Kitchen backsplash cost in Missoula, MT
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $300 – $1,500
- Per sq ft
- $10 – $49.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −1%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #106
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a backsplash in Missoula, plan on $300 to $1,500 for 30 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $10 to $49.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint lands close to the national one. Building materials run about 4% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 96.0).
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Missoula, MT, standard level
$660 to $1,150
About $22 to $38 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 44% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $650 |
| Labor | $300 | $480 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $660 | $1,150 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Missoula, MT
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $500 | $860 | 56% |
| Labor | $160 | $390 | $630 | 44% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $300 | $900 | $1,500 | 100% |
What is behind the Missoula 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 $28.21 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Missoula is 1.04 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 44% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Montana statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Missoula metro is 96.0 (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 (96.4) 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 Missoula. The wage table below marks each row.
Is Missoula cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 2 are cheaper than Missoula. Idaho Falls is the lowest at about $770 (midpoint, 30 sq ft), 255 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MTthis page | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID120 miles | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | −7% |
| Spokane, WA175 miles | $340 – $1,700 | $1,000 | +13% |
| Bozeman, MT185 miles | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +1% |
| Kennewick, WA240 miles | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 | +19% |
| Idaho Falls, ID255 miles | $250 – $1,300 | $770 | −14% |
| Montana (statewide) | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | level |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +1% |
Across 300 US metros, Missoula comes in at #106 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $1,150; the cheapest is Little Rock, AR at $750 (midpoints, 30 sq ft). Statewide, Missoula is 0% below the Montana figure.
Other Montana metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | 93,800 jobs | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | level |
| Bozeman, MT | 72,210 jobs | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +1% |
Cities with a workforce like Missoula's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Missoula against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction, CO | 67,170 jobs | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | level |
| Logan, UT | 66,800 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −7% |
| Morgantown, WV | 67,370 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | −6% |
| Flagstaff, AZ | 66,610 jobs | $280 – $1,450 | $860 | −4% |
What nearby projects cost in Missoula
Because every project leans on different trades, Missoula's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, shower pan runs +7% and kitchen remodel −2%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,100 – $30,800 | −2% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,150 – $13,800 | −2% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,500 – $9,900 | level |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,850 – $24,000 | +3% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,050 – $2,950 | +7% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Missoula
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Missoula 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
$300 to $780
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$660 to $1,150
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$1,000 to $1,500
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $250 – $650 | $550 – $940 | $850 – $1,250 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $300 – $780 | $660 – $1,150 | $1,000 – $1,500 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $500 – $1,300 | $1,100 – $1,900 | $1,700 – $2,500 |
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Missoula
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.
Missoula 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 Missoula is 1.04 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Missoula metro, so we used the Montana statewide median: $28.21 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.23 and $29.82 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $27.48 an hour, which is 6% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.35 and $30.07 an hour. BLS counts 400 of them working in the area, 59.6 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 ($29.82 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $20. At the 25th percentile ($23.23) it shrinks by about $65. The total moves by 2.3% or 7.0%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 67,070 jobs in the Missoula area. That makes it the 270th 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% | $23.23 | $28.21 | $29.82 | $26.77 | 1.05 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $23.35 | $27.48 | $30.07 | $29.12 | 0.94 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.04 | |||||
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Kitchen backsplash in Missoula: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Missoula?
For 30 sq ft, expect $300 to $1,500 in the Missoula area. A standard-spec job lands at $660 to $1,150. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Missoula?
About $10 to $49.50 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 Missoula or Coeur d'Alene?
Coeur d'Alene is 120 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $830, which is 7% less than Missoula ($900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Missoula?
About 44% at the midpoint, or $390 out of $900. Materials are 56% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Missoula?
$300 to $1,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Missoula?
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 Missoula area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Missoula expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Montana?
Missoula is 0% below the Montana statewide estimate ($900 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in Montana; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Missoula?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $28.21 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.23 to $29.82.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Missoula?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $300 to $780 and premium work $1,000 to $1,500. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Missoula
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.