Jack County, TX Insulation Payback
Jack County attic insulation, by the numbers
DOE classifies Jack County as climate zone 3, mixed-humid — heating load in winter and cooling load in summer, both worth taking seriously here. Its recommended attic R-value for bare joists is R-49. Topping up a typical 1,000-square-foot attic from bare joists (R-2) to R-49 runs an estimated $2,820, and saves about $1,134 a year in heating and cooling — a payback around 2.5 years. Topping up the attic pays for itself fast here.
Where the savings come from
Split it out and it's roughly $760 a year on the heating side, $374 on cooling. By estimated insulation savings, Jack County lands in the 27th percentile nationally. Zone 3 alone covers 690 counties in this dataset, and Jack County comes in 183rd by savings. Texas averages $1,035/year across the counties tracked here; Jack County comes in 10% higher.
Where these numbers come from
NOAA's JACKSBORO, TX US station, 1.8 miles from Jack County, supplies the 2,865 HDD and 2,345 CDD this estimate runs on. Combined heating and cooling load puts Jack County in the 31th percentile of this 3,162-county dataset. One local detail the R-value alone won't tell you: Jack County sits in moisture regime A (humid), which can affect the vapor-barrier choice.
Already have some insulation?
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-38 runs about $1,620 for about $153/year saved — roughly 10.6 years to break even. Call this borderline rather than a clear win.
Next steps for a Jack County attic
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 Jack County, not a bid - contractors typically charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.
Where these figures come from
Jack 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.