June 15, 2026 · 8 min read

What Does Stump Grinding Cost in Evansville? (2026 Pricing Guide)

The honest answer most tree companies won't put in writing: stump grinding is one of the more affordable pieces of tree work, and you can estimate it yourself with a tape measure before anyone visits. Here's exactly how pricing works in the Evansville area, with a table you can read your stump straight off.

The short answer

Most single residential stumps in Evansville run between about $125 and $300. Pricing is almost always based on the diameter of the stump, not a flat rate, because a 10-inch stump and a 40-inch stump are wildly different amounts of grinding.

Small stumps don't get proportionally cheaper, though. Below a certain size you're paying a minimum charge that covers bringing the machine out — which is why the table below flattens at the bottom.

How per-inch pricing works

The standard method is to measure the stump across its widest point at ground level — including the flared roots at the base — and multiply by a per-inch rate. Around Evansville that rate is commonly $3–$5 per inch, with a minimum service charge, usually somewhere in the $100–$175 range, for small stumps.

So a 24-inch stump at a mid-range $4/inch is about $96 of grinding — but because that falls below a typical minimum, you'd pay the minimum instead. A 40-inch silver maple stump at the same rate works out to roughly $160.

• Minimum service charge: typically $100–$175 (covers small stumps)
• Per-inch rate: ~$3–$5 per inch of diameter
• Multi-stump discount: often 20–30% off additional stumps in the same visit

Stump grinding cost by size

Measure across the widest point at ground level, flare included, then find the closest row. The middle column is the raw per-inch math; the right-hand column is what you'd realistically pay once a minimum charge is applied.

Three worked examples

These use a mid-range $4/inch and a $125 minimum, with a 25% discount on additional stumps in the same visit. Your quote will vary, but the shape of the math won't.

• One 20" Bradford pear stump: $80 of grinding, below the minimum — about $125.
• One 42" silver maple stump with a big root flare: 42 × $4 = about $168.
• Three stumps in one visit — 36", 24", and 16": the first is $144; the other two are $96 and $64 of grinding at 25% off, about $72 and $48. Total around $264, against roughly $394 booked as three separate $125-minimum visits.

How the species changes the job

Diameter sets the price, but the tree it came from decides how long the grind takes, and that's what nudges a quote up or down within the range.

• Silver maple: soft wood, but a huge flare and aggressive surface roots. Measure the flare honestly — it's usually wider than people expect — and budget for root grinding if the roots run across the lawn.
• Bradford pear: medium-hard wood, often a multi-stem trunk. Several stems close together are usually quoted as one wide stump.
• Oak: dense hardwood. It grinds noticeably slower, so expect the upper end of the per-inch range.
• Ash killed by emerald ash borer: dry and brittle, which grinds easily — but these tend to come in groups, so the multi-stump discount matters most here.
• Sweetgum: moderate wood with long surface roots, similar to silver maple on root work.

What drives the price up

• Size: the single biggest factor — bigger stumps take longer.
• Access: a stump behind a gate narrower than about 36 inches, or up a steep bank, can mean a smaller machine and a longer job.
• Root spread: surface roots you want ground out are quoted on top, usually from about $50 per run.
• Species and hardness: dense hardwoods like oak grind slower than soft silver maple.
• Rocks, old fence posts, or buried concrete in the stump: they dull teeth and slow the grind.
• Extras: hauling the grindings and backfilling with topsoil is an add-on, usually from about $75. Most people keep the grindings as free mulch.

How to save money

The easiest way to lower your per-stump cost is to have several ground in one visit. You're already paying for the machine to be brought out, so each additional stump costs less — which is why most companies discount them.

If you're having a tree removed, bundle the stump grind into the same job rather than booking it separately later. And clear the area first: moving lawn furniture, marking sprinkler heads, and having utilities located through Indiana 811 before the visit keeps the job from stalling on site.

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