ZIP 50010 · Story County

Ames, IA Homeowners Insurance

According to U.S. Treasury FIO 2022 filings, homeowners insurance in ZIP 50010, Ames, Iowa averages $1,500/yr.

58.1%
Loss ratio
0.57%
Nonrenewal rate
#458 of 580
Iowa rank
189
Policies

The verdict

According to U.S. Treasury FIO 2022 filings, Ames, IA (ZIP 50010) ranks #13,765 of 25,593 ZIPs by average premium ($1,500/yr) but #16,659 of 21,752 by nonrenewal (0.57%). Cost rank is not withdrawal rank.

$1,500
Avg premium (2022)
#13,765
of 25,593 on premium
#16,659
of 21,752 on nonrenewal
46th
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

C
PlainInsure Livability Score
58/100
50010 - Ames, IA

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 C-
$1,500/yr
Avg premium, 54th cheapest nationally (Treasury FIO)
Market Stability B+
0.01%
Nonrenewal rate -- insurers dropping coverage (Treasury FIO)
Disaster Risk F
68.8
County FEMA National Risk Index score
Community Resilience A
86.8
County FEMA NRI community-resilience score

Where ZIP 50010's premium sits nationally

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

$1,500 Lower than most lower than 54% 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 50010. Each other dot is a deterministic sample of ZIPs in Iowa, 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 50010; crosshairs: Iowa averages

Lower premium / higher nonrenewalHigher on bothLower on bothHigher premium / lower nonrenewal$1185.1$1531.0$1877.0$2222.9$2568.80.1%0.9%1.7%2.5%3.3%Average annual premiumNonrenewal rate
Source: U.S. Treasury FIO 2022 ZIP-level homeowners insurance filings. The matrix samples 49 ZIPs across the state premium distribution and retains this ZIP.
Read the plotted ZIP values
  • ZIP 52172 · Waukon $1,248/yr · 0.84%
  • ZIP 52032 · Bernard $1,340/yr · 0.61%
  • ZIP 52729 · Calamus $1,372/yr · 2.04%
  • ZIP 52340 · Tiffin $1,399/yr · 0.92%
  • ZIP 52302 · Marion $1,415/yr · 1.02%
  • ZIP 52638 · Middletown $1,432/yr · 1.85%
  • ZIP 52591 · Sigourney $1,447/yr · 1.78%
  • ZIP 52247 · Kalona $1,464/yr · 0.89%
  • ZIP 52761 · Muscatine $1,482/yr · 0.55%
  • ZIP 50173 · Montour $1,490/yr · 1.64%
  • ZIP 50010 · Ames (this ZIP) $1,500/yr · 0.57%
  • ZIP 52249 · Keystone $1,508/yr · 1.32%
  • ZIP 50157 · Malcom $1,517/yr · 3.13%
  • ZIP 52317 · North Liberty $1,524/yr · 0.88%
  • ZIP 51031 · Le Mars $1,533/yr · 0.66%
  • ZIP 50464 · Plymouth $1,544/yr · 1.08%
  • ZIP 52064 · Miles $1,551/yr · 0.96%
  • ZIP 51001 · Akron $1,558/yr · 0.37%
  • ZIP 50604 · Aplington $1,566/yr · 1.61%
  • ZIP 51003 · Alton $1,571/yr · 0.55%
  • ZIP 52069 · Preston $1,580/yr · 1.63%
  • ZIP 50021 · Ankeny $1,586/yr · 0.77%
  • ZIP 50211 · Norwalk $1,594/yr · 0.91%
  • ZIP 52213 · Center Point $1,599/yr · 0.38%
  • ZIP 52556 · Fairfield $1,605/yr · 1.18%
  • ZIP 51331 · Arnolds Park $1,613/yr · 0.21%
  • ZIP 52565 · Keosauqua $1,618/yr · 1.22%
  • ZIP 50154 · Mc Callsburg $1,631/yr · 2.82%
  • ZIP 52329 · Rowley $1,637/yr · 2.17%
  • ZIP 52590 · Seymour $1,645/yr · 2.90%
  • ZIP 52722 · Bettendorf $1,649/yr · 0.86%
  • ZIP 51445 · Ida Grove $1,660/yr · 0.43%
  • ZIP 50162 · Melbourne $1,669/yr · 1.09%
  • ZIP 50075 · Ellsworth $1,682/yr · 3.13%
  • ZIP 50273 · Winterset $1,688/yr · 0.92%
  • ZIP 50278 · Zearing $1,701/yr · 2.13%
  • ZIP 52346 · Van Horne $1,707/yr · 1.94%
  • ZIP 50171 · Montezuma $1,720/yr · 0.73%
  • ZIP 50140 · Lamoni $1,731/yr · 1.19%
  • ZIP 52076 · Strawberry Point $1,745/yr · 0.63%
  • ZIP 51028 · Kingsley $1,773/yr · 0.58%
  • ZIP 50446 · Joice $1,811/yr · 1.92%
  • ZIP 50864 · Villisca $1,832/yr · 2.12%
  • ZIP 50627 · Eldora $1,847/yr · 1.41%
  • ZIP 51108 · Sioux City $1,880/yr · 1.64%
  • ZIP 51024 · Hinton $1,912/yr · 0.28%
  • ZIP 50214 · Otley $2,020/yr · 1.40%
  • ZIP 50146 · Linden $2,180/yr · 1.69%
  • ZIP 51355 · Okoboji $2,506/yr · 0.28%
Avg Premium (2022)
$1,500/yr
Near-median premium
+12.6% since 2018
Loss Ratio
58.1%
Above-median loss ratio
Claim Frequency
5.11%
Avg severity: $17,032
Nonrenewal Rate
0.57%
Below-median nonrenewal rate
-51.0% change

