Home Insurance in Brown County, South Dakota
With a median home value of $221,100, Brown County is 14% lower than the South Dakota median.
The typical home in Brown County was built around 1973. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. About 35% of homes were built before 1960, about 7 points above South Dakota's 28%.
Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy. The housing stock in Brown County is 65% single-family homes, 22% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 5% mobile or manufactured homes.
About 59% of owner-occupied homes in Brown County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
About 68% of occupied homes in Brown County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 10%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
In Brown County, 48% of homes are primarily heated with natural gas. Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists winter weather (Very High), hail (Relatively Moderate) and strong wind (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for Brown County.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Brown County has 137 active NFIP flood policies on file.
The statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in South Dakota is $1,614 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $221,100 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1973 |
| Owner-occupied share | 68% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 59% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Winter Weather (Very High), Hail (Relatively Moderate), Strong Wind (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 137 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,614 - 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)