Home Insurance in Watertown, New York
With a median home value of $158,600, Watertown is 16% lower than the Jefferson County median.
Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. The typical home in Watertown was built around 1945. About 66% of homes were built before 1960, about 24 points above Jefferson County's 42%.
In Watertown, the housing stock is 46% single-family homes, 25% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 1% mobile or manufactured homes. The rest are 2-4 unit or other housing types.
In Watertown, about 67% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
About 41% of occupied homes in Watertown are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 12%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
64% of homes in Watertown are primarily heated with natural gas.
Jefferson County's top FEMA-rated hazard is winter weather (Relatively High), per FEMA's National Risk Index. Jefferson County had 285 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full Jefferson County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details.
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 | $158,600 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1945 |
| Owner-occupied share | 41% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 67% |
| Top county hazard | Winter Weather (Relatively High) |
| Active NFIP policies in Jefferson County | 285 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,801 - 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)