Attic insulation cost in Pennsylvania
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,000 sq ft)
- $1,000 – $4,050
- Per sq ft
- $1 – $4.05
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $2,500
- Metros covered
- 12
Across Pennsylvania, attic insulation costs about $1,000 to $4,050 for 1,000 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 1% above the US figure of $2,500. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn a median $24.33 an hour in Pennsylvania (US: $23.62).
Inside Pennsylvania, the metros we cover range from $2,400 (Allentown) to $2,550 (State College) 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 Pennsylvania (statewide), standard level
$1,900 to $3,100
About $1.90 to $3.10 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 37% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $2,050 |
| Labor | $760 | $1,100 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,900 | $3,100 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Pennsylvania
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $500 | $1,600 | $2,700 | 63% |
| Labor | $520 | $930 | $1,350 | 37% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $1,000 | $2,500 | $4,050 | 100% |
Which Pennsylvania city is cheapest for attic insulation?
4 of the 12 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,500, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| State College, PA | $1,050 – $4,100 | $2,550 | +1% |
| Harrisburg, PA | $1,000 – $4,050 | $2,550 | +1% |
| Reading, PA | $1,000 – $4,050 | $2,550 | +1% |
| Scranton, PA | $1,000 – $4,050 | $2,550 | +1% |
| Chambersburg, PA | $1,000 – $4,050 | $2,550 | level |
| Erie, PA | $1,000 – $4,050 | $2,550 | level |
| Altoona, PA | $1,000 – $4,050 | $2,550 | level |
| York, PA | $1,000 – $4,050 | $2,500 | level |
| Philadelphia, PA | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 | −1% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $990 – $4,000 | $2,500 | −1% |
| Lancaster, PA | $990 – $3,950 | $2,500 | −2% |
| Allentown, PA | $950 – $3,850 | $2,400 | −4% |
What insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall and the other trades earn in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.03 times the national level.
For insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131, weighted 80%) the local median is $24.33 an hour, which is 3% above the national $23.62. The middle half of them earn between $21.40 and $29.49 an hour. BLS counts 610 of them working in the state, 1.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 2.9), so the local bench is thinner than average.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $23.75 an hour, which is 5% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.69 and $29.72 an hour. BLS counts 35,920 of them working in the state, 59.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall ($29.49 an hour) would add about $160 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($21.40) would take off about $90. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 6,064,600 jobs across Pennsylvania (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% | $21.40 | $24.33 | $29.49 | $23.62 | 1.03 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $21.69 | $23.75 | $29.72 | $22.66 | 1.05 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.03 | |||||
Pennsylvania against its neighbors
Pennsylvania ranks 19 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. Pennsylvania sits at $2,500. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 70 miles away | $1,100 – $4,250 | $2,700 | +6% |
| Delaware | 100 miles away | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 | −1% |
| New Jersey | 100 miles away | $1,100 – $4,350 | $2,750 | +8% |
| District of Columbia | 110 miles away | $1,050 – $4,200 | $2,600 | +4% |
| New York | 140 miles away | $1,150 – $4,450 | $2,800 | +11% |
Other Pennsylvania jobs that often go with attic insulation
Each project weights the trades differently, so Pennsylvania's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, roof replacement is level and window replacement level.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,150 – $12,500 | level |
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $10,200 – $32,500 | level |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $8,400 – $25,100 | level |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,500 – $15,000 | level |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,300 – $4,200 | level |
Why two Pennsylvania 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.
Removing old insulation
Old, wet or pest-damaged insulation has to come out first, at extra cost.
Basic, standard or premium: Pennsylvania prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from small attic (600 sq ft) to large attic (1,800 sq ft).
Basic
$1,000 to $2,200
Blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value
Standard
$1,900 to $3,100
Higher R-value with air sealing around fixtures
Premium
$2,800 to $4,050
Spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small attic (600 sq ft) | $610 – $1,350 | $1,150 – $1,850 | $1,700 – $2,400 |
| average attic (1,000 sq ft) | $1,000 – $2,200 | $1,900 – $3,100 | $2,800 – $4,050 |
| large attic (1,800 sq ft) | $1,800 – $4,000 | $3,450 – $5,600 | $5,100 – $7,250 |
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Attic insulation in Pennsylvania: your questions
+How much does it cost to insulate an attic in Pennsylvania?
$1,000 to $4,050 for 1,000 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Pennsylvania can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Pennsylvania is cheapest for attic insulation?
Allentown at about $2,400 (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft). The priciest is State College at $2,550.
+Is attic insulation cheaper in Pennsylvania than the US average?
It is 1% more expensive: $2,500 against $2,500 for 1,000 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Pennsylvania?
About 37% ($930). Materials are 63%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.03x the national wage level.
+What do insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn in Pennsylvania?
The BLS statewide median is $24.33 an hour, against $23.62 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.40 to $29.49.
+Where does Pennsylvania rank for attic insulation costs?
19th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,500 for 1,000 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium attic insulation work cost in Pennsylvania?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $1,000 to $2,200 and premium work $2,800 to $4,050. 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 Pennsylvania
- State College, PA$2,550 midpoint
- Harrisburg, PA$2,550 midpoint
- Reading, PA$2,550 midpoint
- Scranton, PA$2,550 midpoint
- Chambersburg, PA$2,550 midpoint
- Erie, PA$2,550 midpoint
- Altoona, PA$2,550 midpoint
- York, PA$2,500 midpoint
- Philadelphia, PA$2,500 midpoint
- Pittsburgh, PA$2,500 midpoint
- Lancaster, PA$2,500 midpoint
- Allentown, PA$2,400 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.