Home Insurance in Merced County, California
The median home value in Merced County is $391,800, 47% lower than the California median.
The typical home in Merced County was built around 1986. Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. About 17% of homes were built before 1960, about 10 points below California's 27%.
The housing stock in Merced County is 76% single-family homes, 10% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 6% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
In Merced County, about 64% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
About 54% of occupied homes in Merced County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 5%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
In Merced County, 62% of homes are primarily heated with natural gas.
Per FEMA's National Risk Index, Merced County's top hazards are earthquake (Relatively High), inland flooding (Relatively High) and wildfire (Relatively Moderate). Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Merced County had 4,410 active National Flood Insurance Program policies as of September 2026. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
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 | $391,800 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Owner-occupied share | 54% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 64% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Earthquake (Relatively High), Inland Flooding (Relatively High), Wildfire (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 4,410 |
| 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)