Hill County, TX Insulation Payback
Hill County attic insulation, by the numbers
DOE classifies Hill County as climate zone 2, hot-humid — humid heat for much of the year, with cooling running far more than heating ever does. 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 2.8 years at an estimated $1,025/year saved. Topping up the attic pays for itself fast here.
Where the savings come from
Split it out and it's roughly $599 a year on the heating side, $426 on cooling. By estimated insulation savings, Hill County lands in the 18th percentile nationally. Zone 2 alone covers 233 counties in this dataset, and Hill County comes in 4th by savings. Texas averages $1,035/year across the counties tracked here; Hill County comes in 1% lower.
Where these numbers come from
NOAA's HILLSBORO, TX US station, 2.6 miles from Hill County, supplies the 2,257 HDD and 2,675 CDD this estimate runs on. By total degree days, Hill County sits at the 24th percentile nationally. One local detail the R-value alone won't tell you: Hill County sits in moisture regime A (humid), which can affect the vapor-barrier choice.
The smaller top-up scenario
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-38 runs about $1,620 for about $138/year saved — roughly 11.7 years to break even. Call this borderline rather than a clear win.
Getting it done in Hill 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 Hill County's estimated $1,025/year on the line.
Where these figures come from
Hill 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.