Attic insulation cost in North Carolina
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,000 sq ft)
- $930 – $3,750
- Per sq ft
- $0.95 – $3.75
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $2,500
- Metros covered
- 11
What does it cost to insulate an attic in North Carolina? Plan on $930 to $3,750 for 1,000 sq ft. Wages (0.89x the US blend), materials (price index 96.6) and permit costs (94.3) put the state below the national midpoint by 6%.
Inside North Carolina, the metros we cover range from $2,250 (Winston) to $2,400 (Raleigh) 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 North Carolina (statewide), standard level
$1,800 to $2,900
About $1.80 to $2.90 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 34% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,100 | $1,950 |
| Labor | $660 | $940 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,800 | $2,900 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in North Carolina
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $480 | $1,550 | $2,600 | 66% |
| Labor | $440 | $800 | $1,150 | 34% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $930 | $2,350 | $3,750 | 100% |
What insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall and the other trades earn in North Carolina
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 0.89 for North Carolina.
Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131), 80% of the weighting: a median of $20.67 an hour, 12% below the US median of $23.62. The middle half of them earn between $17.49 and $23.07 an hour. About 2,090 work in the state. That is 4.2 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 $21.50 an hour, 5% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.97 and $23.59 an hour. About 35,620 work in the state. That is 72.1 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 ($23.07 an hour) would add about $75 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.49) 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 4,941,820 jobs across North Carolina (May 2025), which is 3.2% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) | 80% | $17.49 | $20.67 | $23.07 | $23.62 | 0.88 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.97 | $21.50 | $23.59 | $22.66 | 0.95 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.89 | |||||
Attic insulation: what moves the price in North Carolina
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.
Which North Carolina city is cheapest for attic insulation?
3 of the 11 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,350, and the top-to-bottom gap is 6%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh, NC | $950 – $3,850 | $2,400 | +2% |
| Greensboro, NC | $950 – $3,800 | $2,400 | +1% |
| Charlotte, NC | $940 – $3,800 | $2,350 | +1% |
| Asheville, NC | $930 – $3,800 | $2,350 | level |
| Durham, NC | $930 – $3,800 | $2,350 | level |
| Hickory, NC | $930 – $3,750 | $2,350 | level |
| Fayetteville, NC | $930 – $3,750 | $2,350 | level |
| Greenville, NC | $920 – $3,750 | $2,350 | level |
| Burlington, NC | $920 – $3,750 | $2,350 | level |
| Wilmington, NC | $890 – $3,650 | $2,250 | −3% |
| Winston, NC | $880 – $3,650 | $2,250 | −4% |
North Carolina versus the states around it
North Carolina ranks 44 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. North Carolina sits at $2,350. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 120 miles away | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 | +2% |
| Virginia | 180 miles away | $960 – $3,900 | $2,450 | +3% |
| West Virginia | 240 miles away | $860 – $3,600 | $2,250 | −5% |
| District of Columbia | 260 miles away | $1,050 – $4,200 | $2,600 | +11% |
| Georgia | 270 miles away | $970 – $3,900 | $2,450 | +4% |
If you are planning more than one job in North Carolina
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide North Carolina wages and prices. Against national midpoints, gutters comes out highest (−7%) and vinyl siding lowest (−9%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $5,550 – $11,600 | −8% |
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $9,100 – $30,000 | −8% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,650 – $22,900 | −9% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,150 – $14,000 | −7% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,200 – $3,950 | −7% |
Quality levels and sizes in North Carolina
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide North Carolina wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$930 to $2,050
Blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value
Standard
$1,800 to $2,900
Higher R-value with air sealing around fixtures
Premium
$2,650 to $3,750
Spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small attic (600 sq ft) | $560 – $1,250 | $1,050 – $1,750 | $1,600 – $2,250 |
| average attic (1,000 sq ft) | $930 – $2,050 | $1,800 – $2,900 | $2,650 – $3,750 |
| large attic (1,800 sq ft) | $1,650 – $3,700 | $3,200 – $5,250 | $4,750 – $6,800 |
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Attic insulation in North Carolina: your questions
+How much does it cost to insulate an attic in North Carolina?
$930 to $3,750 for 1,000 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside North Carolina can sit above or below that.
+Which city in North Carolina is cheapest for attic insulation?
Winston at about $2,250 (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft). The priciest is Raleigh at $2,400.
+Is attic insulation cheaper in North Carolina than the US average?
It is 6% cheaper: $2,350 against $2,500 for 1,000 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in North Carolina?
About 34% ($800). Materials are 66%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.89x the national wage level.
+What do insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn in North Carolina?
The BLS statewide median is $20.67 an hour, against $23.62 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.49 to $23.07.
+Where does North Carolina rank for attic insulation costs?
44th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,350 for 1,000 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium attic insulation work cost in North Carolina?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $930 to $2,050 and premium work $2,650 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 by city in North Carolina
- Raleigh, NC$2,400 midpoint
- Greensboro, NC$2,400 midpoint
- Charlotte, NC$2,350 midpoint
- Asheville, NC$2,350 midpoint
- Durham, NC$2,350 midpoint
- Hickory, NC$2,350 midpoint
- Fayetteville, NC$2,350 midpoint
- Greenville, NC$2,350 midpoint
- Burlington, NC$2,350 midpoint
- Wilmington, NC$2,250 midpoint
- Winston, NC$2,250 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.