Home Insurance in Forest County, Wisconsin
With a median home value of $185,000, Forest County is 31% lower than the Wisconsin median.
The typical home in Forest County was built around 1980. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. About 26% of homes were built before 1960, about 8 points below Wisconsin's 33%.
In Forest County, the housing stock is 87% single-family homes, 3% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 9% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 51% of owner-occupied homes in Forest County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
The vacancy rate is 54%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 82% of occupied homes in Forest County are owner-occupied.
Homes heated with propane and wood can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. 40% of homes in Forest County are primarily heated with propane.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists hail (Relatively Low), winter weather (Relatively Low) and tornado (Very Low) as the leading hazards for Forest County.
Forest County had 10 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 Wisconsin carries a statewide average premium of $923 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $185,000 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1980 |
| Owner-occupied share | 82% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 51% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hail (Relatively Low), Winter Weather (Relatively Low), Tornado (Very Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 10 |
| Home insurance premium | $923 - 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)