Tile flooring cost in Iowa
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (200 sq ft)
- $2,350 – $9,500
- Per sq ft
- $11.50 – $47.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $6,200
- Metros covered
- 7
Across Iowa, a tile floor costs about $2,350 to $9,500 for 200 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 4% below the US figure of $6,200. Tile and stone setters earn a median $26.13 an hour in Iowa (US: $26.77).
Inside Iowa, the metros we cover range from $5,900 (Iowa City) to $6,000 (Davenport) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft in Iowa (statewide), standard level
$4,500 to $7,350
About $22.50 to $37 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 41% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,250 | $4,700 |
| Labor | $2,250 | $2,650 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $4,500 | $7,350 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft in Iowa
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $370 | $3,450 | $6,550 | 59% |
| Labor | $1,950 | $2,450 | $2,950 | 41% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $2,350 | $5,950 | $9,500 | 100% |
Quality levels and sizes in Iowa
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Iowa wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$2,350 to $5,200
Basic ceramic or vinyl tile, simple square layout
Standard
$4,500 to $7,350
Porcelain tile, standard layout
Premium
$6,650 to $9,500
Large-format, natural stone or patterned layouts
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| bathroom (50 sq ft) | $590 – $1,300 | $1,100 – $1,850 | $1,650 – $2,400 |
| kitchen (150 sq ft) | $1,750 – $3,900 | $3,350 – $5,500 | $5,000 – $7,150 |
| main floor (400 sq ft) | $4,700 – $10,400 | $9,000 – $14,700 | $13,300 – $19,000 |
Iowa against its neighbors
Iowa ranks 26 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for tile floor, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $7,750 and the cheapest Arkansas at $5,250, both for 200 sq ft at the midpoint. Iowa sits at $5,950. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 190 miles away | $2,500 – $9,750 | $6,100 | +3% |
| Missouri | 220 miles away | $2,600 – $10,100 | $6,350 | +7% |
| Wisconsin | 230 miles away | $2,650 – $10,000 | $6,350 | +7% |
| Minnesota | 240 miles away | $2,950 – $10,800 | $6,900 | +16% |
| Illinois | 240 miles away | $2,850 – $10,900 | $6,900 | +16% |
Related projects, priced for Iowa
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Iowa wages and prices. Against national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (−4%) and hardwood flooring lowest (−5%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring | 500 sq ft | $5,200 – $11,800 | −5% |
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,900 – $6,650 | −5% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,450 – $22,200 | −5% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $910 – $2,650 | −4% |
Wages behind the Iowa number
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 0.98 for Iowa.
For tile and stone setters (47-2044, weighted 85%) the local median is $26.13 an hour, which is in line with the national $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $23.11 and $34.11 an hour. BLS counts 240 of them working in the state, 1.5 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.3), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 15% of the weighting: a median of $23.31 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.90 and $28.11 an hour. About 13,780 work in the state. That is 88.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for tile and stone setters ($34.11 an hour) would add about $630 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($23.11) would take off about $240. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 1,559,240 jobs across Iowa (May 2025), which is 1.0% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 85% | $23.11 | $26.13 | $34.11 | $26.77 | 0.98 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $21.90 | $23.31 | $28.11 | $22.66 | 1.03 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.98 | |||||
Tile flooring: what moves the price in Iowa
Tile type
Porcelain runs $15-$50 per sq ft installed. Luxury vinyl tile is $4-$16 (HomeGuide).
Labor
Labor starts around $5 per sq ft for the simplest jobs and tops $20 for patterns or premium tile.
Tile alone
Tile costs $2-$35 per sq ft before installation, which is what makes the range so wide.
Subfloor
Uneven or damaged subfloors need prep work before the tile goes down.
Which Iowa city is cheapest for tile floor?
1 of the 7 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $5,950, and the top-to-bottom gap is 1%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (200 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport, IA | $2,400 – $9,600 | $6,000 | +1% |
| Des Moines, IA | $2,350 – $9,550 | $5,950 | level |
| Sioux City, IA | $2,350 – $9,550 | $5,950 | level |
| Waterloo, IA | $2,350 – $9,550 | $5,950 | level |
| Dubuque, IA | $2,350 – $9,500 | $5,950 | level |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $2,350 – $9,500 | $5,950 | level |
| Iowa City, IA | $2,350 – $9,500 | $5,900 | level |
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Tile flooring in Iowa: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a tile floor in Iowa?
$2,350 to $9,500 for 200 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Iowa can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Iowa is cheapest for tile floor?
Iowa City at about $5,900 (midpoint, 200 sq ft). The priciest is Davenport at $6,000.
+Is tile floor cheaper in Iowa than the US average?
It is 4% cheaper: $5,950 against $6,200 for 200 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Iowa?
About 41% ($2,450). Materials are 59%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.98x the national wage level.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Iowa?
The BLS statewide median is $26.13 an hour, against $26.77 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.11 to $34.11.
+Where does Iowa rank for tile floor costs?
26th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $5,950 for 200 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium tile floor work cost in Iowa?
For 200 sq ft, basic work runs $2,350 to $5,200 and premium work $6,650 to $9,500. Basic means: basic ceramic or vinyl tile, simple square layout. Premium means: large-format, natural stone or patterned layouts.
Tile flooring by city in Iowa
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.