 340 ft with casing to about 20 ft. Title 5 puts a private water supply well at least 50 feet from a septic tank and 100 feet from a soil absorption system.

Sources11,1,12

Massachusetts compared with neighboring states

StateMedian depthTypical finished well
Massachusetts340 ft$9,000–$52,600
Connecticut350 ft$10,100–$53,400
New Hampshire420 ft$11,300–$56,700
New York200 ft$5,900–$33,900
Rhode Islandno records$6,800–$42,500
Vermont340 ft$9,800–$53,400

Sources13,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21

Common questions

How deep is a typical well in Massachusetts?

Half of the 6,404 domestic wells reported in Massachusetts from 2016–2025 are between 220 ft and 500 ft deep, and the median is 340 ft. Your county can sit well above or below that, so check the county table on this page before you compare quotes.

How much does it cost per foot to drill a well in Massachusetts?

Drilling alone runs $25–$75/ft on the rates we compiled. Spread across a whole finished well, including casing, pump, tank, and hookup, the midpoint estimate works out to about $77/ft at a depth of 340 ft. Per-foot quotes rarely include the pump.

Do you need a permit to drill a well in Massachusetts?

Private wells are permitted by the local board of health, and the state private well guidelines list a private well construction permit among the local permits. Rules differ by town. The driller usually files the paperwork, but the permit is tied to your property, so ask for a copy.

How much do a well pump and pressure tank add in Massachusetts?

An installed submersible pump with wire and drop pipe runs $1,000–$4,000, and a pressure tank with its switch runs $500–$1,800. Together they are often the line items missing from a drilling quote, so a quote for the hole alone will look $3,700 cheaper than a finished well.

Related pages

For every state side by side and the national range, see costtodrillawell.com.

Sources

  1. Well Driller Program, well completion reports , Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  2. Water Well Installation: Complete Guide, Cost and Tips for Success , Stevens Drilling (La Vernia, TX). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2025-10-27. Drilling $25-$65/ft; pumps $500-$2,000; pressure tank $300-$1,500; permit/licensing $100-$750; total $7,500-$17,000+.
  3. Cost to Drill a Water Well in Northern California , Weeks Drilling & Pump Co. (Sebastopol, CA). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-04-30. Drilling $35-$130/ft; steel casing $20-$45/ft; pump and pressure tank $3,500-$9,000; permitting $500-$2,500.
  4. D-203(5) Statewide Drilling Services, Exhibit D Price Schedule (Thein Well Co., contract 226711) , Minnesota Office of State Procurement. Accessed November 8, 2026. 2023 state-contract unit rates from a licensed MN driller: 6-in borehole $30-$31/ft (mud rotary/auger), $75/ft air rotary in rock; 6-in casing $28/ft (code) to $48/ft (black steel); mobilization $1,000/project; 34-gal pressure tank installed $1,000, 62-gal $1,450; submersible pump 3/4-1 hp $1,250-$1,350 each; drop pipe $7/ft; pitless and lateral $2,000; trench $20/LF. Agency-buyer rates, not retail quotes.
  5. Compilation of fetched state and county well permit fees (research/rates/NOTES.md, section permit) , costtodrillawell.com research. Accessed November 8, 2026. Internal compilation used only for the national permit fallback. Component sources: ok-owrb-well-driller-fact-sheet ($0), fl-nwfwmd-well-fees through fl-manatee-water-wells-2026 ($35-$265), ny-dutchess-dbch-fees ($45), wi-dnr-well-notification ($50.50), ga-pierce-well-permit-2024 ($70), idaho-code-42-235 ($75), crs-37-92-602 ($100), az-ars-45-596 ($100-$150), nmac-19-27-5 ($125), wa-rcw-18-104-055 ($200), nc-wayne-private-wells through nc-gaston-eh-fees ($225-$450), mi-grand-traverse-fees-2026 and mi-delta-menominee-fees-2025 ($240-$334), mt-dnrc-form-613-2025 ($250-$400), pa-chester-county-health-fees ($300), mn-stat-103i-208 ($325), oh-logan-fees-2024 through oh-summit-fees-2025 ($350-$594), or-hb2808-2025 ($490), blanco-pedernales-gcd-fees-2025 ($500), ca-calaveras-fees-2026 ($693), ny-nyc-well-water-permit ($1,090 outlier).
  6. How Much Does a Well Pressure Tank Cost? , Mid Atlantic Water LLC (water-system supplier, nationwide). Accessed November 8, 2026. Updated 2026-10-14; prices live as of 2026-09. Tank replaced by plumber $800-$1,800 all-in (20-44 gal); labor $200-$500; submersible pump job $1,000-$2,500; tank plus pump $2,500-$5,000+. Supplier, not an installer.
  7. What Are the Cost Factors of Drilling a Santa Fe Water Well? , Boylan Water Well Service (Santa Fe, NM). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-06-25. Drilling incl. PVC casing $28-$65/ft; submersible pump $850-$2,500; casing and grouting $1,500-$4,000; pressure tank and controls $500-$1,800; electrical hookup and trenching $1,000-$3,500; permits and lab testing $300-$1,000; turn-key $12,000-$30,000+.
  8. DSHS Austin Laboratory Fee Schedule, effective 2026-09-01 , Texas Department of State Health Services. Accessed November 8, 2026. Potable Water (coliform) MZZ0441A $18.39; Nitrate-N EZZ0048A $30.00; Routine Water Mineral Group $155; All Metals $165; VOCs $150.
  9. Private Well Guidelines , Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed November 9, 2026. Older MassDEP edition hosted by a regional planning commission; current rules in 313 CMR 3.00 and Title 5 were not opened.
  10. 310 CMR 46.00: Certification of Well Drillers and Filing of Well Completion Reports , Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed November 9, 2026. Certification and 30-day report with board-of-health copy corroborated by search; mass.gov blocks direct fetch.
  11. Ground Water Atlas of the United States, Segment 12 (HA 730-M): New England and New York , USGS. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  12. 310 CMR 15.211: Minimum Setback Distances , Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (via Cornell LII). Accessed November 9, 2026. Private water supply well: 50 ft from septic tank, 100 ft from soil absorption system.
  13. Well Completion Reports , Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  14. Water Well Inventory , New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  15. Water Well Program, wells drilled since 2000 , New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  16. Well Drilling Cost in Lakewood, NY , McCandless Well Drilling and Services Inc. (Jamestown, NY). Accessed November 8, 2026. Updated February 2026. Western New York drilling $25-$65/ft; pump installed $800-$2,000; pressure tank installed $500-$1,500; complete well and pump system $7,500-$12,000; average depth about 115 ft.
  17. Fees , Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (NY). Accessed November 8, 2026. Undated. Individual well permits $45.
  18. Environmental Services Fee Schedule (approved 2025-09-19) , Westchester County Department of Laboratories & Research (NY). Accessed November 8, 2026. Total coliform and E. coli P/A $32.10; nitrate as N $80.25; Well Water Package A (Private Well Testing Law) $583.10.
  19. National depth distribution, median of state percentiles , Cost to Drill a Well. Accessed November 9, 2026. Median across states with records of each state's 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile depth.
  20. Default casing share of well depth , Cost to Drill a Well. Accessed November 9, 2026. Median of state casing_p50 / depth_p50 across states that report casing. Used only where no local casing median exists.
  21. Private wells , Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.

How these figures are built: methodology. Updated November 2026.