Home Insurance in Brown County, Illinois
The median home value in Brown County is $150,300, 43% lower than the Illinois median.
The typical home in Brown County was built around 1960. Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. About 50% of homes were built before 1960, about 12 points above Illinois's 38%.
The housing stock in Brown County is 81% single-family homes, 8% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 5% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
In Brown County, about 53% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
The vacancy rate is 12%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 72% of occupied homes in Brown County are owner-occupied.
In Brown County, 37% of homes are primarily heated with natural gas. Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
The top hazards for Brown County, per FEMA's National Risk Index, are earthquake (Very Low), strong wind (Relatively Low) and hail (Very Low). 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, Brown County has 4 active NFIP flood policies on file.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Illinois carries a statewide average premium of $1,480 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $150,300 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1960 |
| Owner-occupied share | 72% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 53% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Earthquake (Very Low), Strong Wind (Relatively Low), Hail (Very Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 4 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,480 - 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)