Comanche County, OK Insulation Payback
Is attic insulation worth it in Comanche County, OK?
Comanche County, Oklahoma is zone 3 under DOE's climate map (Mixed-Humid), which means heating load in winter and cooling load in summer, both worth taking seriously here. An uninsulated attic there should be built up to 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 2.3 years at an estimated $1,227/year saved. Few home upgrades pay back that quickly.
Heating vs. cooling in Comanche County
Heating accounts for about $870/year of that and cooling about $356/year — Comanche County needs both. Nationally, Comanche County ranks in the 33th percentile for insulation savings potential. Compared only against its own climate zone, Comanche County places 70th out of 690. Against Oklahoma's own average of $1,260/year, Comanche County runs 3% below that.
Comanche County's actual weather, not a national average
Comanche County's climate figures — 3,280 heating and 2,236 cooling degree days a year — are read from LAWTON, OK US, 3.8 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Comanche County 1893rd nationally by total degree days — the 40th percentile. Its moisture regime is classified humid, which matters for whether the attic needs a vapor retarder as part of the job — worth asking a contractor about locally.
The smaller top-up scenario
If Comanche County's attic already has 3-4 inches of old insulation (about R-11) rather than bare joists, the recommended target drops to R-38. That smaller top-up costs around $1,620 and saves an estimated $165/year — payback about 9.8 years. Whether that is worth it depends on how long you plan to stay.
Getting it done in Comanche County
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 Comanche County, not a bid - contractors typically charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.
Comanche County's numbers, sourced
The methodology guide lists exactly which DOE and NOAA sources feed Comanche County's numbers, and where the cost assumptions come from. See the DIY vs. contractor guide for whether a job this size is realistic to do yourself.