Kitchen backsplash cost in Appleton, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $310 – $1,500
- Per sq ft
- $10.50 – $50.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #87
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a kitchen backsplash in the Appleton area: $310 to $1,500 for 30 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint lands close to the US figure. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $30.14 an hour in the Appleton area, 13% above the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Appleton, WI, standard level
$670 to $1,150
About $22.50 to $38.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $350 | $630 |
| Labor | $320 | $520 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $670 | $1,150 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Appleton, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $490 | $840 | 54% |
| Labor | $170 | $420 | $670 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $310 | $910 | $1,500 | 100% |
Why Appleton prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: tile and stone setters at 90%, carpenters at 10%. Weighted together, Appleton wages are 1.12 times the national level. Labor makes up about 46% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Appleton is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $490 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 92.4: $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 Appleton. The wage table below marks each row.
How Appleton compares
Same job, same size (30 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Oshkosh is the priciest of the group at $920. Wausau is the cheapest at $900.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton, WIthis page | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | |
| Oshkosh, WI20 miles | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | +1% |
| Green Bay, WI20 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $900 | −1% |
| Sheboygan, WI50 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | level |
| Wausau, WI80 miles | $310 – $1,500 | $900 | −1% |
| Milwaukee, WI100 miles | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | +1% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | level |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | −1% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Appleton ranks #87 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Appleton is 0% below the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | +1% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $930 | +2% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $900 | −1% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $310 – $1,550 | $920 | +1% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | level |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Appleton against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth, MN | 124,710 jobs | $330 – $1,600 | $970 | +6% |
| Amarillo, TX | 123,930 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $810 | −11% |
| Crestview, FL | 125,050 jobs | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | −10% |
| Rochester, MN | 122,980 jobs | $330 – $1,600 | $970 | +6% |
Planning more than one job in Appleton?
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Appleton wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (+13%) and kitchen remodel lowest (−3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,000 – $30,600 | −3% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,150 – $14,100 | level |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,650 – $10,000 | +2% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,950 – $24,600 | +5% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,150 – $3,100 | +13% |
Cost by quality level and size in Appleton
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Appleton. 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
$310 to $790
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$670 to $1,150
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$1,050 to $1,500
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $260 – $660 | $560 – $960 | $860 – $1,250 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $310 – $790 | $670 – $1,150 | $1,050 – $1,500 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $510 – $1,300 | $1,100 – $1,900 | $1,700 – $2,500 |
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Appleton
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.
Who does the work: Appleton trade wages
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 Appleton the blend is 1.12.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Appleton metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median: $30.14 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $27.44 and $36.42 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $30.04 an hour, 3% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $24.40 and $40.83 an hour. About 700 work in the metro. That is 56.3 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 $80 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $35. That is a swing of roughly 3.7% to 8.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Appleton has 124,230 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 174th 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% | $27.44 | $30.14 | $36.42 | $26.77 | 1.13 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $24.40 | $30.04 | $40.83 | $29.12 | 1.03 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.12 | |||||
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Kitchen backsplash in Appleton: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Appleton?
For 30 sq ft, expect $310 to $1,500 in the Appleton area. A standard-spec job lands at $670 to $1,150. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Appleton?
About $10.50 to $50.50 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 Appleton or Oshkosh?
Oshkosh is 20 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $920, which is 1% more than Appleton ($910). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Appleton?
About 46% at the midpoint, or $420 out of $910. Materials are 54% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Appleton?
$310 to $1,500. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Appleton?
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 Appleton area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Appleton expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Appleton is 0% below the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($910 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Appleton?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $30.14 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.44 to $36.42.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Appleton?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $310 to $790 and premium work $1,050 to $1,500. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Appleton
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.