Kitchen backsplash cost in Athens, GA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $270 – $1,350
- Per sq ft
- $9.05 – $46
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #186
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a kitchen backsplash in the Athens area: $270 to $1,350 for 30 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 9% lower than the US figure. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $23.00 an hour in the Athens area, 14% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Athens, GA, standard level
$600 to $1,050
About $20 to $35 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 39% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $650 |
| Labor | $240 | $390 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $600 | $1,050 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Athens, GA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $510 | $870 | 61% |
| Labor | $130 | $320 | $510 | 39% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $270 | $820 | $1,350 | 100% |
Why Athens prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: tile and stone setters at 90%, carpenters at 10%. Weighted together, Athens wages are 0.85 times the national level. Labor makes up about 39% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Georgia statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Athens is at 96.3 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 93.3: $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 Athens. The wage table below marks each row.
How Athens compares
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Athens. Greenville is the lowest at about $800 (midpoint, 30 sq ft), 70 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens, GAthis page | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | |
| Gainesville, GA45 miles | $270 – $1,400 | $820 | level |
| Greenville, SC70 miles | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −3% |
| Atlanta, GA70 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | +3% |
| Augusta, GA80 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | +1% |
| Macon, GA80 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | level |
| Georgia (statewide) | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | +2% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +9% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Athens ranks #186 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Athens is 2% below the Georgia figure.
Elsewhere in Georgia
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GA | 2,889,670 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | +3% |
| Augusta, GA | 231,930 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | +1% |
| Savannah, GA | 198,360 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | level |
| Columbus, GA | 116,380 jobs | $270 – $1,400 | $820 | level |
| Gainesville, GA | 103,870 jobs | $270 – $1,400 | $820 | level |
| Macon, GA | 95,030 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Athens against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 | +29% |
| Fort Smith, AR | 95,560 jobs | $250 – $1,250 | $750 | −8% |
| Binghamton, NY | 97,030 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | +13% |
| Macon, GA | 95,030 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | level |
Who does the work: Athens trade wages
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 Athens the blend is 0.85.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Athens metro, so we used the Georgia statewide median: $23.00 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $20.94 and $27.57 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $21.51 an hour, 26% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $17.97 and $25.72 an hour. About 100 work in the metro. That is 10.4 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 $60 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $25. That is a swing of roughly 3.2% to 7.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Athens-Clarke County has 95,800 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 209th 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% | $20.94 | $23.00 | $27.57 | $26.77 | 0.86 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $17.97 | $21.51 | $25.72 | $29.12 | 0.74 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.85 | |||||
Athens: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Athens. 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
$270 to $710
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$600 to $1,050
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$930 to $1,350
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $230 – $590 | $500 – $870 | $780 – $1,150 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $270 – $710 | $600 – $1,050 | $930 – $1,350 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $450 – $1,200 | $1,000 – $1,750 | $1,550 – $2,300 |
Why two Athens quotes can differ
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.
Labor and minimums
Tile labor is $8-$20 per sq ft and many installers charge minimums for small areas.
Planning more than one job in Athens?
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Athens wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−7%) and kitchen cabinets lowest (−14%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,200 – $29,300 | −7% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,800 – $11,900 | −14% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,100 – $9,300 | −8% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,250 – $21,000 | −10% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $830 – $2,550 | −9% |
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Detailed kitchen backsplash report for Athens, GA, $9
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Kitchen backsplash in Athens: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Athens?
For 30 sq ft, expect $270 to $1,350 in the Athens area. A standard-spec job lands at $600 to $1,050. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Athens?
About $9.05 to $46 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 Athens or Gainesville?
Gainesville is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $820, which is 0% more than Athens ($820). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Athens?
About 39% at the midpoint, or $320 out of $820. Materials are 61% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Athens?
$270 to $1,350. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Athens?
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 Athens area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Athens expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Georgia?
Athens is 2% below the Georgia statewide estimate ($840 at the midpoint). We cover 10 metros in Georgia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Athens?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $23.00 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.94 to $27.57.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Athens?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $270 to $710 and premium work $930 to $1,350. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Athens
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.