Vigo County, IN Insulation Payback
Attic insulation payback for Vigo County, IN
DOE classifies Vigo County as climate zone 5, cold — cold enough that heating, not cooling, is what decides the bill. Its recommended attic R-value for bare joists is 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 $1,545 a year — payback in roughly 2.3 years. Hard to find a home improvement with a faster payback than this.
The breakdown behind the number
Of that, about $1,308/year comes from reduced heating and $237/year from reduced cooling load through the ceiling. Vigo County beats 56% of the counties in this 3,162-county dataset on estimated insulation savings. Among the 745 counties DOE places in zone 5, Vigo County ranks 696th. Against Indiana's own average of $1,634/year, Vigo County runs 5% below that.
The climate data behind this
Vigo County's climate figures — 4,892 heating and 1,474 cooling degree days a year — are read from TERRE HAUTE INDIANA STATE, IN US, 2.9 miles away, NOAA's nearest 1991-2020 normals station. That combined heating-and-cooling load ranks Vigo County 1290th nationally by total degree days — the 59th percentile. DOE also classifies Vigo County as moisture regime A (humid) - ask a local contractor whether that changes the vapor-barrier approach for this job.
If the attic isn't bare
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 $225/year saved (~10.1-year payback). It is close - the payback only just fits a reasonable timeframe.
Getting it done in Vigo County
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 Vigo 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.