Scotland County, MO Insulation Payback
Attic insulation payback for Scotland County, MO
DOE classifies Scotland County as climate zone 5, cold — a real winter that drives most of the annual energy bill here. Its recommended attic R-value for bare joists is R-60. Going from R-2 to the recommended R-60 costs roughly $3,480 installed for a typical attic (about 1,000 sq ft), and pays for itself in about 1.9 years at an estimated $1,798/year saved. Hard to find a home improvement with a faster payback than this.
Where the savings come from
Of that, about $1,644/year comes from reduced heating and $154/year from reduced cooling load through the ceiling. Scotland County beats 72% of the counties in this 3,162-county dataset on estimated insulation savings. Among the 745 counties DOE places in zone 5, Scotland County ranks 297th. Against Missouri's own average of $1,534/year, Scotland County runs 17% above that.
Where these numbers come from
Scotland County's climate figures — 6,149 heating and 958 cooling degree days a year — are read from MEMPHIS, MO US, 2.2 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. By total degree days, Scotland County sits at the 73th percentile nationally. DOE also classifies Scotland County as moisture regime A (humid) - ask a local contractor whether that changes the vapor-barrier approach for this job.
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 $262/year saved (~8.7-year payback). It is close - the payback only just fits a reasonable timeframe.
Next steps for a Scotland County attic
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 Scotland County, not a bid - contractors typically charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.
More on how this was built
Nothing here is a guess: the methodology guide names the DOE climate map and NOAA station data behind every number on this page. See the DIY vs. contractor guide for whether a job this size is realistic to do yourself.