Attic insulation cost in Boise, ID
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,000 sq ft)
- $920 – $3,750
- Per sq ft
- $0.90 – $3.75
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −7%
- US $2,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #275
- 1 = most expensive
Attic insulation in Boise, ID usually costs $920 to $3,750 for 1,000 sq ft. That works out to about $0.90 to $3.75 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $170 less. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn a median of $19.98 an hour in the Boise area, 15% below the US median of $23.62.
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in Boise, ID, standard level
$1,750 to $2,900
About $1.75 to $2.90 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 34% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,100 | $1,950 |
| Labor | $650 | $930 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,750 | $2,900 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Boise, ID
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $480 | $1,550 | $2,600 | 66% |
| Labor | $440 | $790 | $1,150 | 34% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $920 | $2,350 | $3,750 | 100% |
What is behind the Boise number
Labor is 34% of the midpoint bill here, against 36% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (80%), construction laborers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Boise the blended ratio comes out at 0.88. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Idaho statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Boise is at 96.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,600 nationally becomes $1,550 here (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 98.4: $0 to $0.
Data note: 80% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Boise. The wage table below marks each row.
Related projects, priced for Boise
Jobs that often go together with attic insulation are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Boise wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, roof replacement comes out highest (+3%) and vinyl siding lowest (−7%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,350 – $12,800 | +3% |
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $10,400 – $32,500 | +1% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,800 – $23,400 | −7% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,350 – $14,400 | −4% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,250 – $4,100 | −3% |
What local crews earn in Boise
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 Boise the blend is 0.88.
Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) carry 80% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Boise metro, so we used the Idaho statewide median: $19.98 an hour against $23.62 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $17.19 and $24.39 an hour.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $22.84 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $19.98 and $25.18 an hour. BLS counts 4,700 of them working in the area, 120.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $130 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $85. That is a swing of roughly 3.7% to 5.8% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Boise City has 391,790 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 67th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) | 80% | $17.19 | $19.98 | $24.39 | $23.62 | 0.85 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $19.98 | $22.84 | $25.18 | $22.66 | 1.01 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
Is Boise cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Boise. Ogden is the lowest at about $2,300 (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft), 255 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boise, IDthis page | $920 – $3,750 | $2,350 | |
| Idaho Falls, ID190 miles | $920 – $3,750 | $2,300 | level |
| Logan, UT235 miles | $910 – $3,700 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Salt Lake City, UT235 miles | $910 – $3,700 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Bend, OR250 miles | $1,150 – $4,400 | $2,750 | +19% |
| Ogden, UT255 miles | $900 – $3,700 | $2,300 | −2% |
| Idaho (statewide) | $920 – $3,750 | $2,350 | level |
| United States | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 | +7% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Boise ranks #275 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Boise is 0% above the Idaho figure.
Elsewhere in Idaho
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls, ID | 81,840 jobs | $920 – $3,750 | $2,300 | level |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | 72,280 jobs | $930 – $3,750 | $2,350 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Boise against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SC | 394,170 jobs | $900 – $3,700 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $920 – $3,750 | $2,350 | level |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $990 – $3,900 | $2,450 | +5% |
| Allentown, PA | 377,180 jobs | $950 – $3,850 | $2,400 | +3% |
Cost by quality level and size in Boise
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Boise. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small attic (600 sq ft) to large attic (1,800 sq ft).
Basic
$920 to $2,050
Blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value
Standard
$1,750 to $2,900
Higher R-value with air sealing around fixtures
Premium
$2,600 to $3,750
Spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small attic (600 sq ft) | $550 – $1,250 | $1,050 – $1,750 | $1,550 – $2,250 |
| average attic (1,000 sq ft) | $920 – $2,050 | $1,750 – $2,900 | $2,600 – $3,750 |
| large attic (1,800 sq ft) | $1,650 – $3,700 | $3,200 – $5,200 | $4,700 – $6,750 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Boise bid
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.
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Attic insulation in Boise: your questions
+How much does it cost to insulate an attic in Boise?
For 1,000 sq ft, expect $920 to $3,750 in the Boise area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,750 to $2,900. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for attic insulation in Boise?
About $0.90 to $3.75 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $1 to $4.
+Is attic insulation cheaper in Boise or Idaho Falls?
Idaho Falls is 190 miles away. The midpoint for 1,000 sq ft there is $2,300, which is 0% less than Boise ($2,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Boise?
About 34% at the midpoint, or $790 out of $2,350. Materials are 66% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 36%.
+What would average attic (1,000 sq ft) cost in Boise?
$920 to $3,750. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does attic insulation need a permit in Boise?
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 Boise area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Boise expensive for attic insulation compared with the rest of Idaho?
Boise is 0% above the Idaho statewide estimate ($2,350 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in Idaho; see the state page to compare them.
+What do insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn in Boise?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $19.98 an hour, compared with $23.62 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.19 to $24.39.
+What do basic and premium attic insulation work cost in Boise?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $920 to $2,050 and premium work $2,600 to $3,750. 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 near Boise
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.