Attic insulation cost in Tennessee
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,000 sq ft)
- $970 – $3,850
- Per sq ft
- $0.95 – $3.85
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $2,500
- Metros covered
- 8
Tennessee prices for attic insulation: $970 to $3,850 for 1,000 sq ft, or $0.95 to $3.85 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 3% below the national one. Local wages for insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall are $23.28 an hour.
Inside Tennessee, the metros we cover range from $2,400 (Memphis) to $2,500 (Nashville) 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 Tennessee (statewide), standard level
$1,850 to $3,000
About $1.85 to $3 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 36% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,100 | $1,950 |
| Labor | $720 | $1,050 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,850 | $3,000 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Tennessee
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $480 | $1,550 | $2,600 | 64% |
| Labor | $490 | $880 | $1,250 | 36% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $970 | $2,400 | $3,850 | 100% |
Tennessee labor market for attic insulation
Tennessee'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 0.98 times the national level.
For insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131, weighted 80%) the local median is $23.28 an hour, which is in line with the national $23.62. The middle half of them earn between $18.94 and $27.43 an hour. BLS counts 1,160 of them working in the state, 3.5 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 $21.64 an hour, which is 5% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.11 and $23.78 an hour. BLS counts 26,250 of them working in the state, 80.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall ($27.43 an hour) would add about $130 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($18.94) 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 3,278,760 jobs across Tennessee (May 2025), which is 2.1% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) | 80% | $18.94 | $23.28 | $27.43 | $23.62 | 0.99 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.11 | $21.64 | $23.78 | $22.66 | 0.95 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.98 | |||||
Why two Tennessee 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.
Which Tennessee city is cheapest for attic insulation?
1 of the 8 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,400, and the top-to-bottom gap is 5%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 | +4% |
| Knoxville, TN | $970 – $3,900 | $2,450 | level |
| Kingsport, TN | $970 – $3,850 | $2,400 | level |
| Jackson, TN | $970 – $3,850 | $2,400 | level |
| Chattanooga, TN | $970 – $3,850 | $2,400 | level |
| Clarksville, TN | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 | level |
| Johnson City, TN | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 | −1% |
| Memphis, TN | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 | −1% |
Basic, standard or premium: Tennessee 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
$970 to $2,150
Blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value
Standard
$1,850 to $3,000
Higher R-value with air sealing around fixtures
Premium
$2,700 to $3,850
Spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small attic (600 sq ft) | $580 – $1,300 | $1,100 – $1,800 | $1,650 – $2,300 |
| average attic (1,000 sq ft) | $970 – $2,150 | $1,850 – $3,000 | $2,700 – $3,850 |
| large attic (1,800 sq ft) | $1,750 – $3,850 | $3,300 – $5,400 | $4,900 – $6,950 |
If you are planning more than one job in Tennessee
Each project weights the trades differently, so Tennessee's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, gutters is −6% and roof replacement −11%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $5,350 – $11,200 | −11% |
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $9,000 – $29,700 | −9% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,750 – $23,300 | −8% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,150 – $14,000 | −7% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,200 – $3,950 | −6% |
How Tennessee compares with nearby states
Tennessee ranks 35 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. Tennessee sits at $2,400. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 170 miles away | $980 – $3,900 | $2,450 | +1% |
| Alabama | 190 miles away | $960 – $3,850 | $2,400 | −1% |
| Georgia | 210 miles away | $970 – $3,900 | $2,450 | level |
| Indiana | 300 miles away | $1,050 – $4,000 | $2,500 | +4% |
| Mississippi | 330 miles away | $1,050 – $4,150 | $2,600 | +8% |
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Attic insulation in Tennessee: your questions
+How much does it cost to insulate an attic in Tennessee?
$970 to $3,850 for 1,000 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Tennessee can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Tennessee is cheapest for attic insulation?
Memphis at about $2,400 (midpoint, 1,000 sq ft). The priciest is Nashville at $2,500.
+Is attic insulation cheaper in Tennessee than the US average?
It is 3% cheaper: $2,400 against $2,500 for 1,000 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Tennessee?
About 36% ($880). Materials are 64%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.98x the national wage level.
+What do insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn in Tennessee?
The BLS statewide median is $23.28 an hour, against $23.62 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.94 to $27.43.
+Where does Tennessee rank for attic insulation costs?
35th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,400 for 1,000 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium attic insulation work cost in Tennessee?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $970 to $2,150 and premium work $2,700 to $3,850. 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 Tennessee
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.