Home Insurance in Elma, Iowa
Homes in Elma carry a median value of $81,300 - 45% lower than the Howard County median.
Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. The typical home in Elma was built around 1943. About 60% of homes were built before 1960, about 10 points above Howard County's 49%.
The housing stock in Elma is 86% single-family homes, 8% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 6% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
34% of owner-occupied homes in Elma carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
The vacancy rate is 12%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 69% of occupied homes in Elma are owner-occupied.
Most homes in Elma - 64% - are primarily heated with propane. Homes heated with propane and fuel oil 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.
In Iowa, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,342 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $81,300 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1943 |
| Owner-occupied share | 69% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 34% |
| 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)