Kingman County, KS Insulation Payback
Kingman County, KS: what topping up your attic actually costs
DOE classifies Kingman County as climate zone 4, mixed-humid — real heating and real cooling seasons both, roughly balanced across the year. 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 $1,545 a year — payback in roughly 2.3 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
Where the savings come from
The estimated savings split roughly $1,295/year heating, $250/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Kingman County's savings potential beats roughly 56 of them. Within zone 4 specifically, it ranks 108th of 825 counties by estimated savings. Kansas averages $1,594/year across the counties tracked here; Kingman County comes in 3% lower.
Where these numbers come from
Kingman County's climate figures — 4,844 heating and 1,558 cooling degree days a year — are read from KINGMAN, KS US, 6.5 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Kingman County 1266th nationally by total degree days — the 60th percentile. Kingman County falls in DOE's moisture regime A (humid), a detail that affects vapor-barrier recommendations more than the R-value target itself.
Already have some insulation?
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 $225/year saved (~10.1-year payback). This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Quotes and materials for this job
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 Kingman County's estimated $1,545/year on the line.
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.