Attic insulation cost in Delaware
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,000 sq ft)
- $1,000 – $4,000
- Per sq ft
- $1 – $4
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $2,500
- Metros covered
- 1
What does it cost to insulate an attic in Delaware? Plan on $1,000 to $4,000 for 1,000 sq ft. Wages (1.07x the US blend), materials (price index 96.2) and permit costs (99.8) put the state below the national midpoint by 0%.
Delaware has one metro in our dataset, Dover, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas.
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in Delaware (statewide), standard level
$1,900 to $3,100
About $1.90 to $3.10 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 38% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,100 | $1,950 |
| Labor | $790 | $1,150 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,900 | $3,100 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Delaware
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $480 | $1,550 | $2,600 | 62% |
| Labor | $530 | $960 | $1,400 | 38% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $1,000 | $2,500 | $4,000 | 100% |
Delaware metro-by-metro prices
Delaware has one metro in our dataset, Dover, so the statewide and metro figures are close. The state figure uses BLS statewide wages, which include rural areas. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (1,000 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DE | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 | level |
Attic insulation: what moves the price in Delaware
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.
Quality levels and sizes in Delaware
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Delaware wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
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
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small attic (600 sq ft) | $610 – $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 | $3,450 – $5,550 | $5,050 – $7,150 |
Related projects, priced for Delaware
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Delaware wages and prices. Against national midpoints, roof replacement comes out highest (+2%) and vinyl siding lowest (−3%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,300 – $12,700 | +2% |
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $10,400 – $32,600 | +1% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $8,150 – $24,400 | −3% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,400 – $14,500 | −3% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,250 – $4,100 | −2% |
What insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall and the other trades earn in Delaware
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 1.07 for Delaware.
Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131), 80% of the weighting: a median of $25.75 an hour, 9% above the US median of $23.62. The middle half of them earn between $22.18 and $29.59 an hour. About 280 work in the state. That is 5.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.9 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $21.90 an hour, 3% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.93 and $27.07 an hour. About 3,240 work in the state. That is 66.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall ($29.59 an hour) would add about $120 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($22.18) would take off about $110. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 484,790 jobs across Delaware (May 2025), which is 0.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) | 80% | $22.18 | $25.75 | $29.59 | $23.62 | 1.09 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.93 | $21.90 | $27.07 | $22.66 | 0.97 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.07 | |||||
Delaware versus the states around it
Delaware ranks 23 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for attic insulation, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Washington at $2,900 and the cheapest West Virginia at $2,250, both for 1,000 sq ft at the midpoint. Delaware sits at $2,500. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 60 miles away | $1,100 – $4,350 | $2,750 | +9% |
| Maryland | 60 miles away | $1,100 – $4,250 | $2,700 | +7% |
| Pennsylvania | 100 miles away | $1,000 – $4,050 | $2,500 | +1% |
| District of Columbia | 110 miles away | $1,050 – $4,200 | $2,600 | +5% |
| New York | 150 miles away | $1,150 – $4,450 | $2,800 | +12% |
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Attic insulation in Delaware: your questions
+How much does it cost to insulate an attic in Delaware?
$1,000 to $4,000 for 1,000 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Delaware can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Delaware is cheapest for attic insulation?
Dover at about $2,500 (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft).
+Is attic insulation cheaper in Delaware than the US average?
It is 0% cheaper: $2,500 against $2,500 for 1,000 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Delaware?
About 38% ($960). Materials are 62%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.07x the national wage level.
+What do insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn in Delaware?
The BLS statewide median is $25.75 an hour, against $23.62 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.18 to $29.59.
+Where does Delaware rank for attic insulation costs?
23rd most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,500 for 1,000 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium attic insulation work cost in Delaware?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $1,000 to $2,200 and premium work $2,800 to $4,000. Basic means: blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value. Premium means: spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic.
Attic insulation by city in Delaware
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.