Kitchen backsplash cost in Manchester, NH
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $280 – $1,400
- Per sq ft
- $9.40 – $47.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #139
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a backsplash in Manchester, plan on $280 to $1,400 for 30 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $9.40 to $47.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 5% lower than the national one. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $23.99 an hour in the Manchester area, 10% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Manchester, NH, standard level
$630 to $1,100
About $21 to $36 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $370 | $660 |
| Labor | $260 | $420 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $630 | $1,100 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Manchester, NH
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $150 | $510 | $880 | 60% |
| Labor | $140 | $340 | $540 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $280 | $850 | $1,400 | 100% |
Where the Manchester price comes from
Labor is 40% 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 Manchester the blended ratio comes out at 0.91. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the New Hampshire statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Manchester metro is 97.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 30 sq ft comes to $510, compared with $530 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (105.7) 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 Manchester. The wage table below marks each row.
How Manchester compares
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Manchester. Worcester comes closest at about $910.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester, NHthis page | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | |
| Worcester, MA45 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +7% |
| Boston, MA45 miles | $370 – $1,750 | $1,050 | +25% |
| Amherst, MA60 miles | $360 – $1,750 | $1,050 | +22% |
| Springfield, MA70 miles | $330 – $1,600 | $960 | +13% |
| Portland, ME85 miles | $330 – $1,600 | $980 | +15% |
| New Hampshire (statewide) | $280 – $1,450 | $860 | +1% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +5% |
Across 300 US metros, Manchester comes in at #139 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $1,150; the cheapest is Little Rock, AR at $750 (midpoints, 30 sq ft). Statewide, Manchester is 1% below the New Hampshire figure.
Manchester is the only New Hampshire metro we cover, so the statewide page is the only in-state comparison. It uses statewide wages, which include rural areas.
Cities with a workforce like Manchester's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Manchester against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria, CA | 200,760 jobs | $320 – $1,600 | $950 | +12% |
| Savannah, GA | 198,360 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −4% |
| Springfield, MA | 201,240 jobs | $330 – $1,600 | $960 | +13% |
| Modesto, CA | 195,230 jobs | $300 – $1,500 | $910 | +6% |
What nearby projects cost in Manchester
Because every project leans on different trades, Manchester's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, kitchen cabinets runs level and tile flooring −5%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,300 – $31,100 | −1% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,250 – $14,100 | level |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,200 – $9,600 | −5% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,650 – $23,100 | −1% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $910 – $2,800 | −1% |
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Manchester
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.
Manchester 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 Manchester is 0.91 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Manchester metro, so we used the New Hampshire statewide median: $23.99 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $22.93 and $28.65 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $29.47 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.91 and $35.02 an hour. BLS counts 820 of them working in the area, 41.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is about average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the tile and stone setters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($28.65 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $60. At the 25th percentile ($22.93) it shrinks by about $15. The total moves by 6.9% or 1.6%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 199,560 jobs in the Manchester-Nashua area. That makes it the 115th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.13% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $22.93 | $23.99 | $28.65 | $26.77 | 0.90 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $23.91 | $29.47 | $35.02 | $29.12 | 1.01 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.91 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Manchester
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Manchester 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
$280 to $740
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$630 to $1,100
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$970 to $1,400
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $240 – $620 | $520 – $900 | $810 – $1,200 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $280 – $740 | $630 – $1,100 | $970 – $1,400 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $470 – $1,250 | $1,050 – $1,800 | $1,600 – $2,350 |
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Kitchen backsplash in Manchester: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Manchester?
For 30 sq ft, expect $280 to $1,400 in the Manchester area. A standard-spec job lands at $630 to $1,100. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Manchester?
About $9.40 to $47.50 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 Manchester or Worcester?
Worcester is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $910, which is 7% more than Manchester ($850). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Manchester?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $340 out of $850. Materials are 60% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Manchester?
$280 to $1,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Manchester?
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 Manchester area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Manchester expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of New Hampshire?
Manchester is 1% below the New Hampshire statewide estimate ($860 at the midpoint).
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Manchester?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $23.99 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.93 to $28.65.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Manchester?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $280 to $740 and premium work $970 to $1,400. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Manchester
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.