Kitchen backsplash cost in Decatur, AL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $270 – $1,350
- Per sq ft
- $8.85 – $45
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #230
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a kitchen backsplash in the Decatur area: $270 to $1,350 for 30 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 10% lower than the US figure. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $21.54 an hour in the Decatur area, 20% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Decatur, AL, standard level
$590 to $1,050
About $19.50 to $34 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 37% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $650 |
| Labor | $230 | $380 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $590 | $1,050 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Decatur, AL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $510 | $870 | 63% |
| Labor | $120 | $300 | $480 | 37% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $270 | $810 | $1,350 | 100% |
Why Decatur prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on tile and stone setters, who do 90% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $21.54 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Decatur is 0.81 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 37% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Decatur is at 96.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $510 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 87.2: $0 to $0.
Data note: 90% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Decatur. The wage table below marks each row.
Decatur: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Decatur. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small kitchen (25 sq ft) to full-height (50 sq ft).
Basic
$270 to $700
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$590 to $1,050
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$920 to $1,350
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $220 – $580 | $490 – $860 | $760 – $1,150 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $270 – $700 | $590 – $1,050 | $920 – $1,350 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $440 – $1,150 | $990 – $1,700 | $1,550 – $2,250 |
Related projects, priced for Decatur
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Decatur wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−6%) and shower pan lowest (−10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,500 – $29,700 | −6% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,950 – $12,600 | −9% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,000 – $9,150 | −10% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,300 – $21,300 | −9% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $820 – $2,550 | −10% |
Is Decatur cheap or dear? The local comparison
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 30 sq ft range from $760 to $820 across Decatur and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur, ALthis page | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | |
| Huntsville, AL30 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | +1% |
| Birmingham, AL75 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Tuscaloosa, AL105 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Chattanooga, TN105 miles | $250 – $1,250 | $760 | −6% |
| Nashville, TN115 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Alabama (statewide) | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Decatur ranks #230 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Decatur is 0% above the Alabama figure.
Elsewhere in Alabama
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 520,290 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Huntsville, AL | 266,650 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | +1% |
| Mobile, AL | 172,550 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Montgomery, AL | 165,550 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Decatur against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | 61,770 jobs | $250 – $1,300 | $770 | −5% |
| Dothan, AL | 60,720 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −1% |
| Pueblo, CO | 61,780 jobs | $300 – $1,500 | $890 | +10% |
| Sheboygan, WI | 60,630 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +13% |
Why two Decatur quotes can differ
Old backsplash removal
Removing the old one adds $2-$5 per sq ft.
Part of a remodel
A backsplash often gets bundled into a kitchen remodel and priced with it.
Material
A tile backsplash is $10-$50 per sq ft installed. A stone slab backsplash is $35-$200 and granite slabs are $50-$200.
Who does the work: Decatur trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Decatur the blend is 0.81.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Decatur metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median: $21.54 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $17.91 and $22.86 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $24.50 an hour, 16% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.75 and $28.48 an hour. About 190 work in the metro. That is 31.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (tile and stone setters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $15 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $45. That is a swing of roughly 5.7% to 2.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Decatur has 61,240 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 283rd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $17.91 | $21.54 | $22.86 | $26.77 | 0.80 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $21.75 | $24.50 | $28.48 | $29.12 | 0.84 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.81 | |||||
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Kitchen backsplash in Decatur: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Decatur?
For 30 sq ft, expect $270 to $1,350 in the Decatur area. A standard-spec job lands at $590 to $1,050. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Decatur?
About $8.85 to $45 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $50.
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in Decatur or Huntsville?
Huntsville is 30 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $820, which is 1% more than Decatur ($810). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Decatur?
About 37% at the midpoint, or $300 out of $810. Materials are 63% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Decatur?
$270 to $1,350. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Decatur?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Decatur area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Decatur expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Alabama?
Decatur is 0% above the Alabama statewide estimate ($810 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Alabama; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Decatur?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $21.54 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.91 to $22.86.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Decatur?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $270 to $700 and premium work $920 to $1,350. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Decatur
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: 2026 Backsplash Installation Cost (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed price minus HomeGuide's $5-$20 per sq ft labor figure, matched low-to-low and high-to-high.