Kitchen backsplash cost in Wilmington, NC
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
- $8.85 – $45
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #228
- 1 = most expensive
A kitchen backsplash in Wilmington, NC usually costs $270 to $1,350 for 30 sq ft. That works out to about $8.85 to $45 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $90 less. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $21.47 an hour in the Wilmington area, 20% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Wilmington, NC, standard level
$590 to $1,050
About $19.50 to $34 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 37% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $650 |
| Labor | $230 | $370 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $590 | $1,050 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Wilmington, NC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $510 | $870 | 63% |
| Labor | $120 | $300 | $480 | 37% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $270 | $810 | $1,350 | 100% |
Where the Wilmington price comes from
Labor is 37% 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 Wilmington the blended ratio comes out at 0.81. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the North Carolina statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Wilmington is at 96.6 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $510 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 96.4: $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 Wilmington. The wage table below marks each row.
Related projects, priced for Wilmington
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Wilmington wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−6%) and shower pan lowest (−10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,500 – $29,800 | −6% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,950 – $12,600 | −9% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,050 – $9,250 | −9% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,300 – $21,200 | −9% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $810 – $2,550 | −10% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Wilmington
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Wilmington. 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
$270 to $700
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$590 to $1,050
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$920 to $1,350
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $220 – $580 | $490 – $860 | $770 – $1,150 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $270 – $700 | $590 – $1,050 | $920 – $1,350 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $440 – $1,150 | $990 – $1,700 | $1,550 – $2,250 |
How Wilmington compares
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 $800 to $810 across Wilmington and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, NCthis page | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | |
| Myrtle Beach, SC60 miles | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −1% |
| Fayetteville, NC75 miles | $260 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Greenville, NC100 miles | $260 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Florence, SC100 miles | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −1% |
| Raleigh, NC105 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| North Carolina (statewide) | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +11% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Wilmington ranks #228 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Wilmington is 0% above the North Carolina figure.
Elsewhere in North Carolina
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 1,358,370 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Raleigh, NC | 743,120 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | +3% |
| Durham, NC | 344,020 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Winston, NC | 271,980 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | +1% |
| Asheville, NC | 180,620 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | +3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Wilmington against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | 192,390 jobs | $300 – $1,500 | $890 | +10% |
| Pensacola, FL | 190,480 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −1% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | level |
| Salem, OR | 188,620 jobs | $320 – $1,600 | $950 | +17% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Wilmington bid
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.
What local crews earn in Wilmington
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 Wilmington the blend is 0.81.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Wilmington metro, so we used the North Carolina statewide median: $21.47 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $19.02 and $24.36 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $24.44 an hour, 16% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.06 and $28.70 an hour. About 640 work in the metro. That is 33.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (tile and stone setters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $35 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $30. That is a swing of roughly 3.8% to 4.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Wilmington has 191,280 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 120th 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% | $19.02 | $21.47 | $24.36 | $26.77 | 0.80 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $22.06 | $24.44 | $28.70 | $29.12 | 0.84 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.81 | |||||
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Kitchen backsplash in Wilmington: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Wilmington?
For 30 sq ft, expect $270 to $1,350 in the Wilmington area. A standard-spec job lands at $590 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 Wilmington?
About $8.85 to $45 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 Wilmington or Myrtle Beach?
Myrtle Beach is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $800, which is 1% less than Wilmington ($810). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Wilmington?
About 37% at the midpoint, or $300 out of $810. Materials are 63% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Wilmington?
$270 to $1,350. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Wilmington?
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 Wilmington area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Wilmington expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of North Carolina?
Wilmington is 0% above the North Carolina statewide estimate ($810 at the midpoint). We cover 11 metros in North Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Wilmington?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $21.47 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $19.02 to $24.36.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Wilmington?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $270 to $700 and premium work $920 to $1,350. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Wilmington
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.