Home Insurance in Story County, Iowa
With a median home value of $258,700, Story County is 24% higher 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 Story County was built around 1984. About 23% of homes were built before 1960, about 15 points below Iowa's 38%.
The housing stock in Story County is 57% single-family homes, 32% 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.
58% of owner-occupied homes in Story County carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
About 56% of occupied homes in Story County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 7%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. In Story County, 63% of homes are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists tornado (Relatively High), winter weather (Relatively High) and hail (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for Story County.
As of September 2026, Story County has 149 active NFIP flood insurance policies. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
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 | $258,700 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Owner-occupied share | 56% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 58% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Tornado (Relatively High), Winter Weather (Relatively High), Hail (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 149 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,342 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
- Ames
- Cambridge
- Collins
- Colo
- Gilbert
- Huxley
- Kelley
- Maxwell
- McCallsburg
- Nevada
- Roland
- Sheldahl
- Slater
- Story City
- Zearing
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)