Home Insurance in Backus, Minnesota
With a median home value of $134,700, Backus is 53% lower than the Cass County median.
Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. The typical home in Backus was built around 1972. About 39% of homes were built before 1960, about 26 points above Cass County's 13%.
In Backus, the housing stock is 79% single-family homes, 1% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 10% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 76% of owner-occupied homes in Backus have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
The vacancy rate is 32%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 71% of occupied homes in Backus are owner-occupied.
Most homes in Backus - 56% - are primarily heated with propane. Homes heated with propane and fuel oil can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
FEMA rates Cass County's overall risk as Relatively Low, led by winter weather (Relatively Moderate). Cass County had 8 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full Cass County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details.
The statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Minnesota is $1,988 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $134,700 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Owner-occupied share | 71% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 76% |
| Top county hazard | Winter Weather (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP policies in Cass County | 8 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,988 - 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)