Cities in Michigan, Mississippi, and Louisiana top list of most expensive cities for renters insurance
Numerous factors affect costs in the most expensive cities for renters insurance. Severe weather, fire risk, and property crime all contribute to increased costs. Chosen policy features, such as deductibles and coverage limits, can also affect costs.
The cities on this list all face risks that increase the number of claims, ranging from building fires to windstorms. Higher insurer losses in the Gulf States from destructive Atlantic hurricanes may also elevate costs in Mississippi and Louisiana.
A renter’s credit history also comes into play in many areas. The average credit score in the U.S. is 715, according to FICO.[3] But the average credit score among the 10 most expensive cities for renters insurance is 670.[4]
It’s also not renters with a higher income who are paying more expensive renters insurance premiums: The average household income in the most expensive cities is $69,994, but among the cheapest cities, it’s $85,032, according to 2024 U.S Census Bureau data.
These are the top 10 most expensive cities for renters insurance in the U.S., according to Insurify data.
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1. Detroit, Michigan
Detroit has the highest renters insurance costs by a wide margin. The average renter pays more than triple the national average for coverage, Insurify data shows.
Wayne County, which includes Detroit, has a high risk index for vulnerability to climate hazards, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).[5] The area faces high risks of tornadoes, strong winds, winter weather, and lightning storms.
Wayne County also has a relatively high number of fire incidents, at more than six per 1,000 people, according to the Institution of Fire Engineers’ Vision 20/20 Project.[6] Many areas of Detroit have more than double the number of incidents. Locally and statewide, building fires are the most common incident type.
Since renters policies insure the contents of someone’s home, crime rates can also contribute to higher premiums. Detroit ranks around the national average for burglary and theft, according to the FBI’s 2024 Crime in the U.S. data.[7]
But rates can still vary significantly, even down to the neighborhood. Residents in southeast Detroit neighborhoods have a 1-in-31 chance of being a victim of property crime, while those in northeast neighborhoods have a 1-in-94 chance, according to Crime Grade.[8]
While the average credit score in Detroit is 621, which is significantly lower than the national average, Michigan prohibits insurance companies from using credit history in setting rates.
2. Jackson, Mississippi
Renters in Jackson pay almost twice the national average for insurance, according to Insurify data. Like Detroit, Jackson also faces several severe weather risks. Hinds County has a high risk index for hail, lightning storms, strong winds, tornadoes, and winter weather. Weather hazards like these can increase the frequency of claims and overall insurer losses, which in turn affect premiums.
The average credit score in Jackson is 642, which may also contribute to higher premiums. Jackson also has moderate burglary and theft rates, according to FBI data. The city is safer than 58% of cities, according to Crime Grade. A resident’s chance of being a victim of property crime varies significantly by neighborhood, however, which could also affect renters insurance costs.
Downtown Jackson has a moderate fire risk, at around six incidents per 1,000 people, but trash fires are more common than building fires.
3. Biloxi, Mississippi
Renters in Biloxi, a city along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, also face higher insurance costs. Its home county has high risk scores for multiple climate hazards, including hurricanes, tornadoes, and lightning storms, according to FEMA.
The number and type of fire incidents in Biloxi vary widely by neighborhood. Building and cooking fires are the top reported fire type in the city’s north and northeast neighborhoods, where there are around three to six incidents per 1,000 people.
Property crime rates in Biloxi are relatively moderate but vary by neighborhood, with higher rates in the southeast and lower rates in the west. Overall, Biloxi is safer than 80% of U.S. cities, according to Crime Grade. Lower credit scores may also contribute to higher costs: The average credit score in Biloxi is 679, which is below the national average.
4. New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, another city on the Gulf Coast, faces climate hazards that contribute to higher premiums. Orleans Parish has a high risk index for hurricanes and lightning storms, according to FEMA. Severe storms often lead to extremely costly insurer losses. Between 2019 and 2024, hurricanes caused more than $146 billion in damage across Louisiana, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.[9]
Elevated property crime rates in New Orleans likely also contribute to higher renters insurance rates. When it comes to property crime like burglary and theft, New Orleans is less safe than 91% of cities, according to Crime Grade. While rates do vary by neighborhood, they’re high across the board in New Orleans, ranging from a 1-in-26 chance of being a victim of property crime to a slightly lower 1-in-40 chance.
The average credit score in New Orleans is also 670, well below the national average. The fire incident rate is relatively low citywide.
5. Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport is another city along Mississippi’s coast, just east of Biloxi, where renters see high insurance costs. It’s also in Harrison County, which faces climate risks such as tornadoes, lightning storms, and hurricanes.
Gulfport has higher property crime rates and lower average credit scores than Biloxi. Gulfport is safer than just 66% of U.S. cities, according to Crime Grade, compared to Biloxi’s 80%.
But property crime rates vary significantly by neighborhood: A resident has a 1-in-40 chance of being a victim of property crime in the central neighborhoods, while someone in the northwest area has a much lower 1-in-322 chance. The average credit score in Gulfport is 665, 50 points lower than the national average.
Gulfport also faces more significant fire risk than Biloxi, with a rate of more than six fires per 1,000 people downtown, according to Vision 20/20. Building fires are the most common type of fire in several areas of the city.
6. Louisville, Kentucky
Local climate hazards are likely a main factor influencing renters insurance costs in Louisville. Jefferson County faces several severe weather risks from tornadoes, strong winds, lightning storms, and ice storms, according to FEMA. Most renters insurance policies cover damage from these events, so higher risks can mean more claims and higher costs for insurers.
Building fires can also drive up renters insurance costs. Several areas of downtown Louisville have a fire incident rate of six to 12 fires per 1,000 people, and building fires are the most common type.
The property crime rate in Louisville is slightly higher than in the average U.S. city, according to Crime Grade. Neighborhoods in the western part of the city have the highest rates, where residents have a 1-in-39 chance of being a victim of property crime. The citywide average credit score is 690, below the national average but higher than in other cities in the top 10.
7. Atlanta, Georgia
Renters in Atlanta pay elevated costs for renters insurance, on average, due to a combination of factors. The city has a slightly higher-than-average property crime rate, according to Crime Grade, which could contribute to higher premiums. Renters insurance costs can vary down to the ZIP code, even before individual factors affect rates, because neighborhoods can have different risks of crime, fire, and weather damage.
Most of Atlanta has a relatively low fire incident rate, but some areas have a rate higher than six per 1,000 people, according to Vision 20/20. Fulton County, home to Atlanta, also faces several weather hazards. The county has a high risk of hail, lightning storms, and tornadoes, according to FEMA.
Below-average credit scores may also lead to higher renters insurance costs: The average credit score in Atlanta is 682.
8. Lafayette, Louisiana
Renters in Lafayette face higher insurance premiums for several reasons. The property crime rate is significantly higher than the average for U.S. cities, according to Crime Grade. Lafayette is less safe than 88% of cities in terms of property crime, with higher rates in eastern neighborhoods and lower rates in the southwest.
The city’s below-average credit score of 688 may also help explain the higher rates.
Lafayette Parish faces climate hazards such as hurricanes and ice storms, which can increase claims risk and lead to higher renters insurance costs. Parts of the city also have a high fire incident rate: more than 12 fires per 1,000 people in some areas. Building fires, cooking fires, and brush fires are all common types of fires in the city, according to Vision 20/20.
9. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
In Baton Rouge, especially east of the Mississippi River, higher fire risk and vulnerability to severe weather may increase claims costs and lead to elevated renters insurance premiums. Several neighborhoods in Baton Rouge have a fire incident rate of six to 12 fires per 1,000 people, according to Vision 20/20. Building fires are the leading type of fire in several areas downtown.
East Baton Rouge Parish, which includes most of the city, faces several climate hazards, including hurricanes, ice storms, lightning storms, and tornadoes, according to FEMA. While renters insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, it would cover damage or displacement costs from other severe weather events.
Baton Rouge also has a higher property crime rate than the average U.S. city, according to Crime Grade. It’s less than safe in 81% of cities, with a higher risk of property crime in the west than in the southeast. Credit may also factor into rates, as Baton Rouge has a below-average credit score of 674.
10. Conway, Arkansas
Renters in Conway may see higher renters insurance costs because of factors shared with other cities on this list. Conway has a higher-than-average property crime rate and is less safe than 76% of U.S. cities, according to Crime Grade. Building fires are also the most common fire type in downtown Conway, where the fire incident rate is around three to six per 1,000 people, according to Vision 20/20.
Weather hazards may also drive up costs. Conway is in Faulkner County, which has a high risk index for ice storms, lightning storms, strong winds, and tornadoes, according to FEMA. Credit may also influence rates, though Conway’s average credit score of 689 is the second-highest among the cities on this list.
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