Teton County, WY Insulation Payback
Is attic insulation worth it in Teton County, WY?
Teton County sits in IECC climate zone 7 (Very Cold) — severe, long winters where heating is nearly the whole story. For a currently uninsulated attic, DOE and ENERGY STAR recommend building 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 $2,982 a year — payback in roughly 1.2 years. Few home upgrades pay back that quickly.
Where the savings come from
Heating accounts for about $2,981/year of that and cooling about $1/year — Teton County needs both. Nationally, Teton County ranks in the 100th percentile for insulation savings potential. Compared only against its own climate zone, Teton County places 2nd out of 120. Against Wyoming's own average of $2,161/year, Teton County runs 38% above that.
Where these numbers come from
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 11,149 HDD and 7 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from SNAKE RVR, WY US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 13.4 miles from Teton County's center. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Teton County 10th nationally by total degree days — the 100th percentile.
If the attic isn't bare
If Teton County's attic already has 3-4 inches of old insulation (about R-11) rather than bare joists, the recommended target drops to R-49. That smaller top-up costs around $2,280 and saves an estimated $435/year — payback about 5.2 years. The math clears comfortably within a normal ownership horizon.
Next steps for a Teton County attic
Real bids depend on how easy the attic is to reach and whether old insulation needs removing first, so treat $3,480 as a starting estimate for a Teton County job, not a quote. Expect at least a $600 minimum charge from most contractors.
Teton County's numbers, sourced
The methodology guide lists exactly which DOE and NOAA sources feed Teton 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.