The Insurance-to-Income Index: What Share of Income Goes to Auto + Home Insurance in Every U.S. County
County-Level Premium-to-Income Research
June 2026
Key findings
The average American household now spends an estimated 6.7% of median household income on auto + home insurance (population-weighted across all 3,143 counties). The median county sits at 6.5%.
The most burdened county in America is Owsley County, Kentucky (24.6%) — a quarter of the median household’s income goes to insuring a car and a home. It is one of the poorest counties in the nation (median income $22,188).
Louisiana is the most burdened state (17.2% of median income) — and all 64 of its parishes sit above the national average. New Orleans households face an estimated $12,600/yr in combined premiums against a $56,600 median income (22.3%).
Florida (13.1%), Nebraska (11.8%), Oklahoma (11.6%) and Mississippi (10.2%) round out the top five. Nebraska is the surprise: hail has pushed its home premiums to the highest in the nation ($6,587/yr for $300K dwelling coverage).
The least burdened state is New Hampshire (2.8%) — a Louisiana household carries roughly 6x the insurance burden of a New Hampshire one.
The gap between the most and least burdened counties is 15x (Owsley County, KY at 24.6% vs Summit County, UT at 1.6%).
1,451 counties — home to 37% of Americans — are above the national average burden. The burden is regressive: counties in the top PTR decile have a median income of $52,775 vs $82,328 in the bottom decile.
Recent disasters are visible in the data. Counties hit by Hurricane Helene’s flooding (Sept 2024) and the 2021–25 Gulf hurricane seasons carry elevated risk multipliers because the model blends FEMA’s modeled losses with the last five years of observed storm events (through Dec 2025).
National picture
A median U.S. household now pays an estimated 6.7% of income for auto + home insurance — up from the ~4% range that pre-2023 data showed, reflecting the past three years of premium escalation. The burden is heavily concentrated: the ten most burdened states are all in the South and Plains, where a combination of hurricane/hail exposure and below-average incomes compound.
The pattern is regressive twice over. High-risk regions have higher premiums, but the counties within those regions that carry the heaviest burden are almost always the poorest ones — eastern Kentucky’s flood-scarred coal counties, the Mississippi Delta, north Louisiana parishes, the Florida Panhandle. Wealthy enclaves in the same states (Oldham County KY, Forsyth County GA, Williamson County TN) pay 3–5× less of their income.
The 25 most burdened counties in America
# | County | State | Median income | Est. annual premium | PTR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Owsley County | KY | $22,188 | $5,461 | 24.6% |
2 | Bell County | KY | $31,354 | $7,359 | 23.5% |
3 | Acadia Parish | LA | $45,562 | $10,543 | 23.1% |
4 | Orleans Parish | LA | $56,631 | $12,649 | 22.3% |
5 | Washington Parish | LA | $45,380 | $9,792 | 21.6% |
6 | Lincoln Parish | LA | $39,172 | $8,180 | 20.9% |
7 | Webster Parish | LA | $41,182 | $8,553 | 20.8% |
8 | Claiborne Parish | LA | $32,831 | $6,754 | 20.6% |
9 | Tangipahoa Parish | LA | $56,760 | $11,600 | 20.4% |
10 | St. Landry Parish | LA | $44,462 | $9,000 | 20.2% |
11 | Holmes County | FL | $49,343 | $9,948 | 20.2% |
12 | Jefferson Parish | LA | $65,252 | $12,874 | 19.7% |
13 | Caddo Parish | LA | $50,705 | $9,782 | 19.3% |
14 | Knox County | KY | $32,527 | $6,246 | 19.2% |
15 | Breathitt County | KY | $34,808 | $6,676 | 19.2% |
16 | Taylor County | FL | $49,073 | $9,331 | 19.0% |
17 | Bienville Parish | LA | $35,011 | $6,650 | 19.0% |
18 | Floyd County | KY | $41,279 | $7,753 | 18.8% |
19 | East Carroll Parish | LA | $33,341 | $6,261 | 18.8% |
20 | Wolfe County | KY | $30,417 | $5,673 | 18.6% |
21 | Putnam County | FL | $47,934 | $8,939 | 18.6% |
22 | Jackson County | FL | $49,149 | $9,139 | 18.6% |
23 | Citrus County | FL | $56,546 | $10,342 | 18.3% |
24 | Madison County | FL | $48,485 | $8,815 | 18.2% |
25 | Dixie County | FL | $50,110 | $9,070 | 18.1% |
The 10 least burdened counties
County | State | Median income | Est. annual premium | PTR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Summit County | UT | $138,114 | $2,239 | 1.6% |
Teton County | WY | $124,172 | $2,139 | 1.7% |
Juneau City and Borough | AK | $101,661 | $1,784 | 1.8% |
Morgan County | UT | $130,929 | $2,363 | 1.8% |
Ketchikan Gateway Borough | AK | $92,885 | $1,718 | 1.9% |
Grand Isle County | VT | $97,396 | $1,852 | 1.9% |
Wasatch County | UT | $117,608 | $2,269 | 1.9% |
North Slope Borough | AK | $95,694 | $1,852 | 1.9% |
Dukes County | MA | $125,786 | $2,447 | 1.9% |
Aleutians West Census Area | AK | $135,500 | $2,695 | 2.0% |
State ranking
Population-weighted average across each state’s counties. “Counties above U.S. avg” counts counties exceeding the national 6.7% average.
