Home Insurance in Union County, Iowa
With a median home value of $122,000, Union County is 41% lower than the Iowa median.
The typical home in Union County was built around 1962. About 48% of homes were built before 1960, about 10 points above Iowa's 38%. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild.
In Union County, the housing stock is 77% single-family homes, 10% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 5% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 48% of owner-occupied homes in Union County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
The vacancy rate is 12%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 72% of occupied homes in Union County are owner-occupied.
In Union County, 49% of homes 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 hail (Relatively Moderate), tornado (Relatively Low) and strong wind (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for Union County.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Union County has 14 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 | $122,000 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1962 |
| Owner-occupied share | 72% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 48% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hail (Relatively Moderate), Tornado (Relatively Low), Strong Wind (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 14 |
| 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)