Archer County, TX Insulation Payback
Archer County attic insulation, by the numbers
DOE classifies Archer County as climate zone 3, mixed-humid — a genuine mix of cold winters and humid summers, with neither one dominating the bill. Its recommended attic R-value for bare joists is R-49. Going from R-2 to the recommended R-49 costs roughly $2,820 installed for a typical attic (about 1,000 sq ft), and pays for itself in about 2.5 years at an estimated $1,133/year saved. Topping up the attic pays for itself fast here.
The breakdown behind the number
Split it out and it's roughly $723 a year on the heating side, $410 on cooling. By estimated insulation savings, Archer County lands in the 27th percentile nationally. Zone 3 alone covers 690 counties in this dataset, and Archer County comes in 187th by savings. Texas averages $1,035/year across the counties tracked here; Archer County comes in 9% higher.
Where these numbers come from
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 2,726 HDD and 2,570 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from ARCHER CITY 2W, TX US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 2.2 miles from Archer County's center. By total degree days, Archer County sits at the 34th percentile nationally. One local detail the R-value alone won't tell you: Archer County sits in moisture regime A (humid), which can affect the vapor-barrier choice.
The smaller top-up scenario
A shallower starting point changes the math: with R-11 already down, only the gap to R-38 needs filling, at roughly $1,620 for an estimated $153/year saved (~10.6-year payback). Call this borderline rather than a clear win.
Next steps for a Archer County attic
Actual quotes will vary by attic access, existing debris, and whether the job needs air sealing first. Treat the $2,820 figure above as a planning number for Archer County, not a bid - contractors typically charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.
Where these figures come from
Archer County's R-49 target and its degree-day figures both come from named federal sources - see the methodology guide for exactly which ones. The guide to what R-value actually means explains why R-49 is the target here specifically.