Home Insurance in Monroe County, Iowa
The median home value in Monroe County is $156,300, 25% lower than the Iowa median.
Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. The typical home in Monroe County was built around 1970. About 41% of homes were built before 1960, about 4 points above Iowa's 38%.
The housing stock in Monroe County is 81% single-family homes, 4% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 9% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
In Monroe County, about 48% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
Monroe County has an owner-occupancy rate of 81% and a vacancy rate of 16%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. In Monroe County, 44% of homes are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists wildfire (Very Low), tornado (Relatively Low) and hail (Very Low) as the leading hazards for Monroe County.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. Monroe County has no active NFIP flood policies on file.
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 | $156,300 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Owner-occupied share | 81% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 48% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Wildfire (Very Low), Tornado (Relatively Low), Hail (Very Low) |
| 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)