Kitchen backsplash cost in Kentucky
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (30 sq ft)
- $270 – $1,400
- Per sq ft
- $9.05 – $46
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $900
- Metros covered
- 3
Kentucky prices for kitchen backsplash: $270 to $1,400 for 30 sq ft, or $9.05 to $46 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 8% below the national one. Local wages for tile and stone setters are $22.78 an hour.
Inside Kentucky, the metros we cover range from $830 (Bowling Green) to $830 (Louisville) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Kentucky (statewide), 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 | $400 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $600 | $1,050 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Kentucky
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $500 | $860 | 61% |
| Labor | $130 | $320 | $510 | 39% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $270 | $820 | $1,400 | 100% |
Kentucky labor market for kitchen backsplash
Kentucky's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.85 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $22.78 an hour, 15% below the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $20.35 and $24.76 an hour. About 180 work in the state. That is 0.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $25.33 an hour, 13% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.09 and $29.45 an hour. About 8,540 work in the state. That is 42.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for tile and stone setters ($24.76 an hour) would add about $25 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($20.35) would take off about $30. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 2,000,360 jobs across Kentucky (May 2025), which is 1.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $20.35 | $22.78 | $24.76 | $26.77 | 0.85 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $22.09 | $25.33 | $29.45 | $29.12 | 0.87 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.85 | |||||
Related projects, priced for Kentucky
Each project weights the trades differently, so Kentucky's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, kitchen remodel is −5% and kitchen cabinets −8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,500 – $29,800 | −5% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,950 – $12,800 | −8% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,100 – $9,300 | −8% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,400 – $21,700 | −7% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $870 – $2,600 | −7% |
Kentucky metro-by-metro prices
1 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $820, and the top-to-bottom gap is 0%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | +1% |
| Lexington, KY | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | level |
| Bowling Green, KY | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | level |
Why two Kentucky quotes can differ
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.
Kentucky against its neighbors
Kentucky ranks 40 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. Kentucky sits at $820. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 140 miles away | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | +1% |
| Tennessee | 170 miles away | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −3% |
| Ohio | 210 miles away | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −2% |
| West Virginia | 220 miles away | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | +3% |
| Illinois | 280 miles away | $340 – $1,650 | $1,000 | +22% |
Basic, standard or premium: Kentucky prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid 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 $1,400
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 – $1,400 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $450 – $1,200 | $1,000 – $1,750 | $1,550 – $2,300 |
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Kitchen backsplash in Kentucky: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Kentucky?
$270 to $1,400 for 30 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Kentucky can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Kentucky is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
Bowling Green at about $830 (midpoint, 30 sq ft). The priciest is Louisville at $830.
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in Kentucky than the US average?
It is 8% cheaper: $820 against $900 for 30 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Kentucky?
About 39% ($320). Materials are 61%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.85x the national wage level.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Kentucky?
The BLS statewide median is $22.78 an hour, against $26.77 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.35 to $24.76.
+Where does Kentucky rank for kitchen backsplash costs?
40th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $820 for 30 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Kentucky?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $270 to $710 and premium work $930 to $1,400. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash by city in Kentucky
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.