Tillman County, OK Insulation Payback
Tillman County, OK: what topping up your attic actually costs
Tillman County sits in IECC climate zone 3 (Mixed-Humid) — a genuine mix of cold winters and humid summers, with neither one dominating the bill. For a currently uninsulated attic, DOE and ENERGY STAR recommend building 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 $1,187 a year — payback in roughly 2.4 years. That's about as fast as attic paybacks get.
Where the savings come from
The estimated savings split roughly $789/year heating, $398/year cooling. Out of every 100 US counties tracked here, Tillman County's savings potential beats roughly 30 of them. Within zone 3 specifically, it ranks 114th of 690 counties by estimated savings. Oklahoma averages $1,260/year across the counties tracked here; Tillman County comes in 6% lower.
The climate data behind this
NOAA's ALTUS AFB, OK US station, 2.6 miles from Tillman County, supplies the 2,975 HDD and 2,496 CDD this estimate runs on. Combined heating and cooling load puts Tillman County in the 39th percentile of this 3,162-county dataset. Tillman County falls in DOE's moisture regime A (humid), a detail that affects vapor-barrier recommendations more than the R-value target itself.
If the attic isn't bare
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-38 runs about $1,620 for about $160/year saved — roughly 10.1 years to break even. This one is a genuine toss-up, not a clear yes.
Getting it done in Tillman County
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 Tillman 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.