Scott County, MO Insulation Payback
Scott County, MO: what topping up your attic actually costs
Scott County, Missouri is zone 4 under DOE's climate map (Mixed-Humid), which means a genuine mix of cold winters and humid summers, with neither one dominating the bill. An uninsulated attic there should be built 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 $1,333 a year — payback in roughly 2.6 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
Heating vs. cooling in Scott County
The estimated savings split roughly $1,029/year heating, $303/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Scott County's savings potential beats roughly 41 of them. Within zone 4 specifically, it ranks 519th of 825 counties by estimated savings. Missouri averages $1,534/year across the counties tracked here; Scott County comes in 13% lower.
Where these numbers come from
Scott County's climate figures — 3,849 heating and 1,889 cooling degree days a year — are read from SIKESTON PWR STN, MO US, 12.2 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. By total degree days, Scott County sits at the 46th percentile nationally. Scott County falls in DOE's moisture regime A (humid), a detail that affects vapor-barrier recommendations more than the R-value target itself.
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 $194/year saved (~11.7-year payback). This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
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 Scott County's estimated $1,333/year on the line.
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-60 is the target here specifically.