Home Insurance in Nelson County, North Dakota
The median home value in Nelson County is $139,700, 44% lower than the North Dakota median.
The typical home in Nelson County was built around 1963. About 46% of homes were built before 1960, about 23 points above North Dakota's 23%. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them.
In Nelson County, the housing stock is 84% single-family homes, 9% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 4% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
35% of owner-occupied homes in Nelson County carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
Nelson County has an owner-occupancy rate of 75% and a vacancy rate of 25%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
In Nelson County, 48% of homes are primarily heated with electricity. Homes heated with propane and fuel oil can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists hail (Relatively Moderate), winter weather (Relatively Moderate) and wildfire (Relatively Low) as the leading hazards for Nelson County.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. Nelson County has no active NFIP flood policies on file.
The statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in North Dakota is $1,414 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $139,700 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1963 |
| Owner-occupied share | 75% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 35% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hail (Relatively Moderate), Winter Weather (Relatively Moderate), Wildfire (Relatively Low) |
| Home insurance premium | $1,414 - 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)