Home Insurance in Tama County, Iowa
With a median home value of $148,600, Tama County is 29% lower than the Iowa median.
The typical home in Tama County was built around 1957. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. About 53% of homes were built before 1960, about 15 points above Iowa's 38%.
The housing stock in Tama County is 89% single-family homes, 4% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 3% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 55% of owner-occupied homes in Tama County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
Tama County has an owner-occupancy rate of 76% and a vacancy rate of 12%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
Most homes in Tama County - 50% - are primarily heated with natural gas. Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists strong wind (Relatively High), wildfire (Relatively Low) and hail (Relatively Low) as the leading hazards for Tama County.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Tama County has 43 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 | $148,600 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1957 |
| Owner-occupied share | 76% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 55% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Strong Wind (Relatively High), Wildfire (Relatively Low), Hail (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 43 |
| 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)