Home Insurance in DeKalb County, Tennessee
The median home value in DeKalb County is $235,500, 18% lower than the Tennessee median.
The typical home in DeKalb County was built around 1986. About 11% of homes were built before 1960, about 7 points below Tennessee's 18%. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them.
In DeKalb County, the housing stock is 80% single-family homes, 4% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 12% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
In DeKalb County, about 53% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
About 73% of occupied homes in DeKalb County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 15%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
In DeKalb County, 50% of homes are primarily heated with electricity.
Per FEMA's National Risk Index, DeKalb County's top hazards are earthquake (Relatively Low), winter weather (Relatively Low) and strong wind (Relatively Moderate). Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
As of September 2026, DeKalb County has 35 active NFIP flood insurance policies. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Tennessee carries a statewide average premium of $1,649 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $235,500 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Owner-occupied share | 73% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 53% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Earthquake (Relatively Low), Winter Weather (Relatively Low), Strong Wind (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 35 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,649 - 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)