Home Insurance in Palo Alto County, Iowa
With a median home value of $123,200, Palo Alto County is 41% lower than the Iowa median.
The typical home in Palo Alto County was built around 1958. Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. About 53% of homes were built before 1960, about 15 points above Iowa's 38%.
Housing in Palo Alto County breaks down to 86% single-family homes, 7% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 2% mobile or manufactured homes.
50% of owner-occupied homes in Palo Alto County carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
Palo Alto County has an owner-occupancy rate of 77% and a vacancy rate of 17%; 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. Most homes in Palo Alto County - 52% - are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists hail (Relatively Moderate), winter weather (Relatively Low) and tornado (Relatively Low) as the leading hazards for Palo Alto County.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Palo Alto County has 16 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 | $123,200 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1958 |
| Owner-occupied share | 77% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 50% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hail (Relatively Moderate), Winter Weather (Relatively Low), Tornado (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 16 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,342 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
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)