Lonoke County, AR Insulation Payback
Lonoke County, AR: what topping up your attic actually costs
Lonoke County, Arkansas is zone 3 under DOE's climate map (Mixed-Humid), which means heating load in winter and cooling load in summer, both worth taking seriously here. An uninsulated attic there should be built up to 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 $1,144 a year — payback in roughly 2.5 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
The breakdown behind the number
The estimated savings split roughly $853/year heating, $291/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Lonoke County's savings potential beats roughly 27 of them. Within zone 3 specifically, it ranks 170th of 690 counties by estimated savings. Arkansas averages $1,185/year across the counties tracked here; Lonoke County comes in 3% lower.
The climate data behind this
Lonoke County's climate figures — 3,216 heating and 1,825 cooling degree days a year — are read from KEO, AR US, 11.9 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. By total degree days, Lonoke County sits at the 27th percentile nationally. Lonoke County falls in DOE's moisture regime A (humid), a detail that affects vapor-barrier recommendations more than the R-value target itself.
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 $154/year saved (~10.5-year payback). This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Getting it done in Lonoke 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 Lonoke County, not a bid - contractors typically charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.
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-49 is the target here specifically.