Rank | State | PTR | Combined premium | Median income | Counties above U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Louisiana | 17.2% | $10,409 | $54,344 | 64/64 |
2 | Florida | 13.1% | $9,722 | $67,500 | 67/67 |
3 | Nebraska | 11.8% | $8,980 | $68,892 | 93/93 |
4 | Oklahoma | 11.6% | $7,492 | $59,738 | 77/77 |
5 | Mississippi | 10.2% | $5,678 | $49,518 | 81/82 |
6 | Kentucky | 10.0% | $6,139 | $57,293 | 115/120 |
7 | Arkansas | 9.5% | $5,719 | $51,646 | 73/75 |
8 | Kansas | 9.5% | $6,921 | $64,178 | 101/105 |
9 | Texas | 8.7% | $6,650 | $65,034 | 201/254 |
10 | Alabama | 8.3% | $5,269 | $54,563 | 58/67 |
11 | Michigan | 7.8% | $5,575 | $63,724 | 40/83 |
12 | South Dakota | 7.5% | $5,452 | $72,652 | 24/66 |
13 | Montana | 7.3% | $5,196 | $65,868 | 24/56 |
14 | New York | 7.0% | $5,950 | $72,022 | 42/62 |
15 | Colorado | 7.0% | $6,615 | $73,468 | 34/64 |
16 | New Mexico | 6.9% | $4,337 | $53,428 | 21/32 |
17 | Tennessee | 6.8% | $4,676 | $59,341 | 54/95 |
18 | South Carolina | 6.8% | $4,634 | $57,158 | 28/46 |
19 | North Carolina | 6.7% | $4,782 | $60,230 | 62/100 |
20 | Missouri | 6.7% | $4,707 | $59,934 | 44/115 |
21 | Georgia | 6.5% | $4,950 | $58,239 | 79/159 |
22 | Rhode Island | 6.2% | $5,338 | $103,514 | 1/5 |
23 | Arizona | 6.2% | $4,975 | $62,876 | 5/15 |
24 | Minnesota | 6.1% | $5,429 | $74,033 | 12/87 |
25 | North Dakota | 6.1% | $4,577 | $72,109 | 4/53 |
26 | Nevada | 6.1% | $4,642 | $76,472 | 0/17 |
27 | Iowa | 5.8% | $4,378 | $71,223 | 7/99 |
28 | Illinois | 5.5% | $4,601 | $66,532 | 19/102 |
29 | West Virginia | 5.4% | $3,209 | $55,832 | 2/55 |
30 | California | 4.9% | $4,760 | $83,473 | 0/58 |
31 | Pennsylvania | 4.9% | $3,750 | $66,318 | 0/67 |
32 | Maryland | 4.8% | $4,790 | $91,888 | 2/24 |
33 | Indiana | 4.7% | $3,375 | $68,532 | 0/92 |
34 | Connecticut | 4.7% | $4,453 | $90,589 | 0/9 |
35 | Delaware | 4.6% | $3,936 | $81,497 | 0/3 |
36 | Ohio | 4.5% | $3,206 | $67,804 | 0/88 |
37 | New Jersey | 4.4% | $4,468 | $100,869 | 0/21 |
38 | Wisconsin | 4.2% | $3,205 | $72,922 | 0/72 |
39 | Virginia | 4.2% | $3,776 | $68,724 | 16/133 |
40 | Wyoming | 4.1% | $3,066 | $72,156 | 0/23 |
41 | District of Columbia | 4.0% | $4,398 | $109,870 | 0/1 |
42 | Oregon | 3.9% | $3,212 | $68,416 | 0/36 |
43 | Maine | 3.9% | $2,906 | $68,475 | 0/16 |
44 | Alaska | 3.8% | $3,413 | $80,958 | 0/30 |
45 | Idaho | 3.8% | $2,885 | $67,492 | 0/44 |
46 | Massachusetts | 3.7% | $3,829 | $95,785 | 0/14 |
47 | Utah | 3.7% | $3,471 | $78,445 | 0/29 |
48 | Washington | 3.5% | $3,458 | $74,202 | 0/39 |
49 | Vermont | 3.0% | $2,437 | $76,251 | 0/14 |
50 | Hawaii | 3.0% | $2,974 | $97,161 | 0/5 |
51 | New Hampshire | 2.8% | $2,733 | $88,416 | 0/10 |
State-by-state: county analysis
1. Louisiana — 17.2%
Combined state-average premium $10,409/yr (home $6,274 + auto $4,135) against a median county income of $54,344. 64 of 64 counties exceed the national average burden of 6.7%.
