Home Insurance in Benton County, Iowa
With a median home value of $208,200, Benton County is close to the Iowa median.
The typical home in Benton County was built around 1964. About 46% of homes were built before 1960, about 8 points above Iowa's 38%. Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing.
Housing in Benton County breaks down to 90% single-family homes, 4% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 3% mobile or manufactured homes.
About 59% of owner-occupied homes in Benton 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 85% of occupied homes in Benton County are owner-occupied.
Most homes in Benton County - 55% - 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 Benton County, per FEMA's National Risk Index, are strong wind (Relatively Moderate), hail (Relatively Moderate) and winter weather (Relatively Low).
As of September 2026, Benton County has 80 active NFIP flood insurance policies. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
The statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Iowa is $1,342 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $208,200 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1964 |
| Owner-occupied share | 85% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 59% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Strong Wind (Relatively Moderate), Hail (Relatively Moderate), Winter Weather (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 80 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,342 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
- Atkins
- Belle Plaine
- Blairstown
- Garrison
- Keystone
- Luzerne
- Mount Auburn
- Newhall
- Norway
- Shellsburg
- Urbana
- Van Horne
- Vinton
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)