Kitchen backsplash cost in Little Rock, AR
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $240 – $1,250
- Per sq ft
- $8.05 – $41.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −17%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #300
- 1 = most expensive
A kitchen backsplash in Little Rock, AR usually costs $240 to $1,250 for 30 sq ft. That works out to about $8.05 to $41.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $150 less. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $17.79 an hour in the Little Rock area, 34% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Little Rock, AR, standard level
$540 to $950
About $18 to $31.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 34% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $350 | $630 |
| Labor | $190 | $320 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $540 | $950 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Little Rock, AR
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $490 | $840 | 66% |
| Labor | $100 | $250 | $410 | 34% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $240 | $750 | $1,250 | 100% |
Why Little Rock 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 $17.79 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Little Rock is 0.68 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 34% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Little Rock is at 93.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $490 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 89.4: $0 to $0.
Is Little Rock 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 $750 to $800 across Little Rock and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock, ARthis page | $240 – $1,250 | $750 | |
| Jonesboro, AR120 miles | $250 – $1,250 | $750 | +1% |
| Fort Smith, AR125 miles | $250 – $1,250 | $750 | +1% |
| Fayetteville, AR135 miles | $250 – $1,250 | $760 | +2% |
| Texarkana, TX135 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $800 | +8% |
| Monroe, LA145 miles | $260 – $1,350 | $790 | +6% |
| Arkansas (statewide) | $250 – $1,250 | $760 | +2% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +21% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Little Rock ranks #300 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Little Rock is 2% below the Arkansas figure.
Elsewhere in Arkansas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, AR | 275,180 jobs | $250 – $1,250 | $760 | +2% |
| Fort Smith, AR | 95,560 jobs | $250 – $1,250 | $750 | +1% |
| Jonesboro, AR | 60,620 jobs | $250 – $1,250 | $750 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Little Rock against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | +12% |
| Worcester, MA | 349,880 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +22% |
| Dayton, OH | 372,660 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | +8% |
| Durham, NC | 344,020 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | +9% |
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Little Rock
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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Little Rock
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Little Rock. 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
$240 to $640
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$540 to $950
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$850 to $1,250
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $200 – $540 | $450 – $790 | $700 – $1,050 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $240 – $640 | $540 – $950 | $850 – $1,250 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $400 – $1,050 | $910 – $1,600 | $1,400 – $2,100 |
What local crews earn in Little Rock
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 Little Rock the blend is 0.68.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $17.79 an hour, 34% below the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $17.46 and $19.61 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $23.10 an hour, 21% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $20.08 and $27.36 an hour. About 1,080 work in the metro. That is 30.1 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 $25 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $5. That is a swing of roughly 0.6% to 3.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway has 358,210 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 72nd 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% | $17.46 | $17.79 | $19.61 | $26.77 | 0.66 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $20.08 | $23.10 | $27.36 | $29.12 | 0.79 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.68 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Little Rock?
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Little Rock wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−10%) and shower pan lowest (−19%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $16,700 – $28,400 | −10% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,750 – $11,900 | −14% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $1,750 – $8,600 | −17% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $3,950 – $19,600 | −16% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $710 – $2,300 | −19% |
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Kitchen backsplash in Little Rock: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Little Rock?
For 30 sq ft, expect $240 to $1,250 in the Little Rock area. A standard-spec job lands at $540 to $950. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Little Rock?
About $8.05 to $41.50 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 Little Rock or Jonesboro?
Jonesboro is 120 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $750, which is 1% more than Little Rock ($750). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Little Rock?
About 34% at the midpoint, or $250 out of $750. Materials are 66% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Little Rock?
$240 to $1,250. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Little Rock?
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 Little Rock area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Little Rock expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Arkansas?
Little Rock is 2% below the Arkansas statewide estimate ($760 at the midpoint). We cover 4 metros in Arkansas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Little Rock?
The BLS median is $17.79 an hour in the Little Rock area, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.46 to $19.61.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Little Rock?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $240 to $640 and premium work $850 to $1,250. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Little Rock
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.