Most burdened counties:
County | Median income | Est. premium | PTR |
|---|---|---|---|
Acadia Parish | $45,562 | $10,543 | 23.1% |
Orleans Parish | $56,631 | $12,649 | 22.3% |
Washington Parish | $45,380 | $9,792 | 21.6% |
Lincoln Parish | $39,172 | $8,180 | 20.9% |
Webster Parish | $41,182 | $8,553 | 20.8% |
Least burdened: West Baton Rouge Parish (8.5%, median income $87,299). The gap between Acadia Parish and West Baton Rouge Parish is 2.7× within the same state.
Recent-flood angle: Acadia Parish (5 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 23.1%), Orleans Parish (91 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 22.3%), Jefferson Parish (24 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 19.7%).
2. Florida — 13.1%
Combined state-average premium $9,722/yr (home $5,838 + auto $3,884) against a median county income of $67,500. 67 of 67 counties exceed the national average burden of 6.7%.
Most burdened counties:
County | Median income | Est. premium | PTR |
|---|---|---|---|
Holmes County | $49,343 | $9,948 | 20.2% |
Taylor County | $49,073 | $9,331 | 19.0% |
Putnam County | $47,934 | $8,939 | 18.6% |
Jackson County | $49,149 | $9,139 | 18.6% |
Citrus County | $56,546 | $10,342 | 18.3% |
Least burdened: Baker County (8.4%, median income $79,836). The gap between Holmes County and Baker County is 2.4× within the same state.
Recent-flood angle: Holmes County (13 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 20.2%), Putnam County (6 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 18.6%), Jackson County (20 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 18.6%).
3. Nebraska — 11.8%
Combined state-average premium $8,980/yr (home $6,587 + auto $2,393) against a median county income of $68,892. 93 of 93 counties exceed the national average burden of 6.7%.
Most burdened counties:
County | Median income | Est. premium | PTR |
|---|---|---|---|
Garden County | $41,882 | $7,407 | 17.7% |
Hitchcock County | $51,567 | $8,146 | 15.8% |
Madison County | $63,128 | $9,358 | 14.8% |
Franklin County | $60,195 | $8,720 | 14.5% |
Morrill County | $58,500 | $8,406 | 14.4% |
Least burdened: Sarpy County (8.8%, median income $103,321). The gap between Garden County and Sarpy County is 2.0× within the same state.
Recent-flood angle: Cheyenne County (11 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 14.0%), Platte County (6 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 13.3%), Douglas County (11 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 12.1%).
4. Oklahoma — 11.6%
Combined state-average premium $7,492/yr (home $4,695 + auto $2,797) against a median county income of $59,738. 77 of 77 counties exceed the national average burden of 6.7%.
Most burdened counties:
County | Median income | Est. premium | PTR |
|---|---|---|---|
Ottawa County | $49,947 | $7,845 | 15.7% |
Latimer County | $41,405 | $6,382 | 15.4% |
Coal County | $50,423 | $7,603 | 15.1% |
Payne County | $49,809 | $7,501 | 15.1% |
McIntosh County | $46,281 | $6,654 | 14.4% |
Least burdened: Cimarron County (8.5%, median income $62,188). The gap between Ottawa County and Cimarron County is 1.9× within the same state.
Recent-flood angle: Okmulgee County (6 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 13.7%), Comanche County (7 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 12.6%), Garvin County (6 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 12.4%).
