Home Insurance in Melvin, Iowa
The median home value in Melvin is $68,000, 45% lower than the Osceola County median.
Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. The typical home in Melvin was built around 1956. About 60% of homes were built before 1960, in line with Osceola County (59%).
In Melvin, the housing stock is 93% single-family homes, 6% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 1% mobile or manufactured homes.
53% of owner-occupied homes in Melvin carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
About 91% of occupied homes in Melvin are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 9%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
Most homes in Melvin - 74% - 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.
Osceola County's top FEMA-rated hazard is hail (Relatively Moderate), per FEMA's National Risk Index. Osceola County had 6 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full Osceola 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 | $68,000 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1956 |
| Owner-occupied share | 91% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 53% |
| Top county hazard | Hail (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP policies in Osceola County | 6 |
| 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)