Weston County, WY Insulation Payback
Is attic insulation worth it in Weston County, WY?
Weston County, Wyoming is zone 6 under DOE's climate map (Cold), which means cold enough that heating, not cooling, is what decides 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 $2,190 a year — payback in roughly 1.6 years. Few home upgrades pay back that quickly.
Where the savings come from
Heating accounts for about $2,106/year of that and cooling about $85/year — Weston County needs both. Nationally, Weston County ranks in the 90th percentile for insulation savings potential. Compared only against its own climate zone, Weston County places 196th out of 459. Against Wyoming's own average of $2,161/year, Weston County runs 1% above that.
Where these numbers come from
The heating and cooling degree days behind this estimate — 7,875 HDD and 528 CDD (base 65°F, 1991-2020 normals) — come from UPTON, WY US, the nearest NOAA station with published normals, 17.2 miles from Weston County's center. By total degree days, Weston County sits at the 90th percentile nationally. Its moisture regime is classified dry, which matters for whether the attic needs a vapor retarder as part of the job — worth asking a contractor about locally.
The smaller top-up scenario
Already have a few inches up there? Topping R-11 up to R-49 runs about $2,280 for about $320/year saved — roughly 7.1 years to break even. The math clears comfortably within a normal ownership horizon.
Quotes and materials for this job
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 Weston County job, not a quote. Expect at least a $600 minimum charge from most contractors.
Weston County's numbers, sourced
The methodology guide lists exactly which DOE and NOAA sources feed Weston 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.