Home Insurance in Clayton County, Iowa
With a median home value of $168,500, Clayton County is 19% lower than the Iowa median.
The typical home in Clayton 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 Iowa's 38%.
Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy. The housing stock in Clayton County is 82% single-family homes, 6% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 4% mobile or manufactured homes.
In Clayton County, about 48% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
The vacancy rate is 15%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 78% of occupied homes in Clayton County are owner-occupied.
Homes heated with propane and wood can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. 44% of homes in Clayton County are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists hail (Relatively Moderate), inland flooding (Relatively Low) and tornado (Relatively Low) as the leading hazards for Clayton County.
As of September 2026, Clayton County has 105 active NFIP flood insurance policies. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Iowa carries a statewide average premium of $1,342 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $168,500 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1960 |
| Owner-occupied share | 78% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 48% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hail (Relatively Moderate), Inland Flooding (Relatively Low), Tornado (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 105 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,342 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
- Clayton
- Elkader
- Elkport
- Farmersburg
- Garber
- Garnavillo
- Guttenberg
- Luana
- Marquette
- McGregor
- Monona
- North Buena Vista
- Osterdock
- St. Olaf
- Strawberry Point
- Volga
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)