Home Insurance in Smith County, Tennessee
The median home value in Smith County is $243,800, 15% lower than the Tennessee median.
Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. The typical home in Smith County was built around 1988. About 21% of homes were built before 1960, about 3 points above Tennessee's 18%.
The housing stock in Smith County is 74% single-family homes, 5% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 19% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
In Smith County, about 49% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
Smith County has an owner-occupancy rate of 77% and a vacancy rate of 9%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. In Smith County, 58% of homes are primarily heated with electricity.
The top hazards for Smith County, per FEMA's National Risk Index, are earthquake (Very Low), tornado (Relatively Low) and strong wind (Relatively Low). Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Smith County has 110 active NFIP flood policies on file.
In Tennessee, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,649 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $243,800 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1988 |
| Owner-occupied share | 77% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 49% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Earthquake (Very Low), Tornado (Relatively Low), Strong Wind (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 110 |
| 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)