Home Insurance in Forest City, Illinois
The median home value in Forest City is $86,300, 17% lower than the Mason County median.
The typical home in Forest City was built around 1966. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. About 34% of homes were built before 1960, about 17 points below Mason County's 51%.
The housing stock in Forest City is 87% single-family homes and 13% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
In Forest City, about 34% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
The vacancy rate is 10%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 68% of occupied homes in Forest City are owner-occupied.
Most homes in Forest City - 63% - 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.
Mason County's top FEMA-rated hazard is strong wind (Relatively Moderate), per FEMA's National Risk Index. Mason County had 45 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full Mason County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details.
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 | $86,300 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1966 |
| Owner-occupied share | 68% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 34% |
| Top county hazard | Strong Wind (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP policies in Mason County | 45 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,480 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Nearby towns
Sources
Data last updated: 2026-09-29
- 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)