Attic insulation cost in New Jersey
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,000 sq ft)
- $1,100 – $4,350
- Per sq ft
- $1.10 – $4.35
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +9%
- US $2,500
- Metros covered
- 3
Across New Jersey, attic insulation costs about $1,100 to $4,350 for 1,000 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 9% above the US figure of $2,500. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn a median $25.36 an hour in New Jersey (US: $23.62).
Inside New Jersey, the metros we cover range from $2,500 (Atlantic City) to $2,700 (Vineland) 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 New Jersey (statewide), standard level
$2,100 to $3,400
About $2.10 to $3.40 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 37% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,250 | $2,200 |
| Labor | $840 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $2,100 | $3,400 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in New Jersey
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $540 | $1,700 | $2,900 | 63% |
| Labor | $570 | $1,000 | $1,450 | 37% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $1,100 | $2,750 | $4,350 | 100% |
Quality levels and sizes in New Jersey
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide New Jersey wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$1,100 to $2,400
Blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value
Standard
$2,100 to $3,400
Higher R-value with air sealing around fixtures
Premium
$3,050 to $4,350
Spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small attic (600 sq ft) | $660 – $1,450 | $1,250 – $2,050 | $1,850 – $2,600 |
| average attic (1,000 sq ft) | $1,100 – $2,400 | $2,100 – $3,400 | $3,050 – $4,350 |
| large attic (1,800 sq ft) | $2,000 – $4,350 | $3,750 – $6,100 | $5,500 – $7,850 |
New Jersey labor market for attic insulation
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 1.13 for New Jersey.
Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131), 80% of the weighting: a median of $25.36 an hour, 7% above the US median of $23.62. The middle half of them earn between $19.23 and $36.33 an hour. About 820 work in the state. That is 1.9 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 $30.80 an hour, 36% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.46 and $45.44 an hour. About 23,590 work in the state. That is 55.0 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 ($36.33 an hour) would add about $330 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($19.23) would take off about $190. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 4,285,720 jobs across New Jersey (May 2025), which is 2.8% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) | 80% | $19.23 | $25.36 | $36.33 | $23.62 | 1.07 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.46 | $30.80 | $45.44 | $22.66 | 1.36 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.13 | |||||
New Jersey against its neighbors
New Jersey ranks 7 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. New Jersey sits at $2,750. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 60 miles away | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 | −9% |
| New York | 100 miles away | $1,150 – $4,450 | $2,800 | +2% |
| Pennsylvania | 100 miles away | $1,000 – $4,050 | $2,500 | −8% |
| Maryland | 110 miles away | $1,100 – $4,250 | $2,700 | −2% |
| Connecticut | 150 miles away | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 | −9% |
Attic insulation: what moves the price in New Jersey
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.
New Jersey metro-by-metro prices
0 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,750, and the top-to-bottom gap is 8%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vineland, NJ | $1,100 – $4,250 | $2,700 | −2% |
| Trenton, NJ | $1,100 – $4,200 | $2,650 | −3% |
| Atlantic City, NJ | $990 – $4,000 | $2,500 | −9% |
If you are planning more than one job in New Jersey
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide New Jersey wages and prices. Against national midpoints, roof replacement comes out highest (+26%) and window replacement lowest (+9%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $7,900 – $15,500 | +26% |
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $13,500 – $40,100 | +26% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $9,500 – $28,500 | +13% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,950 – $16,400 | +9% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,600 – $5,000 | +21% |
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Attic insulation in New Jersey: your questions
+How much does it cost to insulate an attic in New Jersey?
$1,100 to $4,350 for 1,000 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside New Jersey can sit above or below that.
+Which city in New Jersey is cheapest for attic insulation?
Atlantic City at about $2,500 (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft). The priciest is Vineland at $2,700.
+Is attic insulation cheaper in New Jersey than the US average?
It is 9% more expensive: $2,750 against $2,500 for 1,000 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in New Jersey?
About 37% ($1,000). Materials are 63%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.13x the national wage level.
+What do insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn in New Jersey?
The BLS statewide median is $25.36 an hour, against $23.62 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $19.23 to $36.33.
+Where does New Jersey rank for attic insulation costs?
7th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,750 for 1,000 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium attic insulation work cost in New Jersey?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $1,100 to $2,400 and premium work $3,050 to $4,350. 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 New Jersey
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.