Home Insurance in Mahaska County, Iowa
With a median home value of $157,800, Mahaska County is 24% lower than the Iowa median.
The typical home in Mahaska County was built around 1965. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. About 47% of homes were built before 1960, about 10 points above Iowa's 38%.
In Mahaska County, the housing stock is 80% single-family homes, 7% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 5% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 52% of owner-occupied homes in Mahaska County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
Mahaska County has an owner-occupancy rate of 68% and a vacancy rate of 10%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
In Mahaska County, 53% of homes 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.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists strong wind (Relatively Moderate), hail (Relatively Low) and tornado (Relatively Low) as the leading hazards for Mahaska County.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Mahaska County has 15 active NFIP flood policies on file.
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 | $157,800 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1965 |
| Owner-occupied share | 68% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 52% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Strong Wind (Relatively Moderate), Hail (Relatively Low), Tornado (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 15 |
| 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)