Home Insurance in Merrill, Iowa
Homes in Merrill carry a median value of $166,100 - 27% lower than the Plymouth County median.
Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. The typical home in Merrill was built around 1957. About 55% of homes were built before 1960, about 16 points above Plymouth County's 39%.
In Merrill, the housing stock is 87% single-family homes, 1% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 4% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
66% of owner-occupied homes in Merrill carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
The vacancy rate is 8%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 83% of occupied homes in Merrill are owner-occupied.
Most homes in Merrill - 82% - are primarily heated with natural gas.
Plymouth County had 26 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. Its top FEMA-rated hazard is hail (Relatively Moderate). See the full Plymouth County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details.
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 | $166,100 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1957 |
| Owner-occupied share | 83% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 66% |
| Top county hazard | Hail (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP policies in Plymouth County | 26 |
| 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)