Kitchen backsplash cost in Boise, ID
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $280 – $1,400
- Per sq ft
- $9.25 – $46.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −7%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #154
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a kitchen backsplash in the Boise area: $280 to $1,400 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 7% lower than the US figure. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $24.07 an hour in the Boise area, 10% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Boise, ID, standard level
$620 to $1,050
About $20.50 to $35.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $650 |
| Labor | $250 | $420 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $620 | $1,050 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Boise, ID
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $500 | $870 | 60% |
| Labor | $130 | $330 | $540 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $280 | $840 | $1,400 | 100% |
What is behind the Boise number
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 $24.07 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Boise is 0.89 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 40% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Boise is at 96.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $500 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 98.4: $0 to $0.
Planning more than one job in Boise?
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Boise wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−6%) and kitchen cabinets lowest (−9%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,500 – $29,800 | −6% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,950 – $12,700 | −9% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,200 – $9,500 | −6% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,300 – $21,400 | −8% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $850 – $2,600 | −7% |
Is Boise cheap or dear? The local comparison
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 30 sq ft range from $770 to $890 across Boise and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boise, IDthis page | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | |
| Idaho Falls, ID190 miles | $250 – $1,300 | $770 | −8% |
| Logan, UT235 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | level |
| Salt Lake City, UT235 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | +1% |
| Bend, OR250 miles | $290 – $1,500 | $890 | +6% |
| Ogden, UT255 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −2% |
| Idaho (statewide) | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | −1% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +7% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Boise ranks #154 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Boise is 1% above the Idaho figure.
Elsewhere in Idaho
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls, ID | 81,840 jobs | $250 – $1,300 | $770 | −8% |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | 72,280 jobs | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Boise against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SC | 394,170 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −5% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | level |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −5% |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $290 – $1,450 | $880 | +4% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Boise
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Boise. 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
$280 to $730
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$620 to $1,050
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$950 to $1,400
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $230 – $610 | $510 – $890 | $790 – $1,150 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $280 – $730 | $620 – $1,050 | $950 – $1,400 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $460 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,750 | $1,600 – $2,350 |
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Boise
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.
Who does the work: Boise 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 Boise the blend is 0.89.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $24.07 an hour, 10% below the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $21.64 and $27.24 an hour. About 300 work in the metro. That is 7.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $24.45 an hour, 16% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.63 and $30.30 an hour. About 4,080 work in the metro. That is 104.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of 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 $40 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $30. That is a swing of roughly 3.6% to 4.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Boise City has 391,790 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 67th 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% | $21.64 | $24.07 | $27.24 | $26.77 | 0.90 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $21.63 | $24.45 | $30.30 | $29.12 | 0.84 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.89 | |||||
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Kitchen backsplash in Boise: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Boise?
For 30 sq ft, expect $280 to $1,400 in the Boise area. A standard-spec job lands at $620 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 Boise?
About $9.25 to $46.50 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 Boise or Idaho Falls?
Idaho Falls is 190 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $770, which is 8% less than Boise ($840). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Boise?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $330 out of $840. Materials are 60% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Boise?
$280 to $1,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Boise?
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 Boise area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Boise expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Idaho?
Boise is 1% above the Idaho statewide estimate ($830 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in Idaho; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Boise?
The BLS median is $24.07 an hour in the Boise area, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.64 to $27.24.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Boise?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $280 to $730 and premium work $950 to $1,400. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Boise
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.