Kitchen backsplash cost in Rapid City, SD
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
- $9.25 – $46.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −7%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #158
- 1 = most expensive
A kitchen backsplash in Rapid City, SD usually costs $280 to $1,400 for 30 sq ft. That works out to about $9.25 to $46.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $60 less. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $24.34 an hour in the Rapid City area, 9% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Rapid City, SD, standard level
$610 to $1,050
About $20.50 to $35.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $640 |
| Labor | $260 | $420 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $610 | $1,050 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Rapid City, SD
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $500 | $860 | 60% |
| Labor | $130 | $340 | $540 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $280 | $840 | $1,400 | 100% |
What is behind the Rapid City number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: tile and stone setters at 90%, carpenters at 10%. Weighted together, Rapid City wages are 0.90 times the national level. Labor makes up about 40% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the South Dakota statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Rapid City is at 95.5 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $500 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 89.2: $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 Rapid City. The wage table below marks each row.
Related projects, priced for Rapid City
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Rapid City wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, tile flooring comes out highest (−6%) and kitchen cabinets lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,300 – $29,400 | −7% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,850 – $12,300 | −11% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,200 – $9,450 | −6% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,300 – $21,300 | −9% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $840 – $2,550 | −9% |
Is Rapid City cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 1 is cheaper than Rapid City. Bismarck is the lowest at about $790 (midpoint, 30 sq ft), 210 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City, SDthis page | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | |
| Bismarck, ND210 miles | $260 – $1,350 | $790 | −5% |
| Cheyenne, WY220 miles | $290 – $1,450 | $870 | +4% |
| Greeley, CO260 miles | $300 – $1,500 | $890 | +6% |
| Fort Collins, CO275 miles | $300 – $1,500 | $890 | +6% |
| Sioux Falls, SD305 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | level |
| South Dakota (statewide) | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | level |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +7% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Rapid City ranks #158 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Rapid City is 0% above the South Dakota figure.
Elsewhere in South Dakota
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls, SD | 178,590 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Rapid City against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg, VA | 74,070 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | −1% |
| Kahului, HI | 73,750 jobs | $340 – $1,700 | $1,050 | +22% |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $290 – $1,400 | $850 | +2% |
| Bloomington, IN | 73,240 jobs | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | −1% |
What local crews earn in Rapid City
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 Rapid City the blend is 0.90.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Rapid City metro, so we used the South Dakota statewide median: $24.34 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.34 and $32.61 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $23.39 an hour, 20% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.34 and $28.88 an hour. About 870 work in the metro. That is 117.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of 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 $100 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $15. That is a swing of roughly 1.5% to 12.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Rapid City has 73,820 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 249th 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% | $23.34 | $24.34 | $32.61 | $26.77 | 0.91 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $21.34 | $23.39 | $28.88 | $29.12 | 0.80 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.90 | |||||
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Rapid 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.
Cost by quality level and size in Rapid City
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Rapid City. 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
$280 to $730
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$610 to $1,050
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$950 to $1,400
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $230 – $610 | $510 – $890 | $790 – $1,150 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $280 – $730 | $610 – $1,050 | $950 – $1,400 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $460 – $1,200 | $1,000 – $1,750 | $1,600 – $2,350 |
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Kitchen backsplash in Rapid City: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Rapid City?
For 30 sq ft, expect $280 to $1,400 in the Rapid City area. A standard-spec job lands at $610 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 Rapid City?
About $9.25 to $46.50 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 Rapid City or Bismarck?
Bismarck is 210 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $790, which is 5% less than Rapid City ($840). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Rapid City?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $340 out of $840. Materials are 60% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Rapid City?
$280 to $1,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Rapid 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 Rapid City area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Rapid City expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of South Dakota?
Rapid City is 0% above the South Dakota statewide estimate ($840 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in South Dakota; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Rapid City?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $24.34 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.34 to $32.61.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Rapid City?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $280 to $730 and premium work $950 to $1,400. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Rapid 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.