Kitchen backsplash cost in Charlottesville, VA
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
- #155
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install a backsplash in Charlottesville, plan on $280 to $1,400 for 30 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $9.25 to $46.50 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 7% lower than the national one. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $23.50 an hour in the Charlottesville area, 12% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Charlottesville, VA, standard level
$610 to $1,050
About $20.50 to $35.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 39% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $650 |
| Labor | $250 | $410 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $610 | $1,050 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Charlottesville, VA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $150 | $510 | $870 | 61% |
| Labor | $130 | $330 | $530 | 39% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $280 | $840 | $1,400 | 100% |
Why Charlottesville prices look the way they do
Labor is 39% 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 Charlottesville the blended ratio comes out at 0.88. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Virginia statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Charlottesville metro is 96.8 (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 (99.1) 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 Charlottesville. The wage table below marks each row.
Specs and site conditions that change a Charlottesville bid
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.
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Charlottesville
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Charlottesville 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 $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 |
Is Charlottesville cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 3 are cheaper than Charlottesville. Roanoke is the lowest at about $830 (midpoint, 30 sq ft), 85 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VAthis page | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | |
| Harrisonburg, VA40 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | level |
| Lynchburg, VA55 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | −1% |
| Richmond, VA75 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | +1% |
| Washington, DC85 miles | $290 – $1,500 | $890 | +6% |
| Roanoke, VA85 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | −1% |
| Virginia (statewide) | $280 – $1,450 | $860 | +2% |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +7% |
Across 300 US metros, Charlottesville comes in at #155 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $1,150; the cheapest is Little Rock, AR at $750 (midpoints, 30 sq ft). Statewide, Charlottesville is 2% below the Virginia figure.
Other Virginia metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach, VA | 763,060 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −3% |
| Richmond, VA | 660,350 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | +1% |
| Roanoke, VA | 153,980 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | −1% |
| Lynchburg, VA | 97,190 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | −1% |
| Blacksburg, VA | 74,070 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | −1% |
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Charlottesville's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Charlottesville against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler, TX | 115,220 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $800 | −4% |
| Laredo, TX | 109,370 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −4% |
| Topeka, KS | 115,750 jobs | $290 – $1,450 | $860 | +2% |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −4% |
Charlottesville 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 Charlottesville is 0.88 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Charlottesville metro, so we used the Virginia statewide median: $23.50 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $18.35 and $29.76 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $26.97 an hour, which is 7% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.28 and $29.53 an hour. BLS counts 630 of them working in the area, 54.9 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 ($29.76 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $80. At the 25th percentile ($18.35) it shrinks by about $65. The total moves by 9.4% or 7.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 114,780 jobs in the Charlottesville area. That makes it the 190th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.07% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $18.35 | $23.50 | $29.76 | $26.77 | 0.88 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $22.28 | $26.97 | $29.53 | $29.12 | 0.93 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Charlottesville
Because every project leans on different trades, Charlottesville's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, kitchen remodel runs −4% and shower pan −8%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,800 – $30,300 | −4% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,100 – $13,300 | −5% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,150 – $9,450 | −6% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,400 – $21,900 | −6% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $840 – $2,600 | −8% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $610 to $1,050 for Charlottesville, VA is attached.
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Kitchen backsplash in Charlottesville: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Charlottesville?
For 30 sq ft, expect $280 to $1,400 in the Charlottesville 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 Charlottesville?
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 Charlottesville or Harrisonburg?
Harrisonburg is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $840, which is 0% less than Charlottesville ($840). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Charlottesville?
About 39% at the midpoint, or $330 out of $840. Materials are 61% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Charlottesville?
$280 to $1,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Charlottesville?
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 Charlottesville area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Charlottesville expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Virginia?
Charlottesville is 2% below the Virginia statewide estimate ($860 at the midpoint). We cover 8 metros in Virginia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Charlottesville?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $23.50 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.35 to $29.76.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Charlottesville?
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 Charlottesville
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.