Tile flooring cost in Dubuque, IA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft)
- $2,350 – $9,500
- Per sq ft
- $11.50 – $47.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $6,200
- Rank of 300 metros
- #135
- 1 = most expensive
Dubuque homeowners pay roughly $2,350 to $9,500 to install a tile floor at 200 sq ft, or $11.50 to $47.50 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Dubuque is 4% lower. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 93.7).
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft in Dubuque, IA, standard level
$4,500 to $7,350
About $22.50 to $37 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 42% 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 Dubuque, IA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $370 | $3,450 | $6,550 | 58% |
| Labor | $1,950 | $2,450 | $2,950 | 42% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $2,350 | $5,950 | $9,500 | 100% |
What is behind the Dubuque number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: tile and stone setters at 85%, construction laborers at 15%. Weighted together, Dubuque wages are 0.98 times the national level. Labor makes up about 42% of the midpoint estimate (40% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Iowa statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Dubuque metro is 93.7 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 200 sq ft comes to $3,450, compared with $3,700 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (87.3) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 85% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Dubuque. The wage table below marks each row.
Tile flooring: what moves the price in Dubuque
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.
Dubuque: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Dubuque 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
$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 |
Dubuque against nearby metros and the rest of Iowa
Same job, same size (200 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Madison is the priciest of the group at $6,400. Iowa City is the cheapest at $5,900.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque, IAthis page | $2,350 – $9,500 | $5,950 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA45 miles | $2,350 – $9,500 | $5,950 | level |
| Iowa City, IA75 miles | $2,350 – $9,500 | $5,900 | level |
| Davenport, IA75 miles | $2,400 – $9,600 | $6,000 | +1% |
| Madison, WI80 miles | $2,700 – $10,100 | $6,400 | +8% |
| Waterloo, IA80 miles | $2,350 – $9,550 | $5,950 | level |
| Iowa (statewide) | $2,350 – $9,500 | $5,950 | level |
| United States | $2,400 – $10,000 | $6,200 | +5% |
Across 300 US metros, Dubuque comes in at #135 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $8,050; the cheapest is Little Rock, AR at $5,150 (midpoints, 200 sq ft). Statewide, Dubuque is 0% above the Iowa figure.
Other Iowa metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $2,350 – $9,550 | $5,950 | level |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $2,400 – $9,600 | $6,000 | +1% |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $2,350 – $9,500 | $5,950 | level |
| Iowa City, IA | 93,760 jobs | $2,350 – $9,500 | $5,900 | level |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $2,350 – $9,550 | $5,950 | level |
| Sioux City, IA | 75,010 jobs | $2,350 – $9,550 | $5,950 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Dubuque's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dubuque against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona, PA | 58,650 jobs | $2,850 – $10,700 | $6,750 | +14% |
| Albany, GA | 58,390 jobs | $2,050 – $9,250 | $5,650 | −4% |
| Kingston, NY | 59,140 jobs | $2,600 – $10,300 | $6,400 | +8% |
| Wheeling, WV | 58,130 jobs | $2,250 – $9,500 | $5,850 | −1% |
Related projects, priced for Dubuque
Because every project leans on different trades, Dubuque's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, laminate flooring runs −4% and shower pan −5%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring | 500 sq ft | $5,300 – $12,000 | −4% |
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,950 – $6,750 | −4% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,450 – $22,100 | −5% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $890 – $2,650 | −5% |
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 Dubuque is 0.98 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 85% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Dubuque metro, so we used the Iowa statewide median: $26.13 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.11 and $34.11 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 15% of the weighting: a median of $23.46 an hour, 4% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.37 and $28.85 an hour. About 500 work in the metro. That is 85.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the tile and stone setters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($34.11 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $630. At the 25th percentile ($23.11) it shrinks by about $240. The total moves by 10.7% or 4.0%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 58,470 jobs in the Dubuque area. That makes it the 292nd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% 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% | $22.37 | $23.46 | $28.85 | $22.66 | 1.04 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.98 | |||||
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Tile flooring in Dubuque: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a tile floor in Dubuque?
For 200 sq ft, expect $2,350 to $9,500 in the Dubuque area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,500 to $7,350. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for tile floor in Dubuque?
About $11.50 to $47.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $12 to $50.
+Is tile floor cheaper in Dubuque or Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft there is $5,950, which is 0% less than Dubuque ($5,950). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dubuque?
About 42% at the midpoint, or $2,450 out of $5,950. Materials are 58% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 40%.
+What would kitchen (150 sq ft) cost in Dubuque?
$1,750 to $7,150. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does tile floor need a permit in Dubuque?
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 Dubuque area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dubuque expensive for tile floor compared with the rest of Iowa?
Dubuque is 0% above the Iowa statewide estimate ($5,950 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Iowa; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Dubuque?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $26.13 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.11 to $34.11.
+What do basic and premium tile floor work cost in Dubuque?
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 near Dubuque
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.