Lee County, FL Insulation Payback
Is attic insulation worth it in Lee County, FL?
DOE classifies Lee County as climate zone 2, hot-humid — summers that stay hot and humid while winters barely register on the energy bill. 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 4 years at an estimated $712/year saved. That is a solid payback as home upgrades go.
Heating vs. cooling in Lee County
Heating accounts for about $67/year of that and cooling about $645/year — Lee County needs both. Nationally, Lee County ranks in the 2th percentile for insulation savings potential. Compared only against its own climate zone, Lee County places 212th out of 233. Against Florida's own average of $743/year, Lee County runs 4% below that.
Where these numbers come from
NOAA's FT MYERS PAGE FLD AP, FL US station, 7.7 miles from Lee County, supplies the 252 HDD and 4,046 CDD this estimate runs on. By total degree days, Lee County sits at the 6th percentile nationally. Its moisture regime is classified humid, which matters for whether the attic needs a vapor retarder as part of the job — worth asking a contractor about locally.
The smaller top-up scenario
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 $96/year saved (~16.9-year payback). Whether that is worth it depends on how long you plan to stay.
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 Lee County's estimated $712/year on the line.
Lee County's numbers, sourced
The methodology guide lists exactly which DOE and NOAA sources feed Lee County's numbers, and where the cost assumptions come from. See the DIY vs. contractor guide for whether a job this size is realistic to do yourself.