5. Mississippi — 10.2%
Combined state-average premium $5,678/yr (home $3,353 + auto $2,325) against a median county income of $49,518. 81 of 82 counties exceed the national average burden of 6.7%.
Most burdened counties:
County | Median income | Est. premium | PTR |
|---|---|---|---|
Leflore County | $35,277 | $4,910 | 13.9% |
Hinds County | $49,402 | $6,813 | 13.8% |
Claiborne County | $31,897 | $4,275 | 13.4% |
Holmes County | $32,538 | $4,339 | 13.3% |
Issaquena County | $31,429 | $4,167 | 13.3% |
Least burdened: Webster County (6.3%, median income $58,789). The gap between Leflore County and Webster County is 2.2× within the same state.
Recent-flood angle: Hinds County (18 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 13.8%), Bolivar County (5 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 12.7%), Yazoo County (12 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 12.2%).
6. Kentucky — 10.0%
Combined state-average premium $6,139/yr (home $3,540 + auto $2,599) against a median county income of $57,293. 115 of 120 counties exceed the national average burden of 6.7%.
Most burdened counties:
County | Median income | Est. premium | PTR |
|---|---|---|---|
Owsley County | $22,188 | $5,461 | 24.6% |
Bell County | $31,354 | $7,359 | 23.5% |
Knox County | $32,527 | $6,246 | 19.2% |
Breathitt County | $34,808 | $6,676 | 19.2% |
Floyd County | $41,279 | $7,753 | 18.8% |
Least burdened: Oldham County (5.0%, median income $122,497). The gap between Owsley County and Oldham County is 4.9× within the same state.
Recent-flood angle: Bell County (5 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 23.5%), Breathitt County (5 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 19.2%), Floyd County (5 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 18.8%).
7. Arkansas — 9.5%
Combined state-average premium $5,719/yr (home $3,287 + auto $2,432) against a median county income of $51,646. 73 of 75 counties exceed the national average burden of 6.7%.
Most burdened counties:
County | Median income | Est. premium | PTR |
|---|---|---|---|
Lafayette County | $41,278 | $5,320 | 12.9% |
Lee County | $34,375 | $4,352 | 12.7% |
Poinsett County | $46,707 | $5,659 | 12.1% |
Lawrence County | $44,882 | $5,362 | 11.9% |
Chicot County | $39,045 | $4,619 | 11.8% |
Least burdened: Grant County (6.1%, median income $71,549). The gap between Lafayette County and Grant County is 2.1× within the same state.
Recent-flood angle: Lafayette County (6 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 12.9%), Lawrence County (28 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 11.9%), Chicot County (5 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 11.8%).
8. Kansas — 9.5%
Combined state-average premium $6,921/yr (home $4,444 + auto $2,477) against a median county income of $64,178. 101 of 105 counties exceed the national average burden of 6.7%.
Most burdened counties:
County | Median income | Est. premium | PTR |
|---|---|---|---|
Comanche County | $54,545 | $7,393 | 13.6% |
Chase County | $56,484 | $7,511 | 13.3% |
Crawford County | $52,844 | $7,005 | 13.3% |
Montgomery County | $55,697 | $6,881 | 12.3% |
Geary County | $59,317 | $7,015 | 11.8% |
Least burdened: Kearny County (5.7%, median income $89,135). The gap between Comanche County and Kearny County is 2.4× within the same state.
Recent-flood angle: Comanche County (6 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 13.6%), Sedgwick County (9 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 11.2%), Saline County (8 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 10.6%).
9. Texas — 8.7%
Combined state-average premium $6,650/yr (home $3,899 + auto $2,751) against a median county income of $65,034. 201 of 254 counties exceed the national average burden of 6.7%.
Most burdened counties:
County | Median income | Est. premium | PTR |
|---|---|---|---|
Kenedy County | $38,882 | $6,080 | 15.6% |
Red River County | $48,491 | $6,803 | 14.0% |
Swisher County | $36,165 | $5,061 | 14.0% |
Starr County | $37,639 | $5,256 | 14.0% |
Cameron County | $52,601 | $7,268 | 13.8% |
Least burdened: Winkler County (4.4%, median income $86,900). The gap between Kenedy County and Winkler County is 3.6× within the same state.
Recent-flood angle: Cameron County (18 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 13.8%), Real County (7 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 13.7%), Hidalgo County (8 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 13.2%).
10. Alabama — 8.3%
Combined state-average premium $5,269/yr (home $3,114 + auto $2,155) against a median county income of $54,563. 58 of 67 counties exceed the national average burden of 6.7%.
