Home Insurance in Butte County, California
The median home value in Butte County is $424,700, 42% lower than the California median.
Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. The typical home in Butte County was built around 1981. About 21% of homes were built before 1960, about 6 points below California's 27%.
Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy. The housing stock in Butte County is 64% single-family homes, 15% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 10% mobile or manufactured homes. The rest are 2-4 unit or other housing types.
About 58% of owner-occupied homes in Butte County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
About 57% of occupied homes in Butte County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 10%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
45% of homes in Butte County are primarily heated with natural gas. Homes heated with propane and wood can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists wildfire (Relatively High), earthquake (Relatively Moderate) and inland flooding (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for Butte County. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Butte County has 1,529 active NFIP flood policies on file.
In California, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,655 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $424,700 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Owner-occupied share | 57% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 58% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Wildfire (Relatively High), Earthquake (Relatively Moderate), Inland Flooding (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 1,529 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,655 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)