Home Insurance in Shelby County, Tennessee
With a median home value of $249,100, Shelby County is 13% lower than the Tennessee median.
The typical home in Shelby County was built around 1977. About 27% of homes were built before 1960, about 9 points above Tennessee's 18%. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild.
In Shelby County, the housing stock is 71% single-family homes, 21% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 1% mobile or manufactured homes.
About 62% of owner-occupied homes in Shelby County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
Shelby County has an owner-occupancy rate of 54% and a vacancy rate of 10%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
In Shelby County, 53% of homes are primarily heated with electricity.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists tornado (Very High), earthquake (Relatively High) and inland flooding (Relatively High) as the leading hazards for Shelby County. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
As of September 2026, Shelby County has 2,196 active NFIP flood insurance policies. 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 Tennessee is $1,649 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $249,100 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Owner-occupied share | 54% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 62% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Tornado (Very High), Earthquake (Relatively High), Inland Flooding (Relatively High) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 2,196 |
| 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)