Home Insurance in Gloucester, Massachusetts
The median home value in Gloucester is $600,600, close to the Essex County median.
Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. The typical home in Gloucester was built around 1946. About 61% of homes were built before 1960, about 11 points above Essex County's 50%.
Housing in Gloucester breaks down to 55% single-family homes and 12% apartments in buildings with 5+ units. The rest are 2-4 unit or other housing types.
68% of owner-occupied homes in Gloucester carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
Gloucester has an owner-occupancy rate of 64% and a vacancy rate of 10%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
Homes heated with propane and fuel oil can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. In Gloucester, 40% of homes are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA rates Essex County's overall risk as Relatively High, led by coastal flooding (Very High). Essex County had 8,754 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full Essex County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details. Flood damage is excluded from a standard homeowners policy.
In Massachusetts, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $2,134 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $600,600 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1946 |
| Owner-occupied share | 64% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 68% |
| Top county hazard | Coastal Flooding (Very High) |
| Active NFIP policies in Essex County | 8,754 |
| Home insurance premium | $2,134 - 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)