Fillmore County, NE Insulation Payback
Fillmore County, NE: what topping up your attic actually costs
DOE classifies Fillmore County as climate zone 5, cold — cold enough that heating, not cooling, is what decides the bill. Its recommended attic R-value for bare joists is R-60. For an attic around 1,000 square feet, closing the gap from R-2 to R-60 costs around $3,480 and saves an estimated $1,688 a year — payback in roughly 2.1 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
Heating vs. cooling in Fillmore County
The estimated savings split roughly $1,507/year heating, $181/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Fillmore County's savings potential beats roughly 65 of them. Within zone 5 specifically, it ranks 500th of 745 counties by estimated savings. Nebraska averages $1,872/year across the counties tracked here; Fillmore County comes in 10% lower.
Fillmore County's actual weather, not a national average
Fillmore County's climate figures — 5,637 heating and 1,127 cooling degree days a year — are read from GENEVA, NE US, 0.4 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. By total degree days, Fillmore County sits at the 67th percentile nationally. Fillmore 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-49 needs filling, at roughly $2,280 for an estimated $246/year saved (~9.3-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 $3,480 as a starting estimate for a Fillmore 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-60 is the target here specifically.