Home Insurance in Orleans Parish, Louisiana
The median home value in Orleans Parish is $315,700, 46% higher than the Louisiana median.
Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. The typical home in Orleans Parish was built around 1960. About 50% of homes were built before 1960, about 32 points above Louisiana's 18%.
The housing stock in Orleans Parish is 56% single-family homes and 21% apartments in buildings with 5+ units. The rest are 2-4 unit or other housing types.
56% of owner-occupied homes in Orleans Parish carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
The vacancy rate is 20%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 51% of occupied homes in Orleans Parish are owner-occupied.
61% of homes in Orleans Parish are primarily heated with electricity.
The top hazards for Orleans Parish, per FEMA's National Risk Index, are hurricane (Very High), inland flooding (Relatively High) and hail (Relatively Moderate).
As of September 2026, Orleans Parish has 65,695 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 Louisiana is $3,027 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $315,700 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1960 |
| Owner-occupied share | 51% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 56% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hurricane (Very High), Inland Flooding (Relatively High), Hail (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 65,695 |
| Home insurance premium | $3,027 - 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)