ZIP 02121 · Suffolk County

Dorchester, MA Homeowners Insurance

According to U.S. Treasury FIO 2022 filings, homeowners insurance in ZIP 02121, Dorchester, Massachusetts averages $3,124/yr.

21.9%
Loss ratio
2.75%
Nonrenewal rate
#62 of 500
Massachusetts rank
5,746
Policies

The verdict

ZIP 02121 (Dorchester, MA) is #1,170 of 25,593 for homeowners premium and #1,420 of 21,752 for nonrenewal, per 2022 FIO filings. The two ranks do not match.

$3,124
Avg premium (2022)
#1,170
of 25,593 on premium
#1,420
of 21,752 on nonrenewal
95th
national percentile

Premium rank counts ZIPs with a reported average premium, highest first. Nonrenewal rank counts ZIPs with a reported nonrenewal rate, highest first. The two boards are different extracts.

According to U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office data. How we calculate the percentile and national comparison: methodology.

Insurance Livability Score

F
PlainInsure Livability Score
24/100
02121 - Dorchester, MA

PlainInsure's own composite of Treasury FIO premium/market data and FEMA National Risk Index hazard data, each dimension percentile-ranked against the full national corpus. Not an official government score, and not a substitute for an actual insurance quote.

Affordability F
$3,124/yr
Avg premium, 5th cheapest nationally (Treasury FIO)
Market Stability F
0.03%
Nonrenewal rate -- insurers dropping coverage (Treasury FIO)
Disaster Risk F
93.5
County FEMA National Risk Index score
Community Resilience A+
95.5
County FEMA NRI community-resilience score

Where ZIP 02121's premium sits nationally

Average annual homeowners premium across 25,593 tracked ZIP codes, as of 2022

$3,124 Higher than most more expensive than 95% of 25,593 ZIP codes

tracked ZIP codes, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.25K-wide band; taller bars hold more ZIP codes. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office · 2022

The local market map

Premium and nonrenewal do not always move together

The highlighted dot is ZIP 02121. Each other dot is a deterministic sample of ZIPs in Massachusetts, spread across the premium range. Crosshairs mark the published state averages, so this is a comparison of two reported measures, not a quote or a forecast.

State ZIP peer map

Highlighted: ZIP 02121; crosshairs: Massachusetts averages

Lower premium / higher nonrenewalHigher on bothLower on bothHigher premium / lower nonrenewal$452.5$4546.5$8640.6$12734.6$16828.70.0%0.7%1.5%2.2%2.9%Average annual premiumNonrenewal rate
Source: U.S. Treasury FIO 2022 ZIP-level homeowners insurance filings. The matrix samples 50 ZIPs across the state premium distribution and retains this ZIP.
Read the plotted ZIP values
  • ZIP 01376 · Turners Falls $1,197/yr · 0.33%
  • ZIP 01027 · Easthampton $1,339/yr · 0.77%
  • ZIP 01001 · Agawam $1,367/yr · 1.06%
  • ZIP 01089 · West Springfield $1,404/yr · 1.04%
  • ZIP 01379 · Wendell $1,431/yr · 1.08%
  • ZIP 01072 · Shutesbury $1,446/yr · 0.84%
  • ZIP 01222 · Ashley Falls $1,468/yr · 0.48%
  • ZIP 01077 · Southwick $1,496/yr · 1.83%
  • ZIP 01453 · Leominster $1,516/yr · 1.05%
  • ZIP 01876 · Tewksbury $1,533/yr · 0.82%
  • ZIP 01571 · Dudley $1,558/yr · 0.80%
  • ZIP 01473 · Westminster $1,575/yr · 0.67%
  • ZIP 01029 · East Otis $1,593/yr · 0.38%
  • ZIP 01368 · Royalston $1,608/yr · 0.63%
  • ZIP 01550 · Southbridge $1,628/yr · 1.22%
  • ZIP 01566 · Sturbridge $1,644/yr · 1.09%
  • ZIP 02718 · East Taunton $1,668/yr · 1.09%
  • ZIP 01516 · Douglas $1,689/yr · 0.90%
  • ZIP 02188 · Weymouth $1,707/yr · 1.16%
  • ZIP 02180 · Stoneham $1,725/yr · 0.91%
  • ZIP 01860 · Merrimac $1,746/yr · 0.67%
  • ZIP 02726 · Somerset $1,777/yr · 0.63%
  • ZIP 02170 · Quincy $1,810/yr · 1.83%
  • ZIP 02777 · Swansea $1,831/yr · 0.67%
  • ZIP 02743 · Acushnet $1,850/yr · 1.10%
  • ZIP 02723 · Fall River $1,873/yr · 1.36%
  • ZIP 01568 · Upton $1,886/yr · 0.64%
  • ZIP 02576 · West Wareham $1,905/yr · 0.73%
  • ZIP 01541 · Princeton $1,946/yr · 0.62%
  • ZIP 01841 · Lawrence $1,966/yr · 2.69%
  • ZIP 01827 · Dunstable $1,994/yr · 1.37%
  • ZIP 02740 · New Bedford $2,053/yr · 1.69%
  • ZIP 02135 · Brighton $2,098/yr · 1.68%
  • ZIP 02145 · Somerville $2,167/yr · 1.88%
  • ZIP 02644 · Forestdale $2,234/yr · 0.45%
  • ZIP 01951 · Newbury $2,321/yr · 0.58%
  • ZIP 02126 · Mattapan $2,373/yr · 1.36%
  • ZIP 02090 · Westwood $2,460/yr · 0.79%
  • ZIP 02460 · Newtonville $2,557/yr · 1.07%
  • ZIP 01259 · Southfield $2,631/yr · 0.49%
  • ZIP 02648 · Marstons Mills $2,763/yr · 0.46%
  • ZIP 02482 · Wellesley $2,956/yr · 0.77%
  • ZIP 01770 · Sherborn $3,063/yr · 0.56%
  • ZIP 02121 · Dorchester (this ZIP) $3,124/yr · 2.75%
  • ZIP 02748 · South Dartmouth $3,209/yr · 0.70%
  • ZIP 01773 · Lincoln $3,551/yr · 1.24%
  • ZIP 02667 · Wellfleet $3,952/yr · 2.41%
  • ZIP 02635 · Cotuit $4,522/yr · 0.62%
  • ZIP 02633 · Chatham $5,618/yr · 0.68%
  • ZIP 02554 · Nantucket $16,084/yr · 0.16%
Avg Premium (2022)
$3,124/yr
Above-median premium
+10.6% since 2018
Loss Ratio
21.9%
Below-median loss ratio
Claim Frequency
4.75%
Avg severity: $14,375
Nonrenewal Rate
2.75%
Above-median nonrenewal rate
+65.2% change

