Home Insurance in Chester, Iowa
Homes in Chester carry a median value of $120,800 - 18% lower than the Howard County median.
The median home in Chester was built in 1939 or earlier. About 74% of homes were built before 1960, about 25 points above Howard County's 49%. Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing.
The housing stock in Chester is 82% single-family homes, 6% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 4% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
39% of owner-occupied homes in Chester carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
About 78% of occupied homes in Chester are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 17%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
Most homes in Chester - 65% - are primarily heated with propane. Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
Howard County had 21 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. Its top FEMA-rated hazard is hail (Relatively Low). See the full Howard County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details.
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 | $120,800 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1939 or earlier |
| Owner-occupied share | 78% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 39% |
| Top county hazard | Hail (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP policies in Howard County | 21 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,342 - 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)