Craig County, OK Insulation Payback
Attic insulation payback for Craig County, OK
Craig County, Oklahoma is zone 3 under DOE's climate map (Mixed-Humid), which means a genuine mix of cold winters and humid summers, with neither one dominating the bill. 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 2.1 years at an estimated $1,320/year saved. Hard to find a home improvement with a faster payback than this.
The breakdown behind the number
Of that, about $1,051/year comes from reduced heating and $269/year from reduced cooling load through the ceiling. Craig County beats 40% of the counties in this 3,162-county dataset on estimated insulation savings. Among the 690 counties DOE places in zone 3, Craig County ranks 22nd. Against Oklahoma's own average of $1,260/year, Craig County runs 5% above that.
Craig County's actual weather, not a national average
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 3,961 HDD and 1,690 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from MIAMI, OK US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 19.4 miles from Craig County's center. By total degree days, Craig County sits at the 43th percentile nationally. DOE also classifies Craig County as moisture regime A (humid) - ask a local contractor whether that changes the vapor-barrier approach for this job.
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 $178/year saved (~9.1-year payback). It is close - the payback only just fits a reasonable timeframe.
Getting it done in Craig County
Get more than one quote before committing. Attic access and any needed air sealing move the price around, and most contractors won't take a job below roughly $600 regardless of size - worth asking upfront given Craig County's estimated $1,320/year on the line.
More on how this was built
Nothing here is a guess: the methodology guide names the DOE climate map and NOAA station data behind every number on this page. See the DIY vs. contractor guide for whether a job this size is realistic to do yourself.