Kitchen backsplash cost in Boston, MA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $370 – $1,750
- Per sq ft
- $12.50 – $59
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +19%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #5
- 1 = most expensive
A kitchen backsplash in Boston, MA usually costs $370 to $1,750 for 30 sq ft. That works out to about $12.50 to $59 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $170 more. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $39.54 an hour in the Boston area, 48% above the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Boston, MA, standard level
$790 to $1,350
About $26.50 to $45 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 51% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $370 | $670 |
| Labor | $410 | $680 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $790 | $1,350 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Boston, MA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $150 | $520 | $900 | 49% |
| Labor | $220 | $550 | $870 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $370 | $1,050 | $1,750 | 100% |
Why Boston prices look the way they do
Labor is 51% of the midpoint bill here, against 42% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is tile and stone setters (90%), carpenters (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Boston the blended ratio comes out at 1.45.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Boston is at 99.7 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $520 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 108.3: $0 to $0.
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Boston
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Boston. 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
$370 to $930
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$790 to $1,350
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$1,200 to $1,750
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $310 – $770 | $660 – $1,100 | $1,000 – $1,450 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $370 – $930 | $790 – $1,350 | $1,200 – $1,750 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $610 – $1,550 | $1,300 – $2,250 | $2,000 – $2,950 |
Planning more than one job in Boston?
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Boston wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (+29%) and kitchen remodel lowest (+6%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $19,600 – $33,400 | +6% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,600 – $16,100 | +14% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $3,300 – $11,300 | +18% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $5,600 – $27,800 | +19% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,300 – $3,500 | +29% |
Boston against nearby metros and the rest of Massachusetts
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 $850 to $1,050 across Boston and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, MAthis page | $370 – $1,750 | $1,050 | |
| Manchester, NH45 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | −20% |
| Worcester, MA50 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | −15% |
| Providence, RI60 miles | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | −16% |
| Barnstable, MA70 miles | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 | −2% |
| Portland, ME85 miles | $330 – $1,600 | $980 | −8% |
| Massachusetts (statewide) | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 | −1% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | −16% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Boston ranks #5 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Boston is 1% above the Massachusetts figure.
Elsewhere in Massachusetts
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | 349,880 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | −15% |
| Springfield, MA | 201,240 jobs | $330 – $1,600 | $960 | −10% |
| Barnstable, MA | 94,110 jobs | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 | −2% |
| Amherst, MA | 65,670 jobs | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 | −2% |
| Pittsfield, MA | 56,810 jobs | $360 – $1,700 | $1,050 | −3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Boston against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | 2,819,940 jobs | $290 – $1,450 | $870 | −19% |
| Phoenix, AZ | 2,375,760 jobs | $290 – $1,450 | $860 | −19% |
| Atlanta, GA | 2,889,670 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | −21% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $340 – $1,700 | $1,000 | −5% |
Why two Boston 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.
What local crews earn in Boston
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 Boston the blend is 1.45.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $39.54 an hour, 48% above the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $37.62 and $46.13 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $36.16 an hour, 24% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $29.26 and $47.47 an hour. About 12,720 work in the metro. That is 47.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (tile and stone setters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $85 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $25. That is a swing of roughly 2.3% to 7.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Boston-Cambridge-Newton has 2,703,890 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 10th 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% | $37.62 | $39.54 | $46.13 | $26.77 | 1.48 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $29.26 | $36.16 | $47.47 | $29.12 | 1.24 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.45 | |||||
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Kitchen backsplash in Boston: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Boston?
For 30 sq ft, expect $370 to $1,750 in the Boston area. A standard-spec job lands at $790 to $1,350. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Boston?
About $12.50 to $59 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 Boston or Manchester?
Manchester is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $850, which is 20% less than Boston ($1,050). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Boston?
About 51% at the midpoint, or $550 out of $1,050. Materials are 49% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Boston?
$370 to $1,750. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Boston?
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 Boston area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Boston expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Massachusetts?
Boston is 1% above the Massachusetts statewide estimate ($1,050 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Massachusetts; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Boston?
The BLS median is $39.54 an hour in the Boston area, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $37.62 to $46.13.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Boston?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $370 to $930 and premium work $1,200 to $1,750. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Boston
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.