Jackson County, MS Insulation Payback
Jackson County attic insulation, by the numbers
DOE classifies Jackson 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. For an attic around 1,000 square feet, closing the gap from R-2 to R-49 costs around $2,820 and saves an estimated $830 a year — payback in roughly 3.4 years. Topping up the attic pays for itself here.
Where the savings come from
Split it out and it's roughly $413 a year on the heating side, $417 on cooling. By estimated insulation savings, Jackson County lands in the 5th percentile nationally. Zone 2 alone covers 233 counties in this dataset, and Jackson County comes in 139th by savings. Mississippi averages $1,022/year across the counties tracked here; Jackson County comes in 19% lower.
The climate data behind this
NOAA's PASCAGOULA LOTT INTL AP, MS US station, 5.6 miles from Jackson County, supplies the 1,558 HDD and 2,614 CDD this estimate runs on. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Jackson County 3028th nationally by total degree days — the 4th percentile. One local detail the R-value alone won't tell you: Jackson County sits in moisture regime A (humid), which can affect the vapor-barrier choice.
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 $112/year saved (~14.5-year payback). Call this borderline rather than a clear win.
Getting it done in Jackson County
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 Jackson County, not a bid - contractors typically charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.
Where these figures come from
Jackson 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.