Drew County, AR Insulation Payback
Drew County, AR: what topping up your attic actually costs
DOE classifies Drew County as climate zone 3, mixed-humid — real heating and real cooling seasons both, roughly balanced across the year. 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 2.6 years at an estimated $1,069/year saved. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
The breakdown behind the number
The estimated savings split roughly $699/year heating, $370/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Drew County's savings potential beats roughly 22 of them. Within zone 3 specifically, it ranks 309th of 690 counties by estimated savings. Arkansas averages $1,185/year across the counties tracked here; Drew County comes in 10% lower.
The climate data behind this
Drew County's climate figures — 2,634 heating and 2,322 cooling degree days a year — are read from MONTICELLO MUNI AP, AR US, 3.9 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. By total degree days, Drew County sits at the 25th percentile nationally. Drew County falls in DOE's moisture regime A (humid), a detail that affects vapor-barrier recommendations more than the R-value target itself.
If the attic isn't bare
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 $144/year saved (~11.3-year payback). This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Quotes and materials for this job
Real bids depend on how easy the attic is to reach and whether old insulation needs removing first, so treat $2,820 as a starting estimate for a Drew County job, not a quote. Expect at least a $600 minimum charge from most contractors.
Nothing here is a guess
Every figure on this page traces to DOE/IECC climate zones and NOAA degree-day normals, documented in the methodology guide. The guide to what R-value actually means explains why R-49 is the target here specifically.