Home Insurance in Buchanan County, Virginia
The median home value in Buchanan County is $94,900, 75% lower than the Virginia median.
Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. The typical home in Buchanan County was built around 1979. About 20% of homes were built before 1960, in line with Virginia (19%).
The housing stock in Buchanan County is 60% single-family homes, 2% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 36% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
In Buchanan County, about 20% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
The vacancy rate is 27%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 83% of occupied homes in Buchanan County are owner-occupied.
In Buchanan County, 91% of homes are primarily heated with electricity.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists wildfire (Relatively Low), inland flooding (Relatively Low) and earthquake (Very Low) as the leading hazards for Buchanan County. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
As of September 2026, Buchanan County has 147 active NFIP flood insurance policies. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
In Virginia, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,537 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $94,900 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Owner-occupied share | 83% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 20% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Wildfire (Relatively Low), Inland Flooding (Relatively Low), Earthquake (Very Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 147 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,537 - 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)