Home Insurance in Highlands, North Carolina
Homes in Highlands carry a median value of $700,900 - 178% higher than the Macon County median.
Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. The typical home in Highlands was built around 1981. About 18% of homes were built before 1960, about 8 points above Macon County's 10%.
The housing stock in Highlands is 77% single-family homes, 8% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 4% 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 Highlands, about 42% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
Highlands has an owner-occupancy rate of 67% and a vacancy rate of 74%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
Most homes in Highlands - 52% - are primarily heated with electricity. Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
What's the biggest home insurance risk near Highlands? FEMA's National Risk Index points to inland flooding (Relatively Low) in Macon County and Macon County had 224 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full Macon County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details. Flood damage is excluded from a standard homeowners 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 | $700,900 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Owner-occupied share | 67% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 42% |
| Top county hazard | Inland Flooding (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP policies in Macon County | 224 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,852 - 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)