Home Insurance in Cheshire County, New Hampshire
With a median home value of $280,100, Cheshire County is 30% lower than the New Hampshire median.
Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. The typical home in Cheshire County was built around 1972. About 38% of homes were built before 1960, about 9 points above New Hampshire's 29%.
The housing stock in Cheshire County is 72% single-family homes, 12% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 6% mobile or manufactured homes. The rest are 2-4 unit or other housing types. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 59% of owner-occupied homes in Cheshire County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
About 73% of occupied homes in Cheshire County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 15%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
Most homes in Cheshire County - 57% - are primarily heated with fuel oil. Homes heated with propane, fuel oil and wood can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
Per FEMA's National Risk Index, Cheshire County's top hazards are hurricane (Relatively Low), inland flooding (Relatively Moderate) and earthquake (Very Low). Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Cheshire County has 325 active NFIP flood policies on file.
In New Hampshire, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,300 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $280,100 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Owner-occupied share | 73% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 59% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hurricane (Relatively Low), Inland Flooding (Relatively Moderate), Earthquake (Very Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 325 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,300 - 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)