Kitchen backsplash cost in Waterbury, CT
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $310 – $1,550
- Per sq ft
- $10.50 – $51.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +4%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #72
- 1 = most expensive
Waterbury homeowners pay roughly $310 to $1,550 to install a backsplash at 30 sq ft, or $10.50 to $51.50 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Waterbury is 4% higher. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $30.36 an hour in the Waterbury area, 13% above the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Waterbury, CT, standard level
$690 to $1,200
About $23 to $39.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $660 |
| Labor | $320 | $520 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $690 | $1,200 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Waterbury, CT
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $150 | $510 | $880 | 55% |
| Labor | $170 | $420 | $670 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $310 | $930 | $1,550 | 100% |
What is behind the Waterbury number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: tile and stone setters at 90%, carpenters at 10%. Weighted together, Waterbury wages are 1.12 times the national level. Labor makes up about 45% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Connecticut statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Waterbury metro is 97.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 30 sq ft comes to $510, compared with $530 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (99.8) and land at $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 Waterbury. The wage table below marks each row.
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Waterbury
Labor and minimums
Tile labor is $8-$20 per sq ft and many installers charge minimums for small areas.
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.
Related projects, priced for Waterbury
Because every project leans on different trades, Waterbury's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, shower pan runs +9% and kitchen remodel level.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,500 – $31,500 | level |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,250 – $14,300 | +2% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,700 – $10,200 | +4% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,950 – $24,600 | +6% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,050 – $3,000 | +9% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Waterbury
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Waterbury wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$310 to $810
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$690 to $1,200
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$1,050 to $1,550
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $260 – $670 | $570 – $980 | $880 – $1,300 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $310 – $810 | $690 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,550 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $520 – $1,350 | $1,150 – $1,950 | $1,750 – $2,600 |
How Waterbury compares
Same job, same size (30 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Poughkeepsie is the priciest of the group at $980. New Haven is the cheapest at $930.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury, CTthis page | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | |
| New Haven, CT20 miles | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | level |
| Bridgeport, CT25 miles | $320 – $1,550 | $950 | +2% |
| Hartford, CT30 miles | $320 – $1,550 | $930 | level |
| Springfield, MA50 miles | $330 – $1,600 | $960 | +3% |
| Poughkeepsie, NY50 miles | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | +5% |
| Connecticut (statewide) | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | level |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | −3% |
Across 300 US metros, Waterbury comes in at #72 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $1,150; the cheapest is Little Rock, AR at $750 (midpoints, 30 sq ft). Statewide, Waterbury is 0% below the Connecticut figure.
Other Connecticut metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford, CT | 599,770 jobs | $320 – $1,550 | $930 | level |
| Bridgeport, CT | 404,180 jobs | $320 – $1,550 | $950 | +2% |
| New Haven, CT | 281,410 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | level |
| Norwich, CT | 126,450 jobs | $320 – $1,550 | $930 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Waterbury's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Waterbury against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shreveport, LA | 162,750 jobs | $260 – $1,300 | $790 | −15% |
| Youngstown, OH | 160,160 jobs | $260 – $1,300 | $790 | −16% |
| Canton, OH | 163,080 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −14% |
| Gulfport, MS | 158,310 jobs | $250 – $1,300 | $770 | −17% |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Waterbury is 1.12 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Waterbury metro, so we used the Connecticut statewide median: $30.36 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.96 and $33.90 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $29.93 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $25.24 and $37.00 an hour. BLS counts 460 of them working in the area, 28.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the tile and stone setters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($33.90 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $45. At the 25th percentile ($23.96) it shrinks by about $80. The total moves by 4.8% or 8.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 160,710 jobs in the Waterbury-Shelton area. That makes it the 147th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.10% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $23.96 | $30.36 | $33.90 | $26.77 | 1.13 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $25.24 | $29.93 | $37.00 | $29.12 | 1.03 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.12 | |||||
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Kitchen backsplash in Waterbury: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Waterbury?
For 30 sq ft, expect $310 to $1,550 in the Waterbury area. A standard-spec job lands at $690 to $1,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Waterbury?
About $10.50 to $51.50 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 Waterbury or New Haven?
New Haven is 20 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $930, which is 0% less than Waterbury ($930). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Waterbury?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $420 out of $930. Materials are 55% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Waterbury?
$310 to $1,550. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Waterbury?
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 Waterbury area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Waterbury expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Connecticut?
Waterbury is 0% below the Connecticut statewide estimate ($930 at the midpoint). We cover 5 metros in Connecticut; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Waterbury?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $30.36 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.96 to $33.90.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Waterbury?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $310 to $810 and premium work $1,050 to $1,550. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Waterbury
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.