Attic insulation cost in Burlington, VT
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,000 sq ft)
- $1,050 – $4,050
- Per sq ft
- $1.05 – $4.05
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $2,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #85
- 1 = most expensive
Burlington homeowners pay roughly $1,050 to $4,050 to insulate an attic at 1,000 sq ft, or $1.05 to $4.05 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Burlington is almost level. Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn a median of $25.76 an hour in the Burlington area, 9% above the US median of $23.62.
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in Burlington, VT, standard level
$1,950 to $3,150
About $1.95 to $3.15 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 39% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $2,000 |
| Labor | $800 | $1,150 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,950 | $3,150 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Burlington, VT
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $490 | $1,550 | $2,650 | 61% |
| Labor | $540 | $980 | $1,400 | 39% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $1,050 | $2,550 | $4,050 | 100% |
Where the Burlington price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall, who do 80% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $25.76 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Burlington is 1.08 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 39% of the total. BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Vermont statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Burlington metro is 97.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 1,000 sq ft comes to $1,550, compared with $1,600 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (100.9) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 80% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Burlington. The wage table below marks each row.
Specs and site conditions that change a Burlington bid
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.
Burlington: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Burlington wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$1,050 to $2,250
Blown-in fiberglass or cellulose to code R-value
Standard
$1,950 to $3,150
Higher R-value with air sealing around fixtures
Premium
$2,850 to $4,050
Spray foam or heavy air sealing, hard-to-reach attic
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small attic (600 sq ft) | $620 – $1,350 | $1,150 – $1,900 | $1,700 – $2,400 |
| average attic (1,000 sq ft) | $1,050 – $2,250 | $1,950 – $3,150 | $2,850 – $4,050 |
| large attic (1,800 sq ft) | $1,850 – $4,000 | $3,500 – $5,650 | $5,100 – $7,250 |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Burlington is 1.08 times the national level.
Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) carry 80% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Burlington metro, so we used the Vermont statewide median: $25.76 an hour against $23.62 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $25.00 and $30.62 an hour.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $24.01 an hour, 6% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.00 and $28.38 an hour. About 460 work in the metro. That is 38.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($30.62 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $150. At the 25th percentile ($25.00) it shrinks by about $25. The total moves by 5.9% or 0.9%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 120,150 jobs in the Burlington-South Burlington area. That makes it the 182nd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.08% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall (47-2131) | 80% | $25.00 | $25.76 | $30.62 | $23.62 | 1.09 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $23.00 | $24.01 | $28.38 | $22.66 | 1.06 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.08 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Burlington?
Because every project leans on different trades, Burlington's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, roof replacement runs +3% and gutters level.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $6,350 – $12,800 | +3% |
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $10,500 – $32,800 | +2% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $8,450 – $25,300 | +1% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,550 – $14,900 | level |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,300 – $4,200 | level |
How Burlington compares
Same job, same size (1,000 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Albany is the priciest of the group at $2,650. Portland is the cheapest at $2,450.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington, VTthis page | $1,050 – $4,050 | $2,550 | |
| Albany, NY140 miles | $1,100 – $4,200 | $2,650 | +4% |
| Manchester, NH140 miles | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 | −1% |
| Utica, NY140 miles | $1,050 – $4,050 | $2,550 | +1% |
| Portland, ME150 miles | $980 – $3,900 | $2,450 | −4% |
| Pittsfield, MA160 miles | $990 – $3,950 | $2,450 | −3% |
| Vermont (statewide) | $1,050 – $4,050 | $2,550 | level |
| United States | $1,000 – $4,000 | $2,500 | −1% |
Across 300 US metros, Burlington comes in at #85 from the top. The priciest is San Francisco, CA at $3,150; the cheapest is Morgantown, WV at $2,250 (midpoints, 1,000 sq ft). Statewide, Burlington is 0% above the Vermont figure.
Burlington is the only Vermont metro we cover, so the statewide page is the only in-state comparison. It uses statewide wages, which include rural areas.
Cities with a workforce like Burlington's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Burlington against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | 120,480 jobs | $1,000 – $4,050 | $2,550 | level |
| Kingsport, TN | 119,560 jobs | $970 – $3,850 | $2,400 | −4% |
| Ocala, FL | 120,980 jobs | $950 – $3,800 | $2,400 | −6% |
| Greeley, CO | 119,540 jobs | $990 – $3,900 | $2,450 | −3% |
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Attic insulation in Burlington: your questions
+How much does it cost to insulate an attic in Burlington?
For 1,000 sq ft, expect $1,050 to $4,050 in the Burlington area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,950 to $3,150. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for attic insulation in Burlington?
About $1.05 to $4.05 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 Burlington or Albany?
Albany is 140 miles away. The midpoint for 1,000 sq ft there is $2,650, which is 4% more than Burlington ($2,550). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Burlington?
About 39% at the midpoint, or $980 out of $2,550. Materials are 61% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 36%.
+What would average attic (1,000 sq ft) cost in Burlington?
$1,050 to $4,050. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does attic insulation need a permit in Burlington?
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 Burlington area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Burlington expensive for attic insulation compared with the rest of Vermont?
Burlington is 0% above the Vermont statewide estimate ($2,550 at the midpoint).
+What do insulation workers, floor, ceiling and wall earn in Burlington?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $25.76 an hour, compared with $23.62 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $25.00 to $30.62.
+What do basic and premium attic insulation work cost in Burlington?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $1,050 to $2,250 and premium work $2,850 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 near Burlington
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.