Home Insurance in Ottumwa, Iowa
With a median home value of $106,300, Ottumwa is 15% lower than the Wapello County median.
The typical home in Ottumwa was built around 1955. About 58% of homes were built before 1960, about 6 points above Wapello County's 52%. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild.
In Ottumwa, the housing stock is 75% single-family homes, 15% 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 Ottumwa have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
Ottumwa has an owner-occupancy rate of 62% and a vacancy rate of 12%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
Most homes in Ottumwa - 78% - are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA rates Wapello County's overall risk as Relatively Low, led by tornado (Relatively Moderate). Wapello County had 34 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full Wapello 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 | $106,300 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1955 |
| Owner-occupied share | 62% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 55% |
| Top county hazard | Tornado (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP policies in Wapello County | 34 |
| 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)