Kitchen backsplash cost in Jackson, TN
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $260 – $1,350
- Per sq ft
- $8.75 – $44.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #272
- 1 = most expensive
A kitchen backsplash in Jackson, TN usually costs $260 to $1,350 for 30 sq ft. That works out to about $8.75 to $44.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $100 less. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $20.95 an hour in the Jackson area, 22% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Jackson, TN, standard level
$580 to $1,000
About $19.50 to $34 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 37% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $650 |
| Labor | $220 | $360 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $580 | $1,000 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Jackson, TN
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $510 | $870 | 63% |
| Labor | $120 | $290 | $470 | 37% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $260 | $800 | $1,350 | 100% |
What is behind the Jackson 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 $20.95 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Jackson is 0.78 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 37% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Tennessee statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Jackson is at 96.2 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 85.5: $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 Jackson. The wage table below marks each row.
Related projects, priced for Jackson
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Jackson wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−7%) and shower pan lowest (−14%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,200 – $29,300 | −7% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,850 – $12,200 | −12% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,000 – $9,150 | −10% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,150 – $20,600 | −12% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $770 – $2,450 | −14% |
Is Jackson cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (30 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Memphis is the priciest of the group at $810. Jonesboro is the cheapest at $750.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, TNthis page | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | |
| Memphis, TN75 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | +2% |
| Clarksville, TN95 miles | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| Jonesboro, AR100 miles | $250 – $1,250 | $750 | −6% |
| Nashville, TN125 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | +2% |
| Decatur, AL135 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | +1% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +13% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Jackson ranks #272 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Jackson is 0% below the Tennessee figure.
Elsewhere in Tennessee
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 1,099,300 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | +2% |
| Memphis, TN | 611,670 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | +2% |
| Knoxville, TN | 424,600 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| Chattanooga, TN | 268,750 jobs | $250 – $1,250 | $760 | −5% |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Jackson against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +14% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +14% |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $810 | +1% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $290 – $1,450 | $860 | +7% |
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Jackson
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.
Labor and minimums
Tile labor is $8-$20 per sq ft and many installers charge minimums for small areas.
What local crews earn in Jackson
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 Jackson the blend is 0.78.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Jackson metro, so we used the Tennessee statewide median: $20.95 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $17.57 and $22.81 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $23.05 an hour, 21% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.81 and $26.72 an hour. About 170 work in the metro. That is 20.1 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 $25 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $45. That is a swing of roughly 5.3% to 2.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Jackson has 84,530 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 227th 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% | $17.57 | $20.95 | $22.81 | $26.77 | 0.78 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $21.81 | $23.05 | $26.72 | $29.12 | 0.79 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.78 | |||||
Jackson: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Jackson. 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
$260 to $690
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$580 to $1,000
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$910 to $1,350
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $220 – $580 | $490 – $840 | $760 – $1,100 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $260 – $690 | $580 – $1,000 | $910 – $1,350 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $440 – $1,150 | $970 – $1,700 | $1,500 – $2,250 |
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Kitchen backsplash in Jackson: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Jackson?
For 30 sq ft, expect $260 to $1,350 in the Jackson area. A standard-spec job lands at $580 to $1,000. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Jackson?
About $8.75 to $44.50 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 Jackson or Memphis?
Memphis is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $810, which is 2% more than Jackson ($800). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Jackson?
About 37% at the midpoint, or $290 out of $800. Materials are 63% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Jackson?
$260 to $1,350. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Jackson?
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 Jackson area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Jackson expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Jackson is 0% below the Tennessee statewide estimate ($800 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Tennessee; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Jackson?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $20.95 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.57 to $22.81.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Jackson?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $260 to $690 and premium work $910 to $1,350. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Jackson
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.