Home Insurance Rates by State: Most and Least Expensive States in 2026

Updated: December 5, 2025

Advertising & Editorial Disclosure

While inflation has affected nearly every household expense, home insurance shows some of the most dramatic geographic differences. MoneyGeek's analysis of quotes in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., finds that the gap between the most and least expensive states has grown to $9,639 per year.

The national average cost of home insurance is $3,548 per year. But this benchmark hides a clear reality: homeowners in high-risk states pay up to 17 times more for coverage than homeowners in relatively stable climates.

KEY FINDINGS

Florida homeowners pay an average of $10,240 per year, 189% above the national average.
Hawaii remains the most affordable state at $601 per year, 83% below the national average.
The difference between the most and least expensive states is $9,639, a 17x difference in annual costs.
Despite rising-rate headlines, 38 states have premiums below the national average. 13 states exceed it.
States in the South and Great Plains have high costs where hurricanes, tornadoes and severe convective storms occur frequently.

Most Expensive States for Home Insurance

The 10 most expensive states cluster in the South and Great Plains, where hurricanes, tornadoes and severe convective storms are frequent. Florida is in a league of its own, with premiums exceeding the next most expensive state (Louisiana) by more than $1,700.


51	Florida	$10,240	$853	+189%
50	Louisiana	$8,497	$708	+140%
49	Oklahoma	$7,683	$640	+117%
48	Texas	$6,854	$571	+93%
47	Nebraska	$6,269	$522	+77%
46	Mississippi	$5,166	$431	+46%
45	Arkansas	$5,045	$420	+42%
44	Montana	$4,913	$409	+38%
43	Alabama	$4,637	$386	+31%
42	Colorado	$4,075	$340	+15%

MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP

Living in a high-cost state? Averages vary by ZIP code. Use the Home Insurance Calculator to get an estimate for your home's location.

Least Expensive States for Home Insurance

The most affordable states span several regions but share one thing in common: relatively low exposure to catastrophic weather.


1	Hawaii	$601	$50	-83%
2	Delaware	$976	$81	-72%
3	Vermont	$1,054	$88	-70%
4	Oregon	$1,083	$90	-69%
5	New Hampshire	$1,152	$96	-68%
6	Nevada	$1,212	$101	-66%
7	Washington, D.C.	$1,289	$107	-64%
8	Alaska	$1,323	$110	-63%
9	California	$1,348	$112	-62%
10	Wisconsin	$1,388	$116	-61%

The Growing "Risk Gap"

Rising premiums have widened the gap in home insurance affordability by state, creating very different cost realities for otherwise similar homeowners.

A homeowner in Oklahoma (Rank 49) pays roughly $640 per month for coverage, while a homeowner with a similar profile in Oregon (Rank 4) pays about $90 per month. That $550 monthly difference adds up to $6,600 per year. This location-driven cost functions like a hidden tax on housing.

States in the middle of the distribution are shifting as well. Colorado and Montana have moved into the bottom 10 for affordability in recent years as wildfire risk and severe storms become more frequent in the Mountain West.

What Drives Home Insurance Costs by State

Home insurance premiums vary by state due to differences in weather risks, construction costs, reinsurance rates and local legal environments.

Climate and Natural Disasters

High-premium states tend to experience frequent hurricanes, severe convective storms, tornadoes and flooding. Swiss Re reports that storms now account for about 70% of global insured losses. Climate change has intensified many of these hazards, expanded high-risk zones and increased premiums in areas once considered low-risk.

Reinsurance Costs

Reinsurance, or insurance that insurers buy to protect themselves, has become more expensive after repeated catastrophic losses. Carriers in high-risk states depend heavily on reinsurance, and companies pass those costs directly to policyholders. Industry analysts estimate that in Florida, reinsurance now accounts for up to 40% of a homeowner's premium cost.

Reconstruction and Material Costs

Material prices have grown more slowly in recent months, but cumulative construction costs remain elevated relative to pre-pandemic levels. Higher replacement costs increase claim payouts and, in turn, raise premiums.

Litigation and Fraud

Florida's legal environment encourages litigation against insurers and has contributed to fraudulent claims. These pressures raise costs for all policyholders in the state.

Roof Claims

Verisk estimates that roof-related claims reached $31 billion in 2024, a 30% increase in 2 years. More frequent severe weather has made roof damage a major driver of premium increases nationwide.

MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP

Pay Attention: Standard homeowners insurance policies generally exclude flood damage. Homeowners in high-risk areas must purchase separate flood insurance.

Methodology

MoneyGeek uses internal research and Quadrant Information Services to gather premium data from major national and regional insurers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. This dataset provides consistent rate estimates for the same home and homeowner profile across locations.

Homeowner profile

Age: 41–60
Credit: Good
Claims history: None in recent years

Home profile

Year built: 2000
Construction: Wood-frame, composite shingle roof
Size: 2,500 sq. ft.
Fire risk: Low
Safety features: Standard (smoke detectors, deadbolts)

Coverage

$250,000 dwelling
$125,000 personal property
$200,000 liability
$1,000 deductible

MoneyGeek ranks states by average annual premium, with Rank 1 indicating the least expensive state. The national average premium is $3,548 per year ($296 per month). Actual premiums vary based on home age, construction, claims history and coverage levels.

Home Insurance Cost by State: Full Rankings

This table ranks every state and Washington, D.C., by its average annual homeowners insurance premium, from the least expensive (Rank 1) to the most expensive (Rank 51).


51	Florida	$10,240	$853	189%
50	Louisiana	$8,497	$708	140%
49	Oklahoma	$7,683	$640	117%
48	Texas	$6,854	$571	93%
47	Nebraska	$6,269	$522	77%
46	Mississippi	$5,166	$431	46%
45	Arkansas	$5,045	$420	42%
44	Montana	$4,913	$409	38%
43	Alabama	$4,637	$386	31%
42	Colorado	$4,075	$340	15%
41	North Carolina	$3,756	$313	6%
40	Kansas	$3,713	$309	5%
39	South Dakota	$3,615	$301	2%
38	Kentucky	$3,233	$269	-9%
37	Illinois	$3,164	$264	-11%
36	South Carolina	$3,103	$259	-13%
35	Indiana	$3,094	$258	-13%
34	Missouri	$2,994	$249	-16%
33	Tennessee	$2,931	$244	-17%
32	Virginia	$2,679	$223	-25%
31	Maryland	$2,633	$219	-26%
30	Arizona	$2,605	$217	-27%
29	Minnesota	$2,402	$200	-32%
28	Iowa	$2,381	$198	-33%
27	Pennsylvania	$2,334	$195	-34%
26	Connecticut	$2,306	$192	-35%
25	North Dakota	$2,261	$188	-36%
24	Georgia	$2,261	$188	-36%
23	Michigan	$2,206	$184	-38%
22	Rhode Island	$2,090	$174	-41%
21	Ohio	$2,076	$173	-41%
20	Massachusetts	$2,066	$172	-42%
19	Wyoming	$1,891	$158	-47%
18	New Mexico	$1,787	$149	-50%
17	New Jersey	$1,774	$148	-50%
16	West Virginia	$1,719	$143	-52%
15	Idaho	$1,675	$140	-53%
14	New York	$1,556	$130	-56%
13	Washington	$1,475	$123	-58%
12	Utah	$1,456	$121	-59%
11	Maine	$1,424	$119	-60%
10	Wisconsin	$1,388	$116	-61%
9	California	$1,348	$112	-62%
8	Alaska	$1,323	$110	-63%
7	Washington, D.C.	$1,289	$107	-64%
6	Nevada	$1,212	$101	-66%
5	New Hampshire	$1,152	$96	-68%
4	Oregon	$1,083	$90	-69%
3	Vermont	$1,054	$88	-70%
2	Delaware	$976	$81	-72%
1	Hawaii	$601	$50	-83%

About Nathan Paulus

Nathan Paulus is the Head of Content at MoneyGeek, where he conducts original data analysis and oversees editorial strategy for insurance and personal finance coverage. He has published hundreds of data-driven studies analyzing insurance markets, consumer costs and coverage trends over the past decade. His research combines statistical analysis with accessible financial guidance for millions of readers annually.

Paulus earned his B.A. in English from the University of St. Thomas, Houston.

Read Full Bio »

sources

Verisk. "U.S. Roof Claims Costs Reached Over $30 Billion In 2024." Accessed December 4, 2025.
Swiss Re Institute. "Severe thunderstorms drive insured losses to USD 60 billion in first half of 2024, Swiss Re Institute estimates." Accessed December 4, 2025.
Insurance Information Institute.. "Facts + Statistics: Homeowners and renters insurance." Accessed December 4, 2025.
Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. "Annual Report." Accessed December 4, 2025.