Attic insulation cost in Wilmington, NC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,000 sq ft)
- $890 – $3,650
- Per sq ft
- $0.90 – $3.65
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $2,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #292
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for attic insulation in the Wilmington area: $890 to $3,650 for 1,000 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 9% lower than the US figure. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn a median of $18.13 an hour in the Wilmington area, 23% below the US median of $23.62.
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in Wilmington, NC, standard level
$1,700 to $2,850
About $1.70 to $2.85 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 32% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,100 | $1,950 |
| Labor | $600 | $860 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,700 | $2,850 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Wilmington, NC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $480 | $1,550 | $2,600 | 68% |
| Labor | $400 | $730 | $1,050 | 32% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $890 | $2,250 | $3,650 | 100% |
Why Wilmington prices look the way they do
Labor is 32% 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 Wilmington the blended ratio comes out at 0.81.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Wilmington is at 96.6 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 96.4: $0 to $0.
What nearby projects cost in Wilmington
Jobs that often go together with attic insulation are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Wilmington wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, window replacement comes out highest (−7%) and metal roof lowest (−9%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $5,600 – $11,600 | −8% |
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $9,000 – $29,800 | −9% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,750 – $23,200 | −8% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,150 – $14,000 | −7% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,150 – $3,900 | −7% |
Who does the work: Wilmington trade wages
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 Wilmington the blend is 0.81.
For insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131, weighted 80%) the local median is $18.13 an hour, which is 23% below the national $23.62. The middle half of them earn between $14.67 and $20.15 an hour. BLS counts 90 of them working in the area, 4.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.9), so the local bench is deeper than average.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $22.16 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.02 and $26.94 an hour. BLS counts 1,870 of them working in the area, 97.8 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 $60 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $110. That is a swing of roughly 4.6% to 2.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Wilmington has 191,280 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 120th 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% | $14.67 | $18.13 | $20.15 | $23.62 | 0.77 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.02 | $22.16 | $26.94 | $22.66 | 0.98 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.81 | |||||
Why two Wilmington quotes can differ
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.
Is Wilmington cheap or dear? The local comparison
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 1,000 sq ft range from $2,250 to $2,400 across Wilmington and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, NCthis page | $890 – $3,650 | $2,250 | |
| Myrtle Beach, SC60 miles | $950 – $3,800 | $2,400 | +4% |
| Fayetteville, NC75 miles | $930 – $3,750 | $2,350 | +3% |
| Greenville, NC100 miles | $920 – $3,750 | $2,350 | +3% |
| Florence, SC100 miles | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 | +6% |
| Raleigh, NC105 miles | $950 – $3,850 | $2,400 | +5% |
| North Carolina (statewide) | $930 – $3,750 | $2,350 | +3% |
| United States | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 | +10% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Wilmington ranks #292 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Wilmington is 3% below the North Carolina figure.
Elsewhere in North Carolina
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 1,358,370 jobs | $940 – $3,800 | $2,350 | +4% |
| Raleigh, NC | 743,120 jobs | $950 – $3,850 | $2,400 | +5% |
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $950 – $3,800 | $2,400 | +5% |
| Durham, NC | 344,020 jobs | $930 – $3,800 | $2,350 | +3% |
| Winston, NC | 271,980 jobs | $880 – $3,650 | $2,250 | −1% |
| Asheville, NC | 180,620 jobs | $930 – $3,800 | $2,350 | +4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Wilmington against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | 192,390 jobs | $1,000 – $3,950 | $2,450 | +8% |
| Pensacola, FL | 190,480 jobs | $940 – $3,800 | $2,350 | +4% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $950 – $3,800 | $2,350 | +4% |
| Salem, OR | 188,620 jobs | $1,150 – $4,400 | $2,800 | +22% |
Wilmington: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Wilmington. 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
$890 to $2,000
Blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value
Standard
$1,700 to $2,850
Higher R-value with air sealing around fixtures
Premium
$2,550 to $3,650
Spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small attic (600 sq ft) | $530 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,700 | $1,550 – $2,200 |
| average attic (1,000 sq ft) | $890 – $2,000 | $1,700 – $2,850 | $2,550 – $3,650 |
| large attic (1,800 sq ft) | $1,600 – $3,600 | $3,100 – $5,100 | $4,600 – $6,600 |
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Attic insulation in Wilmington: your questions
+How much does it cost to insulate an attic in Wilmington?
For 1,000 sq ft, expect $890 to $3,650 in the Wilmington area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,700 to $2,850. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for attic insulation in Wilmington?
About $0.90 to $3.65 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 Wilmington or Myrtle Beach?
Myrtle Beach is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 1,000 sq ft there is $2,400, which is 4% more than Wilmington ($2,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Wilmington?
About 32% at the midpoint, or $730 out of $2,250. Materials are 68% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 36%.
+What would average attic (1,000 sq ft) cost in Wilmington?
$890 to $3,650. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does attic insulation need a permit in Wilmington?
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 Wilmington area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Wilmington expensive for attic insulation compared with the rest of North Carolina?
Wilmington is 3% below the North Carolina statewide estimate ($2,350 at the midpoint). We cover 11 metros in North Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn in Wilmington?
The BLS median is $18.13 an hour in the Wilmington area, compared with $23.62 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $14.67 to $20.15.
+What do basic and premium attic insulation work cost in Wilmington?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $890 to $2,000 and premium work $2,550 to $3,650. 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 Wilmington
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.