Pearl River County, MS Insulation Payback
Pearl River County, MS: what topping up your attic actually costs
Pearl River County, Mississippi is zone 2 under DOE's climate map (Hot-Humid), which means humid heat for much of the year, with cooling running far more than heating ever does. 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 $882 a year — payback in roughly 3.2 years. The math clears comfortably within a normal ownership horizon.
The breakdown behind the number
The estimated savings split roughly $512/year heating, $370/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Pearl River County's savings potential beats roughly 9 of them. Within zone 2 specifically, it ranks 65th of 233 counties by estimated savings. Mississippi averages $1,022/year across the counties tracked here; Pearl River County comes in 14% lower.
The climate data behind this
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 1,931 HDD and 2,321 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from POPLARVILLE EXP STN, MS US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 5.2 miles from Pearl River County's center. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Pearl River County 2994th nationally by total degree days — the 5th percentile. Pearl River 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-38 needs filling, at roughly $1,620 for an estimated $119/year saved (~13.6-year payback). This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Next steps for a Pearl River County attic
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 Pearl River 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.