Home Insurance in Emerson, Iowa
The median home value in Emerson is $119,500, 50% lower than the Mills County median.
The median home in Emerson was built in 1939 or earlier. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. About 72% of homes were built before 1960, about 35 points above Mills County's 37%.
In Emerson, the housing stock is 91% single-family homes and 4% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
In Emerson, about 56% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
The vacancy rate is 13%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 83% of occupied homes in Emerson are owner-occupied.
86% of homes in Emerson are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA rates Mills County's overall risk as Very Low, led by hail (Relatively Low). Mills County had 71 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full Mills County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details.
The statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Iowa is $1,342 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $119,500 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1939 or earlier |
| Owner-occupied share | 83% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 56% |
| Top county hazard | Hail (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP policies in Mills County | 71 |
| 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)