Kitchen backsplash cost in Lafayette, IN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $270 – $1,400
- Per sq ft
- $9.15 – $46
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #173
- 1 = most expensive
Lafayette homeowners pay roughly $270 to $1,400 to install a backsplash at 30 sq ft, or $9.15 to $46 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Lafayette is 8% lower. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $23.29 an hour in the Lafayette area, 13% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Lafayette, IN, standard level
$610 to $1,050
About $20 to $35 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $350 | $640 |
| Labor | $250 | $410 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $610 | $1,050 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Lafayette, IN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $500 | $850 | 60% |
| Labor | $130 | $330 | $530 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $270 | $830 | $1,400 | 100% |
Where the Lafayette price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: tile and stone setters at 90%, carpenters at 10%. Weighted together, Lafayette wages are 0.89 times the national level. Labor makes up about 40% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Indiana statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Lafayette metro is 94.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 30 sq ft comes to $500, compared with $530 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (93.4) and land at $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 Lafayette. The wage table below marks each row.
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Lafayette is 0.89 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Lafayette metro, so we used the Indiana statewide median: $23.29 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $20.64 and $27.66 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $30.31 an hour, which is 4% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $24.27 and $37.06 an hour. BLS counts 300 of them working in the area, 29.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the tile and stone setters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($27.66 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $55. At the 25th percentile ($20.64) it shrinks by about $35. The total moves by 6.7% or 4.0%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 102,200 jobs in the Lafayette-West Lafayette area. That makes it the 201st largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.07% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $20.64 | $23.29 | $27.66 | $26.77 | 0.87 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $24.27 | $30.31 | $37.06 | $29.12 | 1.04 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.89 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Lafayette bid
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.
Related projects, priced for Lafayette
Because every project leans on different trades, Lafayette's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, kitchen cabinets runs level and tile flooring −7%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,700 – $30,200 | −4% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,150 – $14,000 | level |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,150 – $9,300 | −7% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,500 – $22,300 | −4% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $860 – $2,600 | −7% |
Cost by quality level and size in Lafayette
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Lafayette wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$270 to $720
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$610 to $1,050
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$940 to $1,400
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $230 – $600 | $510 – $870 | $780 – $1,150 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $270 – $720 | $610 – $1,050 | $940 – $1,400 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $460 – $1,200 | $1,000 – $1,750 | $1,550 – $2,300 |
Lafayette against nearby metros and the rest of Indiana
Of the five closest metros, 3 are cheaper than Lafayette. Niles is the lowest at about $820 (midpoint, 30 sq ft), 90 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette, INthis page | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | |
| Indianapolis, IN65 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | +2% |
| Champaign, IL70 miles | $320 – $1,550 | $940 | +14% |
| Terre Haute, IN75 miles | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | level |
| Bloomington, IN90 miles | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | level |
| Niles, MI90 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −1% |
| Indiana (statewide) | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | +1% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +9% |
Across 300 US metros, Lafayette comes in at #173 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $1,150; the cheapest is Little Rock, AR at $750 (midpoints, 30 sq ft). Statewide, Lafayette is 1% below the Indiana figure.
Other Indiana metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis, IN | 1,105,170 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | +2% |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 225,520 jobs | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | level |
| Evansville, IN | 135,250 jobs | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +9% |
| South Bend, IN | 131,670 jobs | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | level |
| Elkhart, IN | 127,730 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | level |
| Bloomington, IN | 73,240 jobs | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Lafayette's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Lafayette against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −3% |
| Lake Charles, LA | 101,690 jobs | $260 – $1,300 | $790 | −4% |
| Charleston, WV | 103,450 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | +2% |
| Springfield, IL | 100,810 jobs | $320 – $1,550 | $950 | +14% |
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Kitchen backsplash in Lafayette: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Lafayette?
For 30 sq ft, expect $270 to $1,400 in the Lafayette area. A standard-spec job lands at $610 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 Lafayette?
About $9.15 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 Lafayette or Indianapolis?
Indianapolis is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $840, which is 2% more than Lafayette ($830). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Lafayette?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $330 out of $830. Materials are 60% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Lafayette?
$270 to $1,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Lafayette?
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 Lafayette area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Lafayette expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Indiana?
Lafayette is 1% below the Indiana statewide estimate ($830 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Indiana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Lafayette?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $23.29 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.64 to $27.66.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Lafayette?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $270 to $720 and premium work $940 to $1,400. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Lafayette
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.