Kitchen backsplash cost in Rockford, IL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $320 – $1,550
- Per sq ft
- $10.50 – $52
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +5%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #60
- 1 = most expensive
A kitchen backsplash in Rockford, IL usually costs $320 to $1,550 for 30 sq ft. That works out to about $10.50 to $52 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $45 more. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $32.29 an hour in the Rockford area, 21% above the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Rockford, IL, standard level
$690 to $1,200
About $23 to $40 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 48% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $350 | $630 |
| Labor | $340 | $560 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $690 | $1,200 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Rockford, IL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $490 | $840 | 52% |
| Labor | $180 | $450 | $720 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $320 | $940 | $1,550 | 100% |
What is behind the Rockford 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 $32.29 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Rockford is 1.21 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 48% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Illinois statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Rockford is at 93.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $490 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 92.2: $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 Rockford. The wage table below marks each row.
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Rockford
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.
How Rockford compares
Same job, same size (30 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Kenosha is the priciest of the group at $970. Racine is the cheapest at $910.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, ILthis page | $320 – $1,550 | $940 | |
| Janesville, WI25 miles | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | −3% |
| Madison, WI60 miles | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | −2% |
| Kenosha, WI60 miles | $330 – $1,600 | $970 | +3% |
| Racine, WI70 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | −4% |
| Milwaukee, WI70 miles | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | −2% |
| Illinois (statewide) | $340 – $1,650 | $1,000 | +6% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | −5% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Rockford ranks #60 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Rockford is 6% below the Illinois figure.
Elsewhere in Illinois
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | 4,513,280 jobs | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 | +13% |
| Peoria, IL | 166,020 jobs | $320 – $1,550 | $950 | level |
| Champaign, IL | 105,500 jobs | $320 – $1,550 | $940 | level |
| Springfield, IL | 100,810 jobs | $320 – $1,550 | $950 | level |
| Bloomington, IL | 88,110 jobs | $320 – $1,550 | $950 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Rockford against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $290 – $1,450 | $860 | −9% |
| Evansville, IN | 135,250 jobs | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | −4% |
| Huntington, WV | 140,740 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | −10% |
| Flint, MI | 135,040 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −13% |
What local crews earn in Rockford
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 Rockford the blend is 1.21.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Rockford metro, so we used the Illinois statewide median: $32.29 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.20 and $44.83 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $34.99 an hour, 20% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $27.33 and $47.16 an hour. About 810 work in the metro. That is 58.8 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 $160 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $110. That is a swing of roughly 12.1% to 16.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Rockford has 137,650 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 161st 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% | $23.20 | $32.29 | $44.83 | $26.77 | 1.21 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $27.33 | $34.99 | $47.16 | $29.12 | 1.20 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.21 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Rockford?
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Rockford wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (+16%) and kitchen remodel lowest (+1%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,600 – $31,600 | +1% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,350 – $15,500 | +9% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,800 – $10,200 | +5% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,350 – $26,500 | +14% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,150 – $3,150 | +16% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Rockford
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Rockford. 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
$320 to $820
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$690 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) | $270 – $680 | $580 – $990 | $890 – $1,300 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $320 – $820 | $690 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,550 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $540 – $1,350 | $1,150 – $2,000 | $1,800 – $2,600 |
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Kitchen backsplash in Rockford: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Rockford?
For 30 sq ft, expect $320 to $1,550 in the Rockford area. A standard-spec job lands at $690 to $1,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Rockford?
About $10.50 to $52 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 Rockford or Janesville?
Janesville is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $920, which is 3% less than Rockford ($940). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Rockford?
About 48% at the midpoint, or $450 out of $940. Materials are 52% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Rockford?
$320 to $1,550. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Rockford?
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 Rockford area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Rockford expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Illinois?
Rockford is 6% below the Illinois statewide estimate ($1,000 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Illinois; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Rockford?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $32.29 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.20 to $44.83.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Rockford?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $320 to $820 and premium work $1,050 to $1,550. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Rockford
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.