Tile flooring cost in Lexington, KY
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft)
- $2,150 – $9,350
- Per sq ft
- $10.50 – $47
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −7%
- US $6,200
- Rank of 300 metros
- #167
- 1 = most expensive
A tile floor in Lexington, KY usually costs $2,150 to $9,350 for 200 sq ft. That works out to about $10.50 to $47 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $440 less. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $23.00 an hour in the Lexington area, 14% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft in Lexington, KY, standard level
$4,300 to $7,200
About $21.50 to $36 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 38% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,300 | $4,850 |
| Labor | $2,000 | $2,350 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $4,300 | $7,200 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft in Lexington, KY
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $380 | $3,550 | $6,750 | 62% |
| Labor | $1,750 | $2,200 | $2,650 | 38% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $2,150 | $5,750 | $9,350 | 100% |
Why Lexington prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: tile and stone setters at 85%, construction laborers at 15%. Weighted together, Lexington wages are 0.88 times the national level. Labor makes up about 38% of the midpoint estimate (40% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Lexington is at 96.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,700 nationally becomes $3,550 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 92.9: $0 to $0.
Why two Lexington quotes can differ
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.
Cost by quality level and size in Lexington
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Lexington. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from bathroom (50 sq ft) to main floor (400 sq ft).
Basic
$2,150 to $5,050
Basic ceramic or vinyl tile, simple square layout
Standard
$4,300 to $7,200
Porcelain tile, standard layout
Premium
$6,500 to $9,350
Large-format, natural stone or patterned layouts
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| bathroom (50 sq ft) | $540 – $1,250 | $1,100 – $1,800 | $1,600 – $2,350 |
| kitchen (150 sq ft) | $1,600 – $3,750 | $3,250 – $5,400 | $4,850 – $7,050 |
| main floor (400 sq ft) | $4,300 – $10,100 | $8,600 – $14,400 | $13,000 – $18,700 |
Planning more than one job in Lexington?
Jobs that often go together with tile floor are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Lexington wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (−7%) and laminate flooring lowest (−9%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring | 500 sq ft | $5,050 – $11,600 | −8% |
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,800 – $6,400 | −9% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,350 – $21,600 | −7% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $860 – $2,600 | −7% |
What local crews earn in Lexington
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 Lexington the blend is 0.88.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 85% of the weighting: a median of $23.00 an hour, 14% below the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $22.34 and $26.32 an hour. About 50 work in the metro. That is 1.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 15%) the local median is $22.26 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.37 and $24.40 an hour. BLS counts 1,810 of them working in the area, 63.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (tile and stone setters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $260 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $50. That is a swing of roughly 0.9% to 4.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Lexington-Fayette has 286,910 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 90th 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) | 85% | $22.34 | $23.00 | $26.32 | $26.77 | 0.86 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $18.37 | $22.26 | $24.40 | $22.66 | 0.98 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
Lexington against nearby metros and the rest of Kentucky
Same job, same size (200 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Huntington is the priciest of the group at $5,850. Dayton is the cheapest at $5,650.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington, KYthis page | $2,150 – $9,350 | $5,750 | |
| Cincinnati, OH65 miles | $2,150 – $9,200 | $5,700 | −1% |
| Louisville, KY70 miles | $2,150 – $9,350 | $5,750 | level |
| Huntington, WV100 miles | $2,250 – $9,500 | $5,850 | +2% |
| Dayton, OH120 miles | $2,100 – $9,200 | $5,650 | −2% |
| Bowling Green, KY130 miles | $2,100 – $9,300 | $5,700 | −1% |
| Kentucky (statewide) | $2,100 – $9,300 | $5,700 | −1% |
| United States | $2,400 – $10,000 | $6,200 | +8% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Lexington ranks #167 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Lexington is 1% above the Kentucky figure.
Elsewhere in Kentucky
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY | 685,190 jobs | $2,150 – $9,350 | $5,750 | level |
| Bowling Green, KY | 82,160 jobs | $2,100 – $9,300 | $5,700 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Lexington against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, ME | 288,480 jobs | $2,850 – $10,500 | $6,700 | +16% |
| New Haven, CT | 281,410 jobs | $2,700 – $10,300 | $6,500 | +13% |
| Stockton, CA | 289,660 jobs | $2,600 – $10,600 | $6,600 | +15% |
| Reno, NV | 275,680 jobs | $2,500 – $9,900 | $6,200 | +8% |
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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 $4,300 to $7,200 for Lexington, KY is attached.
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Tile flooring in Lexington: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a tile floor in Lexington?
For 200 sq ft, expect $2,150 to $9,350 in the Lexington area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,300 to $7,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for tile floor in Lexington?
About $10.50 to $47 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 Lexington or Cincinnati?
Cincinnati is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft there is $5,700, which is 1% less than Lexington ($5,750). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Lexington?
About 38% at the midpoint, or $2,200 out of $5,750. Materials are 62% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 40%.
+What would kitchen (150 sq ft) cost in Lexington?
$1,600 to $7,050. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does tile floor need a permit in Lexington?
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 Lexington area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Lexington expensive for tile floor compared with the rest of Kentucky?
Lexington is 1% above the Kentucky statewide estimate ($5,700 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in Kentucky; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Lexington?
The BLS median is $23.00 an hour in the Lexington area, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.34 to $26.32.
+What do basic and premium tile floor work cost in Lexington?
For 200 sq ft, basic work runs $2,150 to $5,050 and premium work $6,500 to $9,350. Basic means: basic ceramic or vinyl tile, simple square layout. Premium means: large-format, natural stone or patterned layouts.
Tile flooring near Lexington
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.