Data Snapshot: ZIP 02121 (Dorchester, MA)

U.S. Treasury FIO ZIP-level observations put the average homeowners insurance premium in ZIP 02121 (Dorchester, MA) at $3,124 per year for 2022 across approximately 5,746 reported policies. That is 76% above the national average of $1,776 per year, placing this ZIP in the 95th percentile nationally. Massachusetts homeowners pay $2,294 per year on average; this ZIP diverges by 36% (above), ranking #62 of 500 tracked ZIPs in Massachusetts by premium. The closest-priced peer within Massachusetts is Brewster (ZIP 02631) at $3,123, essentially matching this ZIP's rate.

The loss ratio for ZIP 02121 is 21.9%, meaning insurers retained a working margin after claims. Claim frequency, the share of policies with at least one claim, is 4.75%, and the average claim severity (amount paid per claim) is $14,375. 2.75% of ZIP 02121 policies go unrenewed at expiration, a rise of 65.2% over the past five years, a pattern that tends to precede broader insurer pullback in stressed markets.

Over the 2018–2022 window, ZIP 02121 premiums risen 10.6%, spanning $2,826 to $3,175 (five-year average: $2,985), an annualized rate of +2.5% per year.

Suffolk County carries a FEMA National Risk Index score of 93.5 (Relatively Moderate), 94th percentile nationally and #4 of 14 Massachusetts counties - 19% above the state mean of 78.8. Dominant mapped hazard: Hurricane. Companion scores: Social Vulnerability Index 70.6 · Community Resilience 95.5. This is hazard context from FEMA, not a premium formula.

How to read these numbers

The figures on this page come from the U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office, which collects homeowners insurance premium and claims data directly from the largest property insurers in the country. Because the data is aggregated at the ZIP-code level and averaged across many policies, it describes the typical cost in an area rather than a quote for any single home. Two houses on the same street can pay very different premiums depending on their age, construction type, roof condition, prior claims, and the specific coverage limits and deductibles the homeowner selects. The loss ratio shows how much of every premium dollar insurers paid back out as claims; a ratio above one means carriers lost money locally, which often precedes rate increases or carrier exits. Rising nonrenewal and claim frequency reveal how stressed the local market has become. Use these figures to gauge the direction and scale of costs in your area, then request quotes from several licensed carriers before buying or renewing a policy. FIO data aggregates voluntary reporting from the 40 largest homeowners insurers, covering roughly 80% of the U.S. market, so figures represent market averages rather than individual policy quotes; your own premium will vary with dwelling value, deductible, coverage limits, construction type, and insurer-specific underwriting. This page is educational research only and is not insurance advice, homeowners should request quotes from multiple licensed carriers or an independent agent before purchasing or renewing coverage.

