Sullivan County, NH Insulation Payback
Is attic insulation worth it in Sullivan County, NH?
Sullivan County, New Hampshire is zone 6 under DOE's climate map (Cold), which means a real winter that drives most of the annual energy bill here. An uninsulated attic there should be built up to 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 1.6 years at an estimated $2,148/year saved. Few home upgrades pay back that quickly.
Where the savings come from
Heating accounts for about $2,095/year of that and cooling about $53/year — Sullivan County needs both. Nationally, Sullivan County ranks in the 88th percentile for insulation savings potential. Compared only against its own climate zone, Sullivan County places 240th out of 459. Against New Hampshire's own average of $2,071/year, Sullivan County runs 4% above that.
The climate data behind this
Sullivan County's climate figures — 7,835 heating and 329 cooling degree days a year — are read from NEWPORT, NH US, 2.3 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Sullivan County 387th nationally by total degree days — the 88th percentile. Its moisture regime is classified humid, which matters for whether the attic needs a vapor retarder as part of the job — worth asking a contractor about locally.
If the attic isn't bare
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-49 runs about $2,280 for about $313/year saved — roughly 7.3 years to break even. The math clears comfortably within a normal ownership horizon.
Quotes and materials for this job
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 Sullivan County, not a bid - contractors typically charge a $600 minimum regardless of job size.
Sullivan County's numbers, sourced
The methodology guide lists exactly which DOE and NOAA sources feed Sullivan 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.