Attic insulation cost in South Dakota
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,000 sq ft)
- $950 – $3,800
- Per sq ft
- $0.95 – $3.80
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $2,500
- Metros covered
- 2
Across South Dakota, attic insulation costs about $950 to $3,800 for 1,000 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 5% below the US figure of $2,500. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn a median $22.03 an hour in South Dakota (US: $23.62).
Inside South Dakota, the metros we cover range from $2,350 (Sioux Falls) to $2,350 (Rapid City) at the midpoint.
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in South Dakota (statewide), standard level
$1,800 to $2,950
About $1.80 to $2.95 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 36% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,100 | $1,950 |
| Labor | $700 | $1,000 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,800 | $2,950 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in South Dakota
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $480 | $1,550 | $2,600 | 64% |
| Labor | $470 | $850 | $1,200 | 36% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $950 | $2,350 | $3,800 | 100% |
Basic, standard or premium: South Dakota 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
$950 to $2,100
Blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value
Standard
$1,800 to $2,950
Higher R-value with air sealing around fixtures
Premium
$2,650 to $3,800
Spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small attic (600 sq ft) | $570 – $1,250 | $1,100 – $1,750 | $1,600 – $2,300 |
| average attic (1,000 sq ft) | $950 – $2,100 | $1,800 – $2,950 | $2,650 – $3,800 |
| large attic (1,800 sq ft) | $1,700 – $3,750 | $3,250 – $5,300 | $4,800 – $6,850 |
Attic insulation cost by metro in South Dakota
0 of the 2 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,350, and the top-to-bottom gap is 0%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City, SD | $950 – $3,800 | $2,350 | level |
| Sioux Falls, SD | $940 – $3,800 | $2,350 | level |
South Dakota versus the states around it
South Dakota ranks 43 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. South Dakota sits at $2,350. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 220 miles away | $1,150 – $4,350 | $2,750 | +16% |
| North Dakota | 220 miles away | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 | +1% |
| Minnesota | 290 miles away | $1,050 – $4,200 | $2,650 | +11% |
| Iowa | 330 miles away | $1,050 – $4,000 | $2,500 | +5% |
| Wyoming | 350 miles away | $950 – $3,800 | $2,400 | level |
Wages behind the South Dakota number
South Dakota'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 0.94 times the national level.
For insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131, weighted 80%) the local median is $22.03 an hour, which is 7% below the national $23.62. The middle half of them earn between $17.87 and $28.18 an hour. BLS counts 340 of them working in the state, 7.4 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 $21.98 an hour, which is 3% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.42 and $23.14 an hour. BLS counts 1,780 of them working in the state, 38.9 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 ($28.18 an hour) would add about $190 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.87) would take off about $130. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 457,380 jobs across South Dakota (May 2025), which is 0.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) | 80% | $17.87 | $22.03 | $28.18 | $23.62 | 0.93 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.42 | $21.98 | $23.14 | $22.66 | 0.97 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.94 | |||||
Other South Dakota jobs that often go with attic insulation
Each project weights the trades differently, so South Dakota's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, window replacement is −8% and metal roof −10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $5,500 – $11,400 | −10% |
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $8,900 – $29,400 | −10% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,550 – $22,700 | −10% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,100 – $13,800 | −8% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,150 – $3,850 | −8% |
Why two South Dakota 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.
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Attic insulation in South Dakota: your questions
+How much does it cost to insulate an attic in South Dakota?
$950 to $3,800 for 1,000 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside South Dakota can sit above or below that.
+Which city in South Dakota is cheapest for attic insulation?
Sioux Falls at about $2,350 (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft). The priciest is Rapid City at $2,350.
+Is attic insulation cheaper in South Dakota than the US average?
It is 5% cheaper: $2,350 against $2,500 for 1,000 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in South Dakota?
About 36% ($850). Materials are 64%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.94x the national wage level.
+What do insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn in South Dakota?
The BLS statewide median is $22.03 an hour, against $23.62 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.87 to $28.18.
+Where does South Dakota rank for attic insulation costs?
43rd 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 South Dakota?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $950 to $2,100 and premium work $2,650 to $3,800. 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 South Dakota
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.