Kitchen backsplash cost in Delaware
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (30 sq ft)
- $290 – $1,450
- Per sq ft
- $9.80 – $49
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $900
- Metros covered
- 1
What does it cost to install a backsplash in Delaware? Plan on $290 to $1,450 for 30 sq ft. Wages (1.00x the US blend), materials (price index 96.2) and permit costs (99.8) put the state below the national midpoint by 2%.
Delaware has one metro in our dataset, Dover, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Delaware (statewide), standard level
$640 to $1,100
About $21.50 to $37 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 43% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $650 |
| Labor | $280 | $460 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $640 | $1,100 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Delaware
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $500 | $870 | 57% |
| Labor | $150 | $370 | $600 | 43% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $290 | $880 | $1,450 | 100% |
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Delaware
Material
A tile backsplash is $10-$50 per sq ft installed. A stone slab backsplash is $35-$200 and granite slabs are $50-$200.
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.
What tile and stone setters and the other trades earn in Delaware
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 1.00 for Delaware.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for Delaware, so we used the national median: $26.77 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $21.73 and $33.76 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $28.46 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.35 and $36.24 an hour. BLS counts 2,250 of them working in the state, 46.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is about average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for tile and stone setters ($33.76 an hour) would add about $90 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($21.73) would take off about $65. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 484,790 jobs across Delaware (May 2025), which is 0.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $21.73 | $26.77 | $33.76 | $26.77 | 1.00 | US |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $23.35 | $28.46 | $36.24 | $29.12 | 0.98 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Related projects, priced for Delaware
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Delaware wages and prices. Against national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (−1%) and kitchen remodel lowest (−3%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,900 – $30,500 | −3% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,150 – $13,700 | −2% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,350 – $9,700 | −2% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,650 – $23,000 | −1% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $930 – $2,750 | −1% |
Quality levels and sizes in Delaware
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Delaware wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$290 to $760
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$640 to $1,100
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$1,000 to $1,450
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $240 – $630 | $540 – $930 | $830 – $1,200 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $290 – $760 | $640 – $1,100 | $1,000 – $1,450 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $490 – $1,250 | $1,050 – $1,850 | $1,650 – $2,450 |
Kitchen backsplash cost by metro in Delaware
Delaware has one metro in our dataset, Dover, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (30 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DE | $290 – $1,450 | $880 | level |
Delaware versus the states around it
Delaware ranks 22 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for kitchen backsplash, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $1,100 and the cheapest Arkansas at $760, both for 30 sq ft at the midpoint. Delaware sits at $880. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 60 miles away | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | +11% |
| Maryland | 60 miles away | $280 – $1,450 | $850 | −3% |
| Pennsylvania | 100 miles away | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | +12% |
| District of Columbia | 110 miles away | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | +6% |
| New York | 150 miles away | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | +11% |
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Kitchen backsplash in Delaware: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Delaware?
$290 to $1,450 for 30 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Delaware can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Delaware is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
Dover at about $880 (midpoint, 30 sq ft).
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in Delaware than the US average?
It is 2% cheaper: $880 against $900 for 30 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Delaware?
About 43% ($370). Materials are 57%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.00x the national wage level.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Delaware?
BLS has no statewide figure for this trade, so we use the national median of $26.77 an hour, against $26.77 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.73 to $33.76.
+Where does Delaware rank for kitchen backsplash costs?
22nd most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $880 for 30 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Delaware?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $290 to $760 and premium work $1,000 to $1,450. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash by city in Delaware
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.