Home Insurance in Santa Clara County, California
Homes in Santa Clara County carry a median value of $1,490,600 - 103% higher than the California median.
The typical home in Santa Clara County was built around 1975. About 22% of homes were built before 1960, about 5 points below California's 27%. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild.
The housing stock in Santa Clara County is 62% single-family homes, 29% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 3% mobile or manufactured homes.
In Santa Clara County, about 67% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
About 55% of occupied homes in Santa Clara County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 6%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
59% of homes in Santa Clara County are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists earthquake (Very High), inland flooding (Very High) and wildfire (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for Santa Clara 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, Santa Clara County has 11,381 active NFIP flood policies on file.
The statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in California is $1,655 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $1,490,600 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1975 |
| Owner-occupied share | 55% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 67% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Earthquake (Very High), Inland Flooding (Very High), Wildfire (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 11,381 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,655 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
- Campbell
- Cupertino
- Gilroy
- Los Gatos
- Milpitas
- Monte Sereno
- Morgan Hill
- Mountain View
- Palo Alto
- San Jose
- Santa Clara
- Saratoga
- Sunnyvale
Smaller communities
-
Los Altos
- Median home value: $2,000,000+
- Median year built: 1964
- Owner-occupied share: 82%
-
Los Altos Hills
- Median home value: $2,000,000+
- Median year built: 1977
- Owner-occupied share: 93%
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)