Kitchen backsplash cost in Dover, DE
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $290 – $1,450
- Per sq ft
- $9.75 – $48.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #121
- 1 = most expensive
A kitchen backsplash in Dover, DE usually costs $290 to $1,450 for 30 sq ft. That works out to about $9.75 to $48.50 per sq ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Building materials run about 4% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 96.4).
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Dover, DE, standard level
$640 to $1,100
About $21.50 to $37 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 42% 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 Dover, DE
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $510 | $870 | 58% |
| Labor | $150 | $370 | $590 | 42% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $290 | $880 | $1,450 | 100% |
Where the Dover price comes from
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 $26.77 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Dover is 0.99 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 42% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the area, so we used the national median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Dover 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 97.5: $0 to $0.
Data note: 90% of the labor weighting for this project uses a national median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Dover. The wage table below marks each row.
Is Dover cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (30 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Philadelphia is the priciest of the group at $980. Baltimore is the cheapest at $850.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DEthis page | $290 – $1,450 | $880 | |
| Vineland, NJ25 miles | $320 – $1,550 | $940 | +7% |
| Atlantic City, NJ45 miles | $320 – $1,550 | $940 | +7% |
| Philadelphia, PA55 miles | $330 – $1,600 | $980 | +11% |
| Baltimore, MD60 miles | $280 – $1,450 | $850 | −3% |
| Lancaster, PA75 miles | $330 – $1,600 | $960 | +10% |
| Delaware (statewide) | $290 – $1,450 | $880 | level |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +3% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Dover ranks #121 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Dover is 0% below the Delaware figure.
Dover is the only Delaware metro we cover, so the statewide page is the only in-state comparison. It uses statewide wages, which include rural areas.
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dover against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City, MI | 68,440 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −6% |
| Burlington, NC | 67,830 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −8% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | +13% |
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −5% |
Planning more than one job in Dover?
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Dover wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, tile flooring comes out highest (−2%) and kitchen cabinets lowest (−8%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,600 – $29,900 | −5% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,000 – $12,900 | −8% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,400 – $9,750 | −2% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,450 – $22,000 | −6% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $890 – $2,700 | −4% |
What local crews earn in Dover
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 Dover the blend is 0.99.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Dover metro, 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.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $25.07 an hour, 14% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.87 and $32.20 an hour. About 270 work in the metro. That is 39.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (tile and stone setters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $90 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $65. That is a swing of roughly 7.3% to 10.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Dover has 68,080 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 265th 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% | $21.73 | $26.77 | $33.76 | $26.77 | 1.00 | US |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $22.87 | $25.07 | $32.20 | $29.12 | 0.86 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.99 | |||||
Dover: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Dover. 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
$290 to $760
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$640 to $1,100
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$990 to $1,450
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $240 – $630 | $540 – $920 | $830 – $1,200 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $290 – $760 | $640 – $1,100 | $990 – $1,450 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $490 – $1,250 | $1,050 – $1,850 | $1,650 – $2,450 |
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Dover
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.
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Kitchen backsplash in Dover: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Dover?
For 30 sq ft, expect $290 to $1,450 in the Dover area. A standard-spec job lands at $640 to $1,100. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Dover?
About $9.75 to $48.50 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 Dover or Vineland?
Vineland is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $940, which is 7% more than Dover ($880). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dover?
About 42% at the midpoint, or $370 out of $880. Materials are 58% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Dover?
$290 to $1,450. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Dover?
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 Dover area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dover expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Delaware?
Dover is 0% below the Delaware statewide estimate ($880 at the midpoint).
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Dover?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the national median of $26.77 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.73 to $33.76.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Dover?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $290 to $760 and premium work $990 to $1,450. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Dover
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.