Moore County, TX Insulation Payback
Is attic insulation worth it in Moore County, TX?
Moore County sits in IECC climate zone 4 (Mixed-Dry) — a wide swing between a hot dry summer and a cold winter. For a currently uninsulated attic, DOE and ENERGY STAR recommend building up to R-60. Topping up a typical 1,000-square-foot attic from bare joists (R-2) to R-60 runs an estimated $3,480, and saves about $1,427 a year in heating and cooling — a payback around 2.4 years. Few home upgrades pay back that quickly.
Where the savings come from
Heating accounts for about $1,198/year of that and cooling about $229/year — Moore County needs both. Nationally, Moore County ranks in the 48th percentile for insulation savings potential. Compared only against its own climate zone, Moore County places 328th out of 825. Against Texas's own average of $1,035/year, Moore County runs 38% above that.
Where these numbers come from
Moore County's climate figures — 4,479 heating and 1,428 cooling degree days a year — are read from DUMAS, TX US, 5.3 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. By total degree days, Moore County sits at the 50th percentile nationally. Its moisture regime is classified dry, 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-49 needs filling, at roughly $2,280 for an estimated $208/year saved (~11-year payback). Whether that is worth it depends on how long you plan to stay.
Getting it done in Moore County
Actual quotes will vary by attic access, existing debris, and whether the job needs air sealing first. Treat the $3,480 figure above as a planning number for Moore County, not a bid - contractors typically charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.
Moore County's numbers, sourced
The methodology guide lists exactly which DOE and NOAA sources feed Moore 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.