Magoffin County, KY Insulation Payback
Magoffin County attic insulation, by the numbers
Magoffin County sits in IECC climate zone 4 (Mixed-Humid) — a genuine mix of cold winters and humid summers, with neither one dominating the bill. For a currently uninsulated attic, DOE and ENERGY STAR recommend building up to 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 $1,421 a year — payback in roughly 2.4 years. Topping up the attic pays for itself fast here.
The breakdown behind the number
Split it out and it's roughly $1,263 a year on the heating side, $159 on cooling. By estimated insulation savings, Magoffin County lands in the 47th percentile nationally. Zone 4 alone covers 825 counties in this dataset, and Magoffin County comes in 343rd by savings. Kentucky averages $1,385/year across the counties tracked here; Magoffin County comes in 3% higher.
Magoffin County's actual weather, not a national average
NOAA's SALYERSVILLE WTR WKS, KY US station, 2.8 miles from Magoffin County, supplies the 4,722 HDD and 988 CDD this estimate runs on. Combined heating and cooling load puts Magoffin County in the 45th percentile of this 3,162-county dataset. One local detail the R-value alone won't tell you: Magoffin 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-49 runs about $2,280 for about $207/year saved — roughly 11 years to break even. Call this borderline rather than a clear win.
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 Magoffin County's estimated $1,421/year on the line.
Where these figures come from
Magoffin County's R-60 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-60 is the target here specifically.