Home Insurance in King County, Washington
The median home value in King County is $859,900, 52% higher than the Washington median.
Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. The typical home in King County was built around 1983. About 23% of homes were built before 1960, about 2 points above Washington's 20%.
Housing in King County breaks down to 55% single-family homes, 38% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 1% mobile or manufactured homes.
69% of owner-occupied homes in King County carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
The vacancy rate is 6%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 55% of occupied homes in King County are owner-occupied.
55% of homes in King County are primarily heated with electricity.
The top hazards for King County, per FEMA's National Risk Index, are earthquake (Very High), inland flooding (Very High) and winter weather (Relatively High). Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
King County had 6,820 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 Washington carries a statewide average premium of $1,232 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $859,900 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1983 |
| Owner-occupied share | 55% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 69% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Earthquake (Very High), Inland Flooding (Very High), Winter Weather (Relatively High) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 6,820 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,232 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
- Algona
- Beaux Arts Village
- Bellevue
- Black Diamond
- Bothell
- Burien
- Carnation
- Clyde Hill
- Covington
- Des Moines
- Duvall
- Enumclaw
- Federal Way
- Hunts Point
- Issaquah
- Kenmore
- Kent
- Kirkland
- Lake Forest Park
- Newcastle
- Normandy Park
- Pacific
- Redmond
- Renton
- Sammamish
- SeaTac
- Seattle
- Shoreline
- Skykomish
- Snoqualmie
- Tukwila
- Woodinville
- Yarrow Point
Smaller communities
-
Auburn
- Median home value: $547,900
- Median year built: 1991
- Owner-occupied share: 61%
-
Maple Valley
- Median home value: $724,700
- Median year built: 2001
- Owner-occupied share: 83%
-
Medina
- Median home value: $2,000,000+
- Median year built: 1973
- Owner-occupied share: 80%
-
Mercer Island
- Median home value: $2,000,000+
- Median year built: 1973
- Owner-occupied share: 67%
-
North Bend
- Median home value: $1,048,600
- Median year built: 1993
- Owner-occupied share: 73%
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)