Home Insurance in Madison County, Iowa
With a median home value of $245,100, Madison County is 18% higher than the Iowa median.
The typical home in Madison County was built around 1977. 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 4 points below 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 Madison County is 85% single-family homes, 4% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 5% mobile or manufactured homes.
63% of owner-occupied homes in Madison County carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
The vacancy rate is 6%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 80% of occupied homes in Madison County are owner-occupied.
Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. 39% of homes in Madison County are primarily heated with natural gas.
The top hazards for Madison County, per FEMA's National Risk Index, are hail (Relatively Low), strong wind (Relatively Moderate) and wildfire (Very Low).
As of September 2026, Madison County has 6 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 | $245,100 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Owner-occupied share | 80% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 63% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hail (Relatively Low), Strong Wind (Relatively Moderate), Wildfire (Very Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 6 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,342 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
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)