The first thing most people want to know about stump grinding is a number. What does a 12-inch stump cost? What about the big silver maple out back that took the storm? Nobody wants a vague “it depends” — and fair enough. But the honest answer is that the price follows a simple formula, and once you know it you can ballpark your own quote before anyone picks up the phone.
This is a plain-English price chart for stump grinding in the Twin Cities: what a typical stump of each size runs, what pushes the number up or down, and where the minimum charge changes the math. These are realistic ranges, not promises. Exact pricing depends on your stump, and the only number you should plan around is a free quote.
Key Takeaways
- Most west metro jobs price at roughly $3–$7 per inch of stump diameter. Multiply your diameter by that range for a ballpark.
- Small stumps usually hit the minimum charge, so a 6- or 8-inch stump often costs about the same as a 10-inch one.
- Big stumps cost more per inch of work than they look, because the wood to remove grows with the square of the diameter, not in a straight line.
- Roots, hardwood, rocks and tight access push you toward the high end; an open yard and a softer species push toward the low end.
- Several stumps in one visit cost less each than the same stumps done on separate trips.
Table of Contents
- The Formula Behind the Price
- Stump Grinding Price Chart by Diameter
- What Pushes a Quote Up or Down
- Where the Minimum Charge Changes the Math
- How to Get More Grinding for Your Money
- Turning the Chart Into a Real Quote
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Formula Behind the Price
A stump grinder is a spinning cutter wheel on a boom. The operator sweeps it back and forth, taking off an inch or two with each pass, until the stump is 4 to 6 inches below grade. A wider stump means more passes and more wood, so the industry prices by diameter. Across Minneapolis and the western suburbs, that works out to roughly $3 to $7 for every inch of stump diameter.
Diameter means the width at ground level at the widest point, including the root flare — not the trunk a foot up. If you are not sure how to take that measurement, our guide to measuring a stump for a grinding quote walks through it. For the full picture of what goes into pricing, see our complete Minnesota stump grinding cost guide.
Stump Grinding Price Chart by Diameter
Here is the per-inch math applied to common stump sizes. Treat these as ballpark ranges. Every one assumes ordinary access and no surprises underground.
| Stump Diameter | Typical Tree | Ballpark Range |
|---|---|---|
| 8 inches | Small ornamental, young boxelder | Often the minimum charge |
| 12 inches | Mid-size ash, birch, apple | $36–$84 by the math; minimum may apply |
| 18 inches | Mature maple, elm, spruce | $54–$126 |
| 24 inches | Large maple, oak, cottonwood | $72–$168 |
| 36 inches | Old silver maple, big oak | $108–$252 |
Notice the spread inside each row. A 24-inch stump can land anywhere from the low end to the high end of its range, and the next section explains why. Notice also that the smallest sizes do not follow the math at all — that is the minimum charge at work.
What Pushes a Quote Up or Down
Two stumps with the same diameter can price differently. Here is what moves the number.
Things that push toward the high end
Hardwood is slower to cut than softwood, so an oak stump generally costs more than a pine of the same width. Large surface roots add work, because the grinder has to follow them out so the yard is level. Stumps close to a foundation, fence, patio or utility line need slower, more careful passes. Rocks, nails or old wire buried in the wood mean the crew works around them, and sometimes dulls teeth. Tight access, like a narrow gate or a steep slope, can also cost extra when a smaller machine is needed. Our guide on machine size and access covers that in more detail.
Things that push toward the low end
An open yard where the machine rolls right up to the stump. A softer species. A stump that is already partly rotted or hollow — see our post on whether rotten stumps are cheaper to grind. And grinding more than one stump on the same visit, which spreads the setup cost across the whole job.
Where the Minimum Charge Changes the Math
Getting a grinder to your address, unloading it, setting up, cleaning up and loading it back takes the same effort for a small stump as a big one. That fixed cost is why most grinders have a minimum charge. If your per-inch math comes in below it, you pay the minimum instead.
That is why an 8-inch stump often costs nearly as much as a 12-inch one, and why a single small stump can feel expensive per inch. We explain the reasoning in why one small stump costs more. The practical takeaway: if you have a small stump, find its neighbors. Every extra stump on the visit is cheap to add compared with a separate trip.
How to Get More Grinding for Your Money
You cannot negotiate wood density, but you can change how the job is set up.
Gather every stump in the yard into one visit, including the old ones you have been ignoring. Ask a neighbor if they have a stump too; two nearby addresses can share one trip. Clear the path to the stump so the crew does not spend time moving firewood, toys and patio furniture. Mark any sprinkler heads, lighting or buried lines you know about, since the crew can then work around them with confidence. If the tree was just cut down, ask whether the stump can be ground the same day while the equipment is already on site; our post on stump grinding after tree removal covers how that usually works.
Also compare quotes the right way. A cheap number that leaves out depth or cleanup is not cheaper. Our guide to comparing stump grinding quotes shows what to line up side by side.
Turning the Chart Into a Real Quote
The chart gets you in the neighborhood. A real quote needs a few facts: the diameter at ground level, the species if you know it, how many stumps there are, what is nearby, and how the machine can reach them. A couple of photos with a tape measure or a shoe in the frame make it easy to quote without a visit.
Grinding is also not the only step in a yard project. If you are planning to reseed or replant afterward, factor that in. Our guide to planting grass after stump grinding shows what the finished spot needs.
Get a Straight Number From a Local Crew
We are family owned, licensed and insured, and we have ground stumps across the west metro for over 20 years. We grind 4 to 6 inches below grade, clean up the chips and leave a level surface. You get the price before we start. See what we do on our services page.
We serve Minneapolis and the western Twin Cities, including Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Edina, Wayzata, Chanhassen, and the rest of our service area.
Call or text (612) 501-0602, or request a free quote online.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to grind a 12-inch stump?
By the per-inch math it works out to roughly $36 to $84, but a 12-inch stump may price at the minimum charge instead. Exact pricing depends on the stump and access, so a free quote is the only firm number.
Is stump grinding priced by the inch or by the stump?
Most grinders price by diameter in inches, with a minimum charge for small jobs. Across the west metro that is roughly $3 to $7 per inch. Some companies quote a flat price per stump, which is fine as long as the depth and cleanup are spelled out.
Why is a big stump more than twice the price of a stump half its size?
Because the amount of wood grows with the square of the diameter. A stump twice as wide has about four times the surface to grind, so the work increases faster than the width. Per-inch pricing smooths that out, but larger stumps still take noticeably longer.
Do hardwood stumps cost more to grind?
Often, yes. Oak and other dense hardwoods cut more slowly and wear teeth faster than pine or spruce, so they tend to land toward the high end of the range.
Do I pay more if there are roots above the ground?
Large surface roots add time because they have to be ground out to leave a level yard. We note them in the quote, and you can read more in our post on grinding surface roots.
Is it cheaper to grind several stumps at once?
Yes. The setup, travel and cleanup cost is shared, so each additional stump on the same visit usually costs less than a separate trip would.
Does the quote include cleanup?
On our jobs, yes: we clean up the chips and leave a level surface. When you compare quotes, confirm that cleanup and grinding depth are included so you are comparing like with like.