Home Insurance in Essex County, Vermont
The median home value in Essex County is $172,500, 46% lower than the Vermont median.
The typical home in Essex County was built around 1973. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. About 38% of homes were built before 1960, about 6 points above Vermont's 33%.
In Essex County, the housing stock is 82% single-family homes, 3% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 10% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 46% of owner-occupied homes in Essex County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
The vacancy rate is 43%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 82% of occupied homes in Essex County are owner-occupied.
Most homes in Essex County - 50% - are primarily heated with fuel oil. Homes heated with propane, fuel oil and wood can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists hurricane (Very Low), winter weather (Relatively Low) and earthquake (Very Low) as the leading hazards for Essex County. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Essex County had 23 active National Flood Insurance Program policies as of September 2026. 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 Vermont carries a statewide average premium of $1,215 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $172,500 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1973 |
| Owner-occupied share | 82% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 46% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hurricane (Very Low), Winter Weather (Relatively Low), Earthquake (Very Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 23 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,215 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Sources
Data last updated: 2026-09-29
- 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)