Attic insulation cost: national prices and local ranges
Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- US range (1,000 sq ft)
- $1,000 – $4,000
- Per sq ft
- $1 – $4
- materials and labor
- Cheapest metro
- $2,250
- Morgantown, WV
- Priciest metro
- $3,150
- San Francisco, CA
Attic insulation runs $1,000 to $4,000 nationally for 1,000 sq ft, or $1 to $4 per sq ft for materials and labor. Where you live moves that number a lot: across 300 metros the midpoint runs from $2,250 in Morgantown, WV to $3,150 in San Francisco, CA.
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in the US average, standard level
$1,900 to $3,100
About $1.90 to $3.10 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 36% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $2,050 |
| Labor | $740 | $1,050 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,900 | $3,100 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in the US
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $500 | $1,600 | $2,700 | 64% |
| Labor | $500 | $900 | $1,300 | 36% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $1,000 | $2,500 | $4,000 | 100% |
What basic, standard and premium mean
Basic
$1,000 to $2,200
Blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value
Standard
$1,900 to $3,100
Higher R-value with air sealing around fixtures
Premium
$2,800 to $4,000
Spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic
Cost by size and quality level
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small attic (600 sq ft) | $600 – $1,300 | $1,150 – $1,850 | $1,700 – $2,400 |
| average attic (1,000 sq ft) | $1,000 – $2,200 | $1,900 – $3,100 | $2,800 – $4,000 |
| large attic (1,800 sq ft) | $1,800 – $3,950 | $3,400 – $5,600 | $5,050 – $7,200 |
How a attic insulation job goes, step by step
- Find the gaps first. An energy audit or a quick attic check shows where heat is lost and what R-value your area's code recommends.
- Air seal before you insulate. Sealing gaps around pipes, wires and the attic hatch stops air moving through the new insulation.
- Install blown-in, batt, or spray foam. Blown-in suits attics, batts suit open walls, and spray foam seals and insulates but costs more.
- Check coverage and ventilation. Baffles keep soffit vents clear. Ask for a depth measurement and a written R-value.
What changes the price of attic insulation
Type of insulation
Blown-in is $0.90-$2.40 per sq ft and loose-fill is $1.00-$2.50 installed; spray foam costs more (HomeGuide).
Job size
Small attics start around $500 and large ones go up to $6,000 (HomeGuide).
Air sealing and fixture damming
Sealing gaps and damming around recessed lights are part of what moves the price within a type.
Removing old insulation
Old, wet or pest-damaged insulation has to come out first, at extra cost.
Wages behind the national estimate
Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) do the largest share of the work, about 80% of the weighting. Their national median is $23.62 an hour. Among 105 metros with a published figure, the median runs from $17.56 in Lake Havasu City, AZ to $39.36 in Omaha, NE, and the middle metro sits at $23.22. That ratio between the high and low end is 2.24 to 1, and it feeds straight into the labor line of the estimate.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) | 80% | $20.77 | $23.62 | $29.32 | $23.62 | 1.00 | US |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.57 | $22.66 | $28.72 | $22.66 | 1.00 | US |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
How much the price varies by city
Across the 300 metros we cover, the midpoint for 1,000 sq ft runs from $2,250 in Morgantown to $3,150 in San Francisco, a gap of 40%. The median metro is $2,450, which is −3% against the national midpoint of $2,500. 22 metros are 10% or more above the national figure, 6 are 10% or more below, and 272 sit within 10% of it.
Most expensive metros for attic insulation
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $1,300 – $4,950 | $3,150 |
| Olympia, WA | $1,250 – $4,750 | $3,000 |
| Seattle, WA | $1,250 – $4,650 | $2,950 |
| Medford, OR | $1,200 – $4,650 | $2,900 |
| New York, NY | $1,200 – $4,600 | $2,900 |
| Columbus, OH | $1,250 – $4,550 | $2,900 |
| Bellingham, WA | $1,200 – $4,600 | $2,900 |
| Omaha, NE | $1,250 – $4,550 | $2,900 |
| Bremerton, WA | $1,200 – $4,550 | $2,900 |
| Oxnard, CA | $1,200 – $4,550 | $2,850 |
Least expensive metros for attic insulation
| Metro | Range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Morgantown, WV | $860 – $3,600 | $2,250 |
| Huntington, WV | $870 – $3,600 | $2,250 |
| Shreveport, LA | $880 – $3,600 | $2,250 |
| Wheeling, WV | $870 – $3,600 | $2,250 |
| Lake Havasu City, AZ | $870 – $3,600 | $2,250 |
| Charleston, WV | $870 – $3,600 | $2,250 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $880 – $3,650 | $2,250 |
| Winston, NC | $880 – $3,650 | $2,250 |
| Wilmington, NC | $890 – $3,650 | $2,250 |
