Tile flooring cost in Wausau, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft)
- $2,600 – $9,950
- Per sq ft
- $13 – $49.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $6,200
- Rank of 300 metros
- #93
- 1 = most expensive
A tile floor in Wausau, WI usually costs $2,600 to $9,950 for 200 sq ft. That works out to about $13 to $49.50 per sq ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $30.14 an hour in the Wausau area, 13% above the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 200 sq ft in Wausau, WI, standard level
$4,800 to $7,750
About $24 to $38.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,250 | $4,700 |
| Labor | $2,600 | $3,050 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $4,800 | $7,750 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft in Wausau, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $380 | $3,450 | $6,550 | 55% |
| Labor | $2,250 | $2,800 | $3,350 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $2,600 | $6,300 | $9,950 | 100% |
What is behind the Wausau 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, Wausau wages are 1.12 times the national level. Labor makes up about 45% of the midpoint estimate (40% 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. Wausau is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $3,700 nationally becomes $3,450 here (midpoint, 200 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 92.7: $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 Wausau. The wage table below marks each row.
Specs and site conditions that change a Wausau bid
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.
What local crews earn in Wausau
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 Wausau the blend is 1.12.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 85% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Wausau 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.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 15%) the local median is $25.30 an hour, which is 12% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.07 and $30.00 an hour. BLS counts 510 of them working in the area, 73.3 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 $500 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $210. That is a swing of roughly 3.4% to 7.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Wausau has 69,530 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 261st 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% | $27.44 | $30.14 | $36.42 | $26.77 | 1.13 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $22.07 | $25.30 | $30.00 | $22.66 | 1.12 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.12 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in Wausau
Jobs that often go together with tile floor are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Wausau wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (+11%) and hardwood flooring lowest (−10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring | 500 sq ft | $4,950 – $11,300 | −10% |
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,800 – $6,400 | −9% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,850 – $24,000 | +3% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $1,100 – $3,050 | +11% |
Cost by quality level and size in Wausau
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Wausau. 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
$2,600 to $5,550
Basic ceramic or vinyl tile, simple square layout
Standard
$4,800 to $7,750
Porcelain tile, standard layout
Premium
$7,000 to $9,950
Large-format, natural stone or patterned layouts
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| bathroom (50 sq ft) | $660 – $1,400 | $1,200 – $1,950 | $1,750 – $2,500 |
| kitchen (150 sq ft) | $1,950 – $4,150 | $3,600 – $5,800 | $5,250 – $7,450 |
| main floor (400 sq ft) | $5,250 – $11,100 | $9,650 – $15,500 | $14,000 – $19,900 |
How Wausau compares
Same job, same size (200 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Appleton is the priciest of the group at $6,350. Green Bay is the cheapest at $6,250.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WIthis page | $2,600 – $9,950 | $6,300 | |
| Eau Claire, WI75 miles | $2,650 – $10,000 | $6,350 | +1% |
| Oshkosh, WI80 miles | $2,600 – $9,950 | $6,250 | level |
| Appleton, WI80 miles | $2,650 – $10,000 | $6,350 | +1% |
| Green Bay, WI90 miles | $2,600 – $9,900 | $6,250 | level |
| La Crosse, WI105 miles | $2,650 – $10,000 | $6,350 | +1% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $2,650 – $10,000 | $6,350 | +1% |
| United States | $2,400 – $10,000 | $6,200 | −1% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Wausau ranks #93 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Wausau is 1% below the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $2,700 – $10,100 | $6,400 | +2% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $2,700 – $10,100 | $6,400 | +2% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $2,600 – $9,900 | $6,250 | level |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $2,650 – $10,000 | $6,350 | +1% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $2,600 – $9,950 | $6,250 | level |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $2,650 – $10,000 | $6,350 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Wausau against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $2,650 – $9,950 | $6,300 | level |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $2,250 – $9,550 | $5,900 | −6% |
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $2,100 – $9,500 | $5,800 | −8% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $2,900 – $10,800 | $6,850 | +9% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Multi-page report for Wausau, WI: 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 Wausau: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a tile floor in Wausau?
For 200 sq ft, expect $2,600 to $9,950 in the Wausau area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,800 to $7,750. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for tile floor in Wausau?
About $13 to $49.50 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 Wausau or Eau Claire?
Eau Claire is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft there is $6,350, which is 1% more than Wausau ($6,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Wausau?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $2,800 out of $6,300. Materials are 55% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 40%.
+What would kitchen (150 sq ft) cost in Wausau?
$1,950 to $7,450. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does tile floor need a permit in Wausau?
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 Wausau area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Wausau expensive for tile floor compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Wausau is 1% below the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($6,350 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Wausau?
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 tile floor work cost in Wausau?
For 200 sq ft, basic work runs $2,600 to $5,550 and premium work $7,000 to $9,950. Basic means: basic ceramic or vinyl tile, simple square layout. Premium means: large-format, natural stone or patterned layouts.
Tile flooring near Wausau
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.