Data Snapshot: ZIP 50010 (Ames, IA)

U.S. Treasury FIO ZIP-level observations put the average homeowners insurance premium in ZIP 50010 (Ames, IA) at $1,500 per year for 2022 across approximately 189 reported policies. Against a national average of $1,776 per year, ZIP 50010 comes in 16% below, the 46th percentile among all tracked ZIPs. The Iowa statewide average is $1,629 per year; this ZIP sits 8% below that figure, ranking #458 of 580 tracked ZIPs in Iowa by premium. The closest-priced peer within Iowa is What Cheer (ZIP 50268) at $1,501, essentially matching this ZIP's rate.

The loss ratio for ZIP 50010 is 58.1%, meaning insurers retained a working margin after claims. 5.11% of policies in ZIP 50010 file at least one claim in a given year, and the average claim severity (amount paid per claim) is $17,032. Insurers decline to renew 0.57% of policies in ZIP 50010 at expiration, a drop of 51.0% over the past five years; a rising rate typically signals carriers retreating from higher-risk markets.

Since 2018, premiums here have risen by 12.6% through 2022, ranging $1,333 to $1,500 with a 5-year average of $1,415, an annualized rate of +3.0% per year.

Story County carries a FEMA National Risk Index score of 68.8 (Relatively Low), 69th percentile nationally and #9 of 100 Iowa counties - 74% above the state mean of 39.5. Dominant mapped hazard: Tornado. Companion scores: Social Vulnerability Index 12.9 · Community Resilience 86.8. 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 50010 Compares

vs National Average
$1,500 vs $1,776
16% below national avg
vs Iowa Average
$1,500 vs $1,629
8% below state avg
National Percentile
46th percentile
Below median cost

Premium History

Average premium in ZIP 50010, 2018–2022

$1,300$1,350$1,400$1,450$1,500$1,550 20182019202020212022 $1,500
Average homeowners premium per year in ZIP 50010.
Year Avg Premium YoY Change
2018 $1,333 -
2019 $1,373 +3.0%
2020 $1,400 +2.0%
2021 $1,470 +5.0%
2022 $1,500 +2.0%

Filing-window snapshot: ZIP 50010, 2018-2022

5-Year Avg Premium
$1,415
Premium Range
$1,333 - $1,500
Annual Change Rate
+3.0% per year
Years of Data
5 (2018-2022)

Elevated FEMA NRI in Story County

County National Risk Index joined to ZIP 50010 via FIPS 19169. Hazard and vulnerability context from FEMA, not a premium driver and not a quote.

County risk score
68.8
Relatively Low · 69th national percentile
In-state county rank
#9
of 100 Iowa counties · state mean 39.5
Top mapped hazard
Tornado
Expected annual loss $10,363,004

Social Vulnerability Index 12.9 · Community Resilience 86.8

County hazard ratings

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

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

Out-of-state ZIPs near ZIP 50010's premium and nonrenewal (high-NRI county)

Cross-state peers for ZIP 50010: nearest FIO ZIPs by premium and by nonrenewal, drawn outside Iowa. County hazard context (Story, NRI 68.8) is separate from these price peers.

Similar average premium

Nearest other-state ZIPs by average homeowners premium ($1,500/yr here).

Similar nonrenewal rate

Nearest other-state ZIPs by nonrenewal rate (0.57% 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 50010?
Homeowners insurance in ZIP 50010 (Ames, IA) averages $1,500 per year as of 2022, close to the national median at the 46th percentile, #458 of 580 ZIPs in Iowa. Premiums have changed +12.6% over the past 5 years.
What affects homeowners insurance costs in Ames, IA?
Three figures shape homeowners insurance costs in ZIP 50010: claims frequency (5.11%), loss ratio (58.1%), and nonrenewal rate (0.57%), together placing this ZIP at the 46th national percentile for cost.
Is homeowners insurance expensive in ZIP 50010 compared to the national average?
Nationally, ZIP 50010 lands in the 46th percentile: its $1,500/yr average is 16% below the U.S. figure of $1,776/yr.
What is the nonrenewal rate in ZIP 50010?
Insurers decline to renew 0.57% of policies in ZIP 50010 in Iowa, a drop of 51.0% over the past 5 years.
How have premiums trended in ZIP 50010 over 5 years?
Over 5 years (2018-2022), premiums in ZIP 50010 have ranged from $1,333 to $1,500, with a 5-year average of $1,415. The annualized change rate is +3.0% per year.
How does ZIP 50010 compare to the Iowa state average?
The Iowa state average is $1,629/yr; ZIP 50010 averages $1,500/yr, 8% below that figure, ranking #458 of 580 tracked ZIPs in Iowa by premium.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for ZIP 50010?
FEMA NRI for the county containing ZIP 50010 (Story) is 68.8 - #9/100 in Iowa, 69th national percentile, top hazard Tornado. It does not replace the FIO premium figures on this page.

What to do with ZIP 50010

This ZIP's premiums run at the 46th 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.