HomeInsuranceQts

Home Insurance in Cook County, Illinois

The median home value in Cook County is $324,500, 23% higher than the Illinois median.

The typical home in Cook County was built around 1961. About 49% of homes were built before 1960, about 11 points above Illinois's 38%. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them.

Housing in Cook County breaks down to 45% single-family homes, 35% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 1% mobile or manufactured homes. The rest are 2-4 unit or other housing types.

About 62% of owner-occupied homes in Cook County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.

The vacancy rate is 8%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 58% of occupied homes in Cook County are owner-occupied.

In Cook County, 80% of homes are primarily heated with natural gas.

FEMA's National Risk Index lists winter weather (Very High), tornado (Very High) and inland flooding (Very High) as the leading hazards for Cook County.

Cook County had 11,554 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 Illinois, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,480 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).

Key figures

Median home value$324,500
Median year built1961
Owner-occupied share58%
Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage62%
Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index)Winter Weather (Very High), Tornado (Very High), Inland Flooding (Very High)
Active NFIP flood policies (county)11,554
Home insurance premium$1,480 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data)

Towns and cities

Smaller communities

Sources