Tile flooring cost in Lincoln, NE
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft)
- $2,500 – $9,750
- Per sq ft
- $12.50 – $49
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −1%
- US $6,200
- Rank of 300 metros
- #118
- 1 = most expensive
A tile floor in Lincoln, NE usually costs $2,500 to $9,750 for 200 sq ft. That works out to about $12.50 to $49 per sq ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 94.1).
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft in Lincoln, NE, standard level
$4,650 to $7,550
About $23.50 to $38 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 43% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,250 | $4,700 |
| Labor | $2,450 | $2,850 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $4,650 | $7,550 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft in Lincoln, NE
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $380 | $3,500 | $6,600 | 57% |
| Labor | $2,100 | $2,650 | $3,150 | 43% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $2,500 | $6,100 | $9,750 | 100% |
Why Lincoln prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on tile and stone setters, who do 85% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $28.53 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Lincoln is 1.05 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 43% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Nebraska statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Lincoln is at 94.1 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,700 nationally becomes $3,500 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 91.6: $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 Lincoln. The wage table below marks each row.
What local crews earn in Lincoln
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 Lincoln the blend is 1.05.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 85% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Lincoln metro, so we used the Nebraska statewide median: $28.53 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.15 and $29.44 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 15%) the local median is $22.45 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.28 and $24.46 an hour. BLS counts 1,250 of them working in the area, 68.4 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 $70 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $430. That is a swing of roughly 7.0% to 1.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Lincoln has 182,620 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 126th 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% | $23.15 | $28.53 | $29.44 | $26.77 | 1.07 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $19.28 | $22.45 | $24.46 | $22.66 | 0.99 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.05 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Lincoln
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Lincoln. 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
$2,500 to $5,400
Basic ceramic or vinyl tile, simple square layout
Standard
$4,650 to $7,550
Porcelain tile, standard layout
Premium
$6,850 to $9,750
Large-format, natural stone or patterned layouts
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| bathroom (50 sq ft) | $620 – $1,350 | $1,150 – $1,900 | $1,700 – $2,450 |
| kitchen (150 sq ft) | $1,850 – $4,050 | $3,500 – $5,700 | $5,150 – $7,300 |
| main floor (400 sq ft) | $4,950 – $10,800 | $9,350 – $15,100 | $13,700 – $19,500 |
Lincoln against nearby metros and the rest of Nebraska
Same job, same size (200 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Omaha is the priciest of the group at $6,200. Sioux City is the cheapest at $5,950.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NEthis page | $2,500 – $9,750 | $6,100 | |
| Omaha, NE55 miles | $2,550 – $9,850 | $6,200 | +1% |
| Sioux City, IA120 miles | $2,350 – $9,550 | $5,950 | −3% |
| Topeka, KS135 miles | $2,350 – $9,550 | $5,950 | −3% |
| Des Moines, IA170 miles | $2,350 – $9,550 | $5,950 | −3% |
| Kansas City, MO185 miles | $2,450 – $9,700 | $6,050 | −1% |
| Nebraska (statewide) | $2,500 – $9,750 | $6,100 | level |
| United States | $2,400 – $10,000 | $6,200 | +1% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Lincoln ranks #118 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Lincoln is 0% below the Nebraska figure.
Elsewhere in Nebraska
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE | 498,100 jobs | $2,550 – $9,850 | $6,200 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Lincoln against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| York, PA | 183,590 jobs | $2,850 – $10,700 | $6,800 | +11% |
| Asheville, NC | 180,620 jobs | $2,200 – $9,450 | $5,850 | −5% |
| Tallahassee, FL | 186,160 jobs | $2,050 – $9,250 | $5,650 | −7% |
| Davenport, IA | 180,450 jobs | $2,400 – $9,600 | $6,000 | −2% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Lincoln bid
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.
What nearby projects cost in Lincoln
Jobs that often go together with tile floor are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Lincoln wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (−2%) and hardwood flooring lowest (−9%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring | 500 sq ft | $5,000 – $11,400 | −9% |
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,850 – $6,550 | −7% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,400 – $21,900 | −6% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $920 – $2,700 | −2% |
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Detailed tile flooring report for Lincoln, NE, $9
Multi-page report for Lincoln, NE: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Tile flooring in Lincoln: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a tile floor in Lincoln?
For 200 sq ft, expect $2,500 to $9,750 in the Lincoln area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,650 to $7,550. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for tile floor in Lincoln?
About $12.50 to $49 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 Lincoln or Omaha?
Omaha is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft there is $6,200, which is 1% more than Lincoln ($6,100). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Lincoln?
About 43% at the midpoint, or $2,650 out of $6,100. Materials are 57% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 40%.
+What would kitchen (150 sq ft) cost in Lincoln?
$1,850 to $7,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does tile floor need a permit in Lincoln?
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 Lincoln area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Lincoln expensive for tile floor compared with the rest of Nebraska?
Lincoln is 0% below the Nebraska statewide estimate ($6,100 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Nebraska; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Lincoln?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $28.53 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.15 to $29.44.
+What do basic and premium tile floor work cost in Lincoln?
For 200 sq ft, basic work runs $2,500 to $5,400 and premium work $6,850 to $9,750. Basic means: basic ceramic or vinyl tile, simple square layout. Premium means: large-format, natural stone or patterned layouts.
Tile flooring near Lincoln
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.