Home Insurance in Merrick County, Nebraska
Homes in Merrick County carry a median value of $175,900 - 26% lower than the Nebraska median.
The typical home in Merrick County was built around 1970. About 43% of homes were built before 1960, about 11 points above Nebraska's 32%. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild.
Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy. The housing stock in Merrick County is 89% single-family homes, 5% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 4% mobile or manufactured homes.
In Merrick County, about 57% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
The vacancy rate is 11%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 82% of occupied homes in Merrick County are owner-occupied.
Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. In Merrick County, 46% of homes are primarily heated with electricity.
The top hazards for Merrick County, per FEMA's National Risk Index, are hail (Relatively High), strong wind (Relatively Moderate) and winter weather (Relatively Low).
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Merrick County has 63 active NFIP flood policies on file.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Nebraska carries a statewide average premium of $2,142 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $175,900 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Owner-occupied share | 82% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 57% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hail (Relatively High), Strong Wind (Relatively Moderate), Winter Weather (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 63 |
| Home insurance premium | $2,142 - 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)