Home Insurance in Chowan County, North Carolina
With a median home value of $235,800, Chowan County is 18% lower than the North Carolina median.
The typical home in Chowan County was built around 1980. About 23% of homes were built before 1960, about 9 points above North Carolina's 14%. Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing.
Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy. The housing stock in Chowan County is 72% single-family homes, 1% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 17% mobile or manufactured homes.
About 62% of owner-occupied homes in Chowan County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
Chowan County has an owner-occupancy rate of 71% and a vacancy rate of 15%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. In Chowan County, 57% of homes are primarily heated with electricity.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists hurricane (Relatively Moderate), winter weather (Relatively Moderate) and coastal flooding (Relatively Low) as the leading hazards for Chowan County.
Chowan County had 335 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 North Carolina is $1,852 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $235,800 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1980 |
| Owner-occupied share | 71% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 62% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hurricane (Relatively Moderate), Winter Weather (Relatively Moderate), Coastal Flooding (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 335 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,852 - 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)