Home Insurance in Chautauqua County, New York
With a median home value of $127,900, Chautauqua County is 70% lower than the New York median.
The typical home in Chautauqua County was built around 1953. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. About 59% of homes were built before 1960, about 7 points above New York's 52%.
In Chautauqua County, the housing stock is 70% single-family homes, 7% 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.
49% of owner-occupied homes in Chautauqua County carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
Chautauqua County has an owner-occupancy rate of 69% and a vacancy rate of 20%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
Most homes in Chautauqua County - 67% - are primarily heated with natural gas. Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists inland flooding (Relatively Moderate), strong wind (Relatively High) and tornado (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for Chautauqua County.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Chautauqua County has 415 active NFIP flood policies on file.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in New York carries a statewide average premium of $1,801 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $127,900 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1953 |
| Owner-occupied share | 69% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 49% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Inland Flooding (Relatively Moderate), Strong Wind (Relatively High), Tornado (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 415 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,801 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
- Bemus Point
- Brocton
- Cassadaga
- Celoron
- Dunkirk
- Falconer
- Fredonia
- Jamestown
- Lakewood
- Mayville
- Panama
- Sherman
- Silver Creek
- Sinclairville
- Westfield
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)