Attic insulation cost in Illinois
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,000 sq ft)
- $1,100 – $4,250
- Per sq ft
- $1.10 – $4.25
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +7%
- US $2,500
- Metros covered
- 6
Illinois prices for attic insulation: $1,100 to $4,250 for 1,000 sq ft, or $1.10 to $4.25 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 7% above the national one. Local wages for insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall are $25.48 an hour.
Inside Illinois, the metros we cover range from $2,450 (Rockford) to $2,800 (Chicago) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in Illinois (statewide), standard level
$2,050 to $3,300
About $2.05 to $3.30 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 38% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,200 | $2,100 |
| Labor | $830 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $2,050 | $3,300 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Illinois
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $520 | $1,650 | $2,800 | 62% |
| Labor | $560 | $1,000 | $1,450 | 38% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $1,100 | $2,650 | $4,250 | 100% |
Quality levels and sizes in Illinois
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Illinois wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$1,100 to $2,350
Blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value
Standard
$2,050 to $3,300
Higher R-value with air sealing around fixtures
Premium
$3,000 to $4,250
Spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small attic (600 sq ft) | $650 – $1,400 | $1,200 – $2,000 | $1,800 – $2,550 |
| average attic (1,000 sq ft) | $1,100 – $2,350 | $2,050 – $3,300 | $3,000 – $4,250 |
| large attic (1,800 sq ft) | $1,950 – $4,250 | $3,650 – $5,950 | $5,400 – $7,650 |
Illinois versus the states around it
Illinois ranks 9 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. Illinois sits at $2,650. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
Attic insulation: what moves the price in Illinois
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.
What insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall and the other trades earn in Illinois
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 1.12 for Illinois.
Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131), 80% of the weighting: a median of $25.48 an hour, 8% above the US median of $23.62. The middle half of them earn between $22.33 and $34.63 an hour. About 780 work in the state. That is 1.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.9 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $29.18 an hour, 29% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.14 and $45.79 an hour. About 35,940 work in the state. That is 58.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall ($34.63 an hour) would add about $280 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($22.33) would take off about $95. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 6,098,130 jobs across Illinois (May 2025), which is 3.9% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) | 80% | $22.33 | $25.48 | $34.63 | $23.62 | 1.08 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.14 | $29.18 | $45.79 | $22.66 | 1.29 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.12 | |||||
If you are planning more than one job in Illinois
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Illinois wages and prices. Against national midpoints, roof replacement comes out highest (+25%) and window replacement lowest (+8%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $7,850 – $15,400 | +25% |
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $13,400 – $39,400 | +24% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $9,850 – $29,600 | +17% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,900 – $16,100 | +8% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,550 – $4,850 | +16% |
Illinois metro-by-metro prices
1 of the 6 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,650, and the top-to-bottom gap is 15%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $1,150 – $4,500 | $2,800 | +5% |
| Peoria, IL | $1,050 – $4,000 | $2,500 | −6% |
| Springfield, IL | $1,050 – $4,000 | $2,500 | −6% |
| Bloomington, IL | $1,050 – $4,000 | $2,500 | −6% |
| Champaign, IL | $1,050 – $4,000 | $2,500 | −6% |
| Rockford, IL | $1,000 – $3,900 | $2,450 | −8% |
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Detailed attic insulation report for Illinois, $9
Multi-page report for Illinois: 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.
Attic insulation in Illinois: your questions
+How much does it cost to insulate an attic in Illinois?
$1,100 to $4,250 for 1,000 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Illinois can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Illinois is cheapest for attic insulation?
Rockford at about $2,450 (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft). The priciest is Chicago at $2,800.
+Is attic insulation cheaper in Illinois than the US average?
It is 7% more expensive: $2,650 against $2,500 for 1,000 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Illinois?
About 38% ($1,000). Materials are 62%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.12x the national wage level.
+What do insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn in Illinois?
The BLS statewide median is $25.48 an hour, against $23.62 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.33 to $34.63.
+Where does Illinois rank for attic insulation costs?
9th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,650 for 1,000 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium attic insulation work cost in Illinois?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $1,100 to $2,350 and premium work $3,000 to $4,250. 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 Illinois
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.