How ZIP 02121 Compares

vs National Average
$3,124 vs $1,776
76% above national avg
vs Massachusetts Average
$3,124 vs $2,294
36% above state avg
National Percentile
95th percentile
More expensive than most ZIPs

Premium History

Average premium in ZIP 02121, 2018–2022

$2,800$2,900$3,000$3,100$3,200 20182019202020212022 $3,124
Average homeowners premium per year in ZIP 02121.
Year Avg Premium YoY Change
2018 $2,826 -
2019 $2,878 +1.8%
2020 $2,922 +1.5%
2021 $3,175 +8.7%
2022 $3,124 -1.6%

Multi-year FIO trend for ZIP 02121 (5 years)

5-Year Avg Premium
$2,985
Premium Range
$2,826 - $3,175
Annual Change Rate
+2.5% per year
Years of Data
5 (2018-2022)

Elevated FEMA NRI in Suffolk County

County National Risk Index joined to ZIP 02121 via FIPS 25025. Hazard and vulnerability context from FEMA, not a premium driver and not a quote.

County risk score
93.5
Relatively Moderate · 94th national percentile
In-state county rank
#4
of 14 Massachusetts counties · state mean 78.8
Top mapped hazard
Hurricane
Expected annual loss $12,923,252

Social Vulnerability Index 70.6 · Community Resilience 95.5

County hazard ratings

Wildfire
Very Low
Flooding
Relatively High
Earthquake
Relatively Moderate
Hurricane
Relatively High
Tornado
Relatively Moderate
Hail
Relatively Moderate
Winter weather
Relatively Low

Source: FEMA National Risk Index · state rollup: Massachusetts NRI context · top counties by NRI score.

Nationwide insurance peers outside Massachusetts for ZIP 02121

ZIP 02121's county NRI is 93.5 (Relatively Moderate). Peer ZIPs below are other-state only so the neighborhoods are not Massachusetts containment.

Similar average premium

Nearest other-state ZIPs by average homeowners premium ($3,124/yr here).

Similar nonrenewal rate

Nearest other-state ZIPs by nonrenewal rate (2.75% here).

Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Federal Insurance Office (FIO) Homeowners Insurance Data (2018-2022). Premiums are ZIP-level averages and may not reflect individual policy costs

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is homeowners insurance in ZIP 02121?
At the 95th percentile nationally, #62 of 500 ZIPs in Massachusetts, ZIP 02121 (Dorchester, MA) ranks among the pricier markets for homeowners insurance, averaging $3,124 per year as of 2022. Premiums have changed +10.6% over the past 5 years.
What affects homeowners insurance costs in Dorchester, MA?
Key cost drivers in ZIP 02121: a claims frequency of 4.75%, a loss ratio of 21.9%, and a nonrenewal rate of 2.75%, placing this ZIP in the 95th percentile nationally for cost.
Is homeowners insurance expensive in ZIP 02121 compared to the national average?
ZIP 02121 premiums of $3,124/yr are 76% above the national average of $1,776/yr. This ZIP is in the 95th percentile nationally.
What is the nonrenewal rate in ZIP 02121?
ZIP 02121 shows a nonrenewal rate of 2.75% in Massachusetts, a rise of 65.2% over the past 5 years.
How have premiums trended in ZIP 02121 over 5 years?
ZIP 02121 premiums spanned $2,826 to $3,175 across the 2018-2022 window, a 5-year average of $2,985. The annualized change rate is +2.5% per year.
How does ZIP 02121 compare to the Massachusetts state average?
ZIP 02121 has an average premium of $3,124/yr compared to the Massachusetts state average of $2,294/yr. This ZIP is 36% above the state average, ranking #62 of 500 tracked ZIPs in Massachusetts by premium.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for ZIP 02121?
FEMA NRI for the county containing ZIP 02121 (Suffolk) is 93.5 - #4/14 in Massachusetts, 94th national percentile, top hazard Hurricane. It does not replace the FIO premium figures on this page.

What to do with ZIP 02121

This ZIP's premiums run at the 95th national percentile, but a single number is not a quote.

These figures are Treasury FIO aggregates for this ZIP, not a personal insurance quote.

Every figure on PlainInsure is rendered directly from U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on U.S. Treasury FIO data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.