Most burdened counties:
County | Median income | Est. premium | PTR |
|---|---|---|---|
Greene County | $29,200 | $4,179 | 14.3% |
Sumter County | $33,310 | $4,264 | 12.8% |
Dallas County | $35,627 | $4,286 | 12.0% |
Escambia County | $48,225 | $5,590 | 11.6% |
Bullock County | $31,310 | $3,608 | 11.5% |
Least burdened: Shelby County (5.6%, median income $97,961). The gap between Greene County and Shelby County is 2.6× within the same state.
Recent-flood angle: Mobile County (9 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 11.0%), Jackson County (10 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 9.2%), Houston County (20 flood events in 2024–25, PTR 9.1%).
Methodology
The metric. For every county we estimate the Premium-to-Income Ratio (PTR): the combined annual cost of full-coverage auto insurance and homeowners insurance ($300K dwelling coverage), as a percentage of the county’s median household income.
Data sources (all current as of June 2026):
Input | Source | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
State average home premium ($300K dwelling) | Bankrate / Quadrant Information Services | June 2026 |
State average auto premium (full coverage) | Bankrate / Quadrant Information Services | June 2026 |
County median household income | U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2020–2024 | Released Dec 2025 |
County hazard risk (modeled) | FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 | Released Dec 2025 |
County storm events (observed) | NOAA Storm Events Database, 2021–2025 | Through Dec 2025 |
County population & density | FEMA NRI (2020 Census) | — |
From state averages to county estimates. State premium averages are adjusted to the county level with a risk multiplier, normalized so each state’s population-weighted average multiplier equals 1.0 (the state average represents the average insured household, which lives where the population lives):
Home multiplier = 0.75 × √(county expected building-loss rate ÷ state average) + 0.25 × √(county 2021–25 storm-event intensity ÷ state average). The expected building-loss rate is FEMA’s modeled Expected Annual Loss to buildings divided by total building value — it captures hurricane, flood, wildfire, hail, tornado and wind exposure in a single dollar-denominated measure. The square root reflects partial pass-through: rate regulation, risk pooling and the NFIP mean a county with 2.5× the state’s expected loss is priced at roughly 1.6×, not 2.5×. Multipliers are capped at 0.5–2.0.
Auto multiplier = 0.80 × population-density score (theft, traffic and crime all scale with density) + 0.20 × weather score (0.6 hail + 0.4 wind, blending FEMA modeled scores with observed 2021–25 NOAA events).
Why this is an upgrade over our 2024-vintage ZIP analysis:
Premiums are current-market (June 2026), not 2022–23 regulatory filings. The NAIC’s latest official data still ends at 2022 and misses the 2023–26 premium surge.
Recent disasters move the numbers. Half the storm signal comes from observed NOAA events for 2021–2025 — Hurricane Helene’s flooding (Sept 2024), the 2024–25 hurricane seasons and recent hail years are in the data. The earlier model stopped at 2023.
FEMA’s National Risk Index replaces home-built hazard scores. County risk now rests on a federally validated, dollar-denominated expected-loss model (v1.20, Dec 2025) rather than raw event counts alone.
County geography is more accurate than ZIP. Storm and risk data are natively county-level; the ZIP version stretched county data onto 27,639 ZIPs. Counties also map cleanly for visualization and local-news targeting.
Caveats (also for the public-facing methodology note):
County premiums are model estimates anchored to real state averages, not quoted rates for each county.
The home premium assumes a standardized $300K dwelling profile; in low home-value counties, actual dollar premiums will be lower (and in high-value coastal markets, higher).
Flood insurance (NFIP) and earthquake coverage are sold separately and are not included — the true cost of full protection in flood-exposed counties is higher than shown.
Connecticut is reported by its nine planning regions (the state abolished county governments for federal statistical purposes in 2022).
California ranks 30th of 51, with insured households spending about 4.9% of income on auto and home insurance. That looks low for the state with the country’s worst wildfire exposure, and the reason is specific: this study measures what households who carry insurance actually pay, and California’s premiums are held down by Proposition 103, which requires regulators to approve rate increases, while the state’s incomes are among the highest in the nation. Insurify’s 2026 home insurance report reaches the same conclusion, placing California’s average premium well below states like Florida and Louisiana. The wildfire crisis is real, but in California it shows up as a coverage problem: non-renewals and a growing reliance on the state’s FAIR Plan of last resort, rather than a higher share of income.