| Fort Smith, AR | $900 – $3,650 | $2,300 |
Attic insulation cost by state
| State | Range (1,000 sq ft) | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 |
| Alaska | $1,100 – $4,400 | $2,750 |
| Arizona | $920 – $3,750 | $2,300 |
| Arkansas | $900 – $3,650 | $2,300 |
| California | $1,050 – $4,250 | $2,650 |
| Colorado | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 |
| Connecticut | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 |
| Delaware | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 |
| District of Columbia | $1,050 – $4,200 | $2,600 |
| Florida | $970 – $3,900 | $2,450 |
| Georgia | $970 – $3,900 | $2,450 |
| Hawaii | $1,100 – $4,500 | $2,800 |
| Idaho | $920 – $3,750 | $2,350 |
| Illinois | $1,100 – $4,250 | $2,650 |
| Indiana | $1,050 – $4,000 | $2,500 |
| Iowa | $1,050 – $4,000 | $2,500 |
| Kansas | $980 – $3,900 | $2,450 |
| Kentucky | $980 – $3,900 | $2,450 |
| Louisiana | $940 – $3,750 | $2,350 |
| Maine | $970 – $3,900 | $2,450 |
| Maryland | $1,100 – $4,250 | $2,700 |
| Massachusetts | $1,050 – $4,050 | $2,550 |
| Michigan | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 |
| Minnesota | $1,050 – $4,200 | $2,650 |
| Mississippi | $1,050 – $4,150 | $2,600 |
| Missouri | $1,050 – $4,100 | $2,600 |
| Montana | $980 – $3,900 | $2,450 |
| Nebraska | $1,150 – $4,350 | $2,750 |
| Nevada | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 |
| New Hampshire | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 |
| New Jersey | $1,100 – $4,350 | $2,750 |
| New Mexico | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 |
| New York | $1,150 – $4,450 | $2,800 |
| North Carolina | $930 – $3,750 | $2,350 |
| North Dakota | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 |
| Ohio | $1,050 – $4,050 | $2,550 |
| Oklahoma | $930 – $3,750 | $2,350 |
| Oregon | $1,100 – $4,400 | $2,750 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,000 – $4,050 | $2,500 |
| Rhode Island | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 |
| South Carolina | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 |
| South Dakota | $950 – $3,800 | $2,350 |
| Tennessee | $970 – $3,850 | $2,400 |
| Texas | $970 – $3,900 | $2,450 |
| Utah | $910 – $3,700 | $2,300 |
| Vermont | $1,050 – $4,050 | $2,550 |
| Virginia | $960 – $3,900 | $2,450 |
| Washington | $1,200 – $4,550 | $2,900 |
| West Virginia | $860 – $3,600 | $2,250 |
| Wisconsin | $990 – $3,900 | $2,450 |
| Wyoming | $950 – $3,800 | $2,400 |
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Attic insulation cost: your questions
+How much does it cost to insulate an attic?
$1,000 to $4,000 for 1,000 sq ft at national prices, including a permit of $0 to $0.
+What is the average cost per sq ft?
$1 to $4 per sq ft, materials and labor. The mid-range is about $2.50.
+How much does the price vary by city?
A lot. The most expensive metro we cover is 40% above the cheapest for the same 1,000 sq ft job. The cheapest is Morgantown, WV; the priciest is San Francisco, CA.
+How much of the cost is labor?
About 36% at the national midpoint ($900). Materials are 64%.
+What do insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn on a attic insulation job?
The national BLS median is $23.62 an hour for insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall, with the middle half earning $20.77 to $29.32. Local wages are what move this estimate from town to town.
+How much more does a premium attic insulation job cost than a basic one?
At the national level, basic runs $1,000 to $2,200 and premium $2,800 to $4,000 for 1,000 sq ft. Basic means: blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value. Premium means: spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic.
Related projects
Largest metros: Attic insulation prices
- New York, NY$2,900 midpoint
- Los Angeles, CA$2,650 midpoint
- Chicago, IL$2,800 midpoint
- Dallas, TX$2,550 midpoint
- Houston, TX$2,450 midpoint
- Washington, DC$2,550 midpoint
- Philadelphia, PA$2,500 midpoint
- Atlanta, GA$2,550 midpoint
- Miami, FL$2,550 midpoint
- Boston, MA$2,550 midpoint
- Phoenix, AZ$2,300 midpoint
- San Francisco, CA$3,150 midpoint
- Seattle, WA$2,950 midpoint
- Minneapolis, MN$2,750 midpoint
- Detroit, MI$2,500 midpoint
- Riverside, CA$2,550 midpoint
- Denver, CO$2,550 midpoint
- San Diego, CA$2,650 midpoint
- Tampa, FL$2,400 midpoint
- Orlando, FL$2,400 midpoint
- Charlotte, NC$2,350 midpoint
- Baltimore, MD$2,750 midpoint
- St. Louis, MO$2,700 midpoint
- Austin, TX$2,400 midpoint
- Portland, OR$2,800 midpoint
- Las Vegas, NV$2,400 midpoint
- San Jose, CA$2,800 midpoint
- San Antonio, TX$2,350 midpoint
- Pittsburgh, PA$2,500 midpoint
- Columbus, OH$2,900 midpoint
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.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Attic Insulation Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed price minus HomeGuide's $0.50-$1.30 per sq ft insulation labor, matched low-to-low and high-to-high.