Kitchen backsplash cost in Traverse City, MI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $270 – $1,350
- Per sq ft
- $9.05 – $45.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #201
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a backsplash in Traverse City, plan on $270 to $1,350 for 30 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $9.05 to $45.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 9% lower than the national one. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $23.05 an hour in the Traverse City area, 14% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Traverse City, MI, standard level
$600 to $1,050
About $20 to $34.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $350 | $630 |
| Labor | $250 | $410 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $600 | $1,050 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Traverse City, MI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $490 | $840 | 60% |
| Labor | $130 | $330 | $520 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $270 | $820 | $1,350 | 100% |
Why Traverse City prices look the way they do
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 $23.05 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Traverse City is 0.87 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 40% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Michigan statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Traverse City metro is 93.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 30 sq ft comes to $490, 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 Traverse City. The wage table below marks each row.
Planning more than one job in Traverse City?
Because every project leans on different trades, Traverse City's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, kitchen cabinets runs −4% and tile flooring −8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,500 – $29,700 | −6% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,050 – $13,400 | −4% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,150 – $9,200 | −8% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,450 – $22,100 | −5% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $860 – $2,600 | −7% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Traverse City
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Traverse City 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 $710
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$600 to $1,050
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$930 to $1,350
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $230 – $590 | $500 – $870 | $770 – $1,150 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $270 – $710 | $600 – $1,050 | $930 – $1,350 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $450 – $1,200 | $1,000 – $1,750 | $1,550 – $2,300 |
Traverse City against nearby metros and the rest of Michigan
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 $810 to $910 across Traverse City and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City, MIthis page | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | |
| Green Bay, WI110 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $900 | +10% |
| Muskegon, MI110 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −1% |
| Sheboygan, WI125 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +11% |
| Appleton, WI130 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +11% |
| Grand Rapids, MI135 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −1% |
| Michigan (statewide) | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | +2% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +10% |
Across 300 US metros, Traverse City comes in at #201 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $1,150; the cheapest is Little Rock, AR at $750 (midpoints, 30 sq ft). Statewide, Traverse City is 2% below the Michigan figure.
Other Michigan metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit, MI | 1,904,530 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | +4% |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 598,260 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −1% |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 219,730 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | level |
| Lansing, MI | 217,180 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | level |
| Flint, MI | 135,040 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | level |
| Kalamazoo, MI | 121,790 jobs | $300 – $1,500 | $890 | +9% |
Cities with a workforce like Traverse City's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Traverse City against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $340 – $1,650 | $990 | +21% |
| Dover, DE | 68,080 jobs | $290 – $1,450 | $880 | +7% |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | +4% |
| Burlington, NC | 67,830 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −1% |
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Traverse City
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.
Traverse City labor market for kitchen backsplash
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 Traverse City is 0.87 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Traverse City metro, so we used the Michigan statewide median: $23.05 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $20.17 and $30.08 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $28.47 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.71 and $30.60 an hour. BLS counts 420 of them working in the area, 61.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the tile and stone setters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($30.08 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $90. At the 25th percentile ($20.17) it shrinks by about $35. The total moves by 10.8% or 4.4%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 68,440 jobs in the Traverse City area. That makes it the 264th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $20.17 | $23.05 | $30.08 | $26.77 | 0.86 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $22.71 | $28.47 | $30.60 | $29.12 | 0.98 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.87 | |||||
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Kitchen backsplash in Traverse City: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Traverse City?
For 30 sq ft, expect $270 to $1,350 in the Traverse City area. A standard-spec job lands at $600 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 Traverse City?
About $9.05 to $45.50 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 Traverse City or Green Bay?
Green Bay is 110 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $900, which is 10% more than Traverse City ($820). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Traverse City?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $330 out of $820. Materials are 60% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Traverse City?
$270 to $1,350. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Traverse City?
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 Traverse City area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Traverse City expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Michigan?
Traverse City is 2% below the Michigan statewide estimate ($830 at the midpoint). We cover 10 metros in Michigan; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Traverse City?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $23.05 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.17 to $30.08.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Traverse City?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $270 to $710 and premium work $930 to $1,350. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Traverse City
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.