Kitchen backsplash cost in the District of Columbia
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (30 sq ft)
- $310 – $1,550
- Per sq ft
- $10.50 – $52
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +4%
- US $900
- Metros covered
- 1
District of Columbia prices for kitchen backsplash: $310 to $1,550 for 30 sq ft, or $10.50 to $52 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 4% above the national one. Local wages for tile and stone setters are $26.77 an hour.
District of Columbia has one metro in our dataset, Washington, 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 District of Columbia (statewide), standard level
$680 to $1,200
About $23 to $39.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $400 | $720 |
| Labor | $290 | $470 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $680 | $1,200 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in District of Columbia
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $160 | $560 | $960 | 60% |
| Labor | $150 | $380 | $600 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $310 | $930 | $1,550 | 100% |
District of Columbia labor market for kitchen backsplash
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 the District of Columbia.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for District of Columbia, 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 $29.67 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $27.48 and $36.18 an hour. BLS counts 1,540 of them working in the state, 21.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than 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 701,920 jobs across the District of Columbia (May 2025), which is 0.5% 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% | $27.48 | $29.67 | $36.18 | $29.12 | 1.02 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Quality levels and sizes in the District of Columbia
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide District of Columbia wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$310 to $810
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$680 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 – $990 | $880 – $1,300 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $310 – $810 | $680 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,550 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $520 – $1,350 | $1,150 – $1,950 | $1,750 – $2,600 |
Other District of Columbia jobs that often go with kitchen backsplash
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide District of Columbia wages and prices. Against national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (+20%) and tile flooring lowest (+4%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $20,000 – $34,100 | +8% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,600 – $15,200 | +8% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,450 – $10,500 | +4% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,350 – $26,500 | +14% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,150 – $3,300 | +20% |
Which District of Columbia city is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
District of Columbia has one metro in our dataset, Washington, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | $290 – $1,500 | $890 | −5% |
How District of Columbia compares with nearby states
District of Columbia ranks 13 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. District of Columbia sits at $930. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 50 miles away | $280 – $1,450 | $850 | −9% |
| Virginia | 110 miles away | $280 – $1,450 | $860 | −8% |
| Pennsylvania | 110 miles away | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | +5% |
| Delaware | 110 miles away | $290 – $1,450 | $880 | −6% |
| New Jersey | 160 miles away | $330 – $1,650 | $980 | +5% |
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in the District of Columbia
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.
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Kitchen backsplash in the District of Columbia: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in the District of Columbia?
$310 to $1,550 for 30 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside the District of Columbia can sit above or below that.
+Which city in the District of Columbia is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
Washington at about $890 (midpoint, 30 sq ft).
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in the District of Columbia than the US average?
It is 4% more expensive: $930 against $900 for 30 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in the District of Columbia?
About 40% ($380). Materials are 60%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.00x the national wage level.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in the District of Columbia?
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 District of Columbia rank for kitchen backsplash costs?
13th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $930 for 30 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in the District of Columbia?
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 by city in the District of Columbia
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.