Kitchen backsplash cost in Charleston, WV
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
- $9.35 – $47
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #149
- 1 = most expensive
Charleston homeowners pay roughly $280 to $1,400 to install a backsplash at 30 sq ft, or $9.35 to $47 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Charleston is 6% lower. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $24.47 an hour in the Charleston area, 9% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Charleston, WV, standard level
$620 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 | $650 |
| Labor | $260 | $420 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $620 | $1,050 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Charleston, WV
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $510 | $870 | 60% |
| Labor | $140 | $340 | $540 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $280 | $840 | $1,400 | 100% |
Where the Charleston price comes from
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 $24.47 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Charleston is 0.90 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 40% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the West Virginia statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Charleston metro is 96.3 (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 (88.7) 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 Charleston. The wage table below marks each row.
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Charleston
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Charleston 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
$620 to $1,050
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$960 to $1,400
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $230 – $610 | $520 – $890 | $800 – $1,150 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $280 – $730 | $620 – $1,050 | $960 – $1,400 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $470 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,800 | $1,600 – $2,350 |
Is Charleston cheap or dear? The local comparison
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 $830 to $850 across Charleston and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, WVthis page | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | |
| Huntington, WV60 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | level |
| Blacksburg, VA95 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | −1% |
| Roanoke, VA110 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $830 | −1% |
| Wheeling, WV120 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | level |
| Morgantown, WV125 miles | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | level |
| West Virginia (statewide) | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | level |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +7% |
Across 300 US metros, Charleston comes in at #149 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $1,150; the cheapest is Little Rock, AR at $750 (midpoints, 30 sq ft). Statewide, Charleston is 0% below the West Virginia figure.
Other West Virginia metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington, WV | 140,740 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | level |
| Morgantown, WV | 67,370 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | level |
| Wheeling, WV | 58,130 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $850 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Charleston's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Charleston against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville, GA | 103,870 jobs | $270 – $1,400 | $820 | −2% |
| Clarksville, TN | 103,220 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | −5% |
| St. Cloud, MN | 103,920 jobs | $330 – $1,600 | $970 | +14% |
| Lafayette, IN | 102,200 jobs | $270 – $1,400 | $830 | −2% |
Related projects, priced for Charleston
Because every project leans on different trades, Charleston's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, tile flooring runs −5% and kitchen cabinets −10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,500 – $29,800 | −5% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,900 – $12,500 | −10% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,250 – $9,550 | −5% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,400 – $21,800 | −6% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $860 – $2,600 | −7% |
Local wages behind the labor line
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 Charleston is 0.90 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Charleston metro, so we used the West Virginia statewide median: $24.47 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $20.43 and $26.91 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 10%) the local median is $23.59 an hour, which is 19% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $18.33 and $29.48 an hour. BLS counts 370 of them working in the area, 35.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the tile and stone setters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($26.91 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $30. At the 25th percentile ($20.43) it shrinks by about $50. The total moves by 3.6% or 6.0%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 103,450 jobs in the Charleston area. That makes it the 199th 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% | $20.43 | $24.47 | $26.91 | $26.77 | 0.91 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $18.33 | $23.59 | $29.48 | $29.12 | 0.81 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.90 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Charleston bid
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.
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Kitchen backsplash in Charleston: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Charleston?
For 30 sq ft, expect $280 to $1,400 in the Charleston area. A standard-spec job lands at $620 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 Charleston?
About $9.35 to $47 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 Charleston or Huntington?
Huntington is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $850, which is 0% more than Charleston ($840). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Charleston?
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 Charleston?
$280 to $1,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Charleston?
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 Charleston area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Charleston expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of West Virginia?
Charleston is 0% below the West Virginia statewide estimate ($850 at the midpoint). We cover 4 metros in West Virginia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Charleston?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $24.47 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.43 to $26.91.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Charleston?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $280 to $730 and premium work $960 to $1,400. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Charleston
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.