Attic insulation cost in Portland, OR
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,000 sq ft)
- $1,150 – $4,450
- Per sq ft
- $1.15 – $4.45
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +11%
- US $2,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #17
- 1 = most expensive
Attic insulation in Portland, OR usually costs $1,150 to $4,450 for 1,000 sq ft. That works out to about $1.15 to $4.45 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $280 more. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn a median of $29.31 an hour in the Portland area, 24% above the US median of $23.62.
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in Portland, OR, standard level
$2,150 to $3,450
About $2.15 to $3.45 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 40% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,200 | $2,150 |
| Labor | $900 | $1,300 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $2,150 | $3,450 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Portland, OR
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $530 | $1,700 | $2,850 | 60% |
| Labor | $610 | $1,100 | $1,600 | 40% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $1,150 | $2,800 | $4,450 | 100% |
What is behind the Portland number
Labor is 40% 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 Portland the blended ratio comes out at 1.22.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Portland is at 105.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,600 nationally becomes $1,700 here (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 105.4: $0 to $0.
Attic insulation: what moves the price in Portland
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 Portland cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 3 are cheaper than Portland. Eugene is the lowest at about $2,750 (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft), 115 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, ORthis page | $1,150 – $4,450 | $2,800 | |
| Salem, OR50 miles | $1,150 – $4,400 | $2,800 | level |
| Olympia, WA95 miles | $1,250 – $4,750 | $3,000 | +8% |
| Yakima, WA100 miles | $1,200 – $4,550 | $2,850 | +3% |
| Eugene, OR115 miles | $1,100 – $4,400 | $2,750 | −1% |
| Bend, OR125 miles | $1,150 – $4,400 | $2,750 | −1% |
| Oregon (statewide) | $1,100 – $4,400 | $2,750 | −1% |
| United States | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 | −10% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Portland ranks #17 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Portland is 1% above the Oregon figure.
Elsewhere in Oregon
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | 188,620 jobs | $1,150 – $4,400 | $2,800 | level |
| Eugene, OR | 157,710 jobs | $1,100 – $4,400 | $2,750 | −1% |
| Bend, OR | 108,240 jobs | $1,150 – $4,400 | $2,750 | −1% |
| Medford, OR | 89,060 jobs | $1,200 – $4,650 | $2,900 | +5% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Portland against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $960 – $3,800 | $2,400 | −14% |
| Las Vegas, NV | 1,136,960 jobs | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 | −14% |
| St. Louis, MO | 1,341,320 jobs | $1,100 – $4,300 | $2,700 | −3% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $1,150 – $4,450 | $2,800 | +1% |
What nearby projects cost in Portland
Jobs that often go together with attic insulation are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Portland wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, vinyl siding comes out highest (+13%) and roof replacement lowest (+9%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,700 – $13,600 | +9% |
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $11,400 – $35,700 | +10% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $9,500 – $28,400 | +13% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $5,050 – $16,500 | +11% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,450 – $4,600 | +11% |
What local crews earn in Portland
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 Portland the blend is 1.22.
For insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131, weighted 80%) the local median is $29.31 an hour, which is 24% above the national $23.62. The middle half of them earn between $24.08 and $36.84 an hour. BLS counts 450 of them working in the area, 3.7 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 $26.08 an hour, which is 15% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.45 and $31.65 an hour. BLS counts 7,950 of them working in the area, 65.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about 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 $230 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $160. That is a swing of roughly 5.7% to 8.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has 1,208,410 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 25th 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% | $24.08 | $29.31 | $36.84 | $23.62 | 1.24 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $21.45 | $26.08 | $31.65 | $22.66 | 1.15 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.22 | |||||
Pick a size, pick a tier: attic insulation pricing in Portland
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Portland. 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
$1,150 to $2,450
Blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value
Standard
$2,150 to $3,450
Higher R-value with air sealing around fixtures
Premium
$3,100 to $4,450
Spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small attic (600 sq ft) | $680 – $1,450 | $1,300 – $2,050 | $1,850 – $2,650 |
| average attic (1,000 sq ft) | $1,150 – $2,450 | $2,150 – $3,450 | $3,100 – $4,450 |
| large attic (1,800 sq ft) | $2,050 – $4,400 | $3,850 – $6,200 | $5,600 – $8,000 |
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Attic insulation in Portland: your questions
+How much does it cost to insulate an attic in Portland?
For 1,000 sq ft, expect $1,150 to $4,450 in the Portland area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,150 to $3,450. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for attic insulation in Portland?
About $1.15 to $4.45 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 Portland or Salem?
Salem is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 1,000 sq ft there is $2,800, which is 0% less than Portland ($2,800). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Portland?
About 40% at the midpoint, or $1,100 out of $2,800. Materials are 60% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 36%.
+What would average attic (1,000 sq ft) cost in Portland?
$1,150 to $4,450. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does attic insulation need a permit in Portland?
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 Portland area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Portland expensive for attic insulation compared with the rest of Oregon?
Portland is 1% above the Oregon statewide estimate ($2,750 at the midpoint). We cover 5 metros in Oregon; see the state page to compare them.
+What do insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn in Portland?
The BLS median is $29.31 an hour in the Portland area, compared with $23.62 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.08 to $36.84.
+What do basic and premium attic insulation work cost in Portland?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $1,150 to $2,450 and premium work $3,100 to $4,450. 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 Portland
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.