Home Insurance in Orleans County, New York
With a median home value of $140,800, Orleans County is 67% lower than the New York median.
The typical home in Orleans County was built around 1955. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. About 54% of homes were built before 1960, about 2 points above New York's 52%.
The housing stock in Orleans County is 75% single-family homes, 6% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 9% 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.
In Orleans County, about 57% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
About 77% of occupied homes in Orleans County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 11%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
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. 42% of homes in Orleans County are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists hurricane (Very Low), hail (Relatively Low) and inland flooding (Relatively Low) as the leading hazards for Orleans County.
Orleans County had 56 active National Flood Insurance Program policies as of September 2026. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
The statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in New York is $1,801 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $140,800 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1955 |
| Owner-occupied share | 77% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 57% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hurricane (Very Low), Hail (Relatively Low), Inland Flooding (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 56 